22 Of The Most Powerful Death & Dying Quotes Ever Written

Article by Rochelle Rietow, funeralOne

Since the beginning of time, people have been expressing their thoughts on death in many, many ways. In fact, these ideas, discussions and philosophies surrounding death have been the origin of many great works of art.

In my opinion, some of the most powerful words about death exist in quotes. So, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite quotes on death and dying – they come from some of the greatest inventors, philosophers, psychologists, and yogis from all over the world.

Read them and become enlightened from some of the most beautiful, meaningful words anyone has ever used to describe the world’s greatest mystery… death.
#2. “Nothing can happen more beautiful than death.”

– Walt Whitman

#3. “If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character… Would you slow down? Or speed up?”

– Chuck Palahniuk

#5. “Death is the dropping of the flower that the fruit may swell.”

– Henry Ward Beecher

#6. “I shall not wholly die, and a great part of me will escape the grave.”

– Horace

#7. “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet, death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it, and that is how it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”

– Steve Jobs

#8. “Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”

– Buddha

#10. “Fear of death is ridiculous, because as long as you are not dead you are alive, and when you are dead there is nothing more to worry about!”

– Paramahansa Yogananda

#11. “After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.”

– 1 Timothy 6:7

#12. “Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.”

– Martin Luther

#13. “One should die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly.”

– Friedrich Nietzsche

#15. “People fear death even more than pain. It’s strange that they fear death. Life hurts a lot more than death. At the point of death, the pain is over. Yeah, I guess it is a friend.

– Jim Morrison

#16. “Dying is a wild night and a new road.”

– Emily Dickinson

#17. “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”

– Mark Twain

#18. “If we really think that home is elsewhere and that this life is a ‘wandering to find home,’ why should we not look forward to the arrival?”

– C. S. Lewis

#20. “Time,” the Captain said, “is not what you think.” He sat down next to Eddie. “Dying? Not the end of everything. We think it is. But what happens on earth is only the beginning.”

– Mitch Albom

#21. “Life is stressful, dear. That’s why they say “Rest In Peace.”

– David Mazzucchelli

#22. “If you don’t know how to die, don’t worry; Nature will tell you what to do on the spot, fully and adequately. She will do this job perfectly for you; don’t bother your head about it.”

– Montaigne

Feel free to add your favorite quotes on death and dying in the comments below!