100+ Inspirational Bob Marley Quotes on Peace

Famous Jamaican singer, Bob Marley, is known for his efforts towards world peace and unity. Read these Bob Marley quotes on love, life, and happiness.

By Katee Fletcher

Updated 8 months ago, May 2, 2024

Robert Nesta Marley, better known as the Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley, was born on February 6th, 1945, in Nine Miles, St. Ann, Jamaica. Marley had a chaotic upbringing, being kidnapped by his father as a boy and brought to live with an older woman in Kingston. He was eventually brought home by a family friend. However, in his young teens, he decided to return to Kingston and work as an apprentice to a welder. During his apprenticeship, he was exposed to the wonderful jazzy rhythms of ska (a musical blend of American blues and native mento). Soon after, he pursued the opportunity of producing his first song, “Judge Not,” with the producer, Leslie Kong.

With his newfound career as a musician, he formed a vocal group with friends, naming themselves “The Wailers.” Their first song, “Simmer Down,” grew increasingly popular within Jamaica’s urban poor communities. It turned into their anthem and sparked class-related tensions within the Jamaican culture. The Wailers’ Rastafarian faith also grew increasingly popular in these communities, contributing to Jamaica’s rising tension. For many years, The Wailers put out hit ska records and then reggae records around 1969. However, after the release of reggae album “Catch a Fire,” Marley gained superstardom. This set him on his own path, causing The Wailers to disperse in 1974. During these years, Marley also began family life by marrying Alpharita Constantia Anderson, commonly known as Rita Marley. Together, he and Rita Marley raised 6 children, 3 of their own and 3 Marley adopted from Rita Marley’s prior relationships. It is rumored that Bob Marley bore 6 other children with different mothers due to his various marital affairs.

In his last years of fame, Marley grew to have a strong political influence. He hosted the “One Love” peace concert to defuse political tension in Jamaica. He also performed at the ceremony of Zimbabwe’s independence. In 1981, a month before his death from skin cancer, Marley received the Order of Merit from the Jamaican government. His legacy continues to impact today’s world with his popular messages of peace, love, and unity. In fact, the retrospective album Legend produced in 1984, became the best-selling reggae album worldwide with over 12 million copies sold. Discover an uplifting Bob Marley quote or lyric below. These are amongst the most popular Bob Marley quotes and sayings from his interviews and life. There are also famous Bob Marley lyrics from his discography and reggae music.

Wise Bob Marley Quotes About Life, Love, and Happiness

“You say you love rain, but you use an umbrella to walk under it. You say you love sun, but you seek shelter when it is shining. You say you love wind, but when it comes, you close your windows. So that’s why I’m scared when you say you love me.” – Bob Marley

“She may not be the most popular or prettiest, but if you love her, and she makes you smile, what else matters?” – Bob Marley

“Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.” – Bob Marley

“The biggest coward is a man who awakens a woman’s love with no intention of loving her.” – Bob Marley

“Love would never leave us alone.” – Bob Marley

“If you can love the wrong person that much, imagine how much you can love the right one.” – Bob Marley

“What important is man should live in righteousness, in natural love for mankind.” – Bob Marley

“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.” – Bob Marley

“One good thing about music—when it hits you, you feel no pain.” – Bob Marley

“My music will go on forever. Maybe it’s a fool say that, but when me know facts, me can say facts. My music will go on forever.” – Bob Marley

“Every man got the right to decide his own destiny.” – Bob Marley

“As a man sow, shall he reap. And I know that talk is cheap. But the heat of the battle is as sweet as the victory.” – Bob Marley

“Man is a universe within himself.” – Bob Marley

“Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul, and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future. Dreams that will never come true. Goals that were never achieved. And many disappointments that life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough. Rather, they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy, or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people–like a note, song, or walk–become invaluable treasures. They are kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid; it’s like being young again. Colors seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind, or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day. And in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting, and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.” – Bob Marley

“If she’s amazing, she won’t be easy. If she’s easy, she won’t be amazing. If she’s worth it, you won’t give up. If you give up, you’re not worthy. Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley Quotes About Living Life

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” – Bob Marley

“Don’t trust people whose feelings change with time. Trust people whose feelings remain the same, even when the time changes.” – Bob Marley

“Money is numbers, and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.” – Bob Marley

“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.” – Bob Marley

“You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” – Bob Marley

“In the abundance of water, a fool is thirsty.” – Bob Marley

“In this bright future, you can’t forget your past.” – Bob Marley

“Have no fear for atomic energy, ’cause none of them can stop the time.” – Bob Marley

“My feet is my only carriage.” – Bob Marley

“I have a BMW. But only because BMW stands for Bob Marley and The Wailers, and not because I need an expensive car.” – Bob Marley

“Hey, mister music, sure sounds good to me. I can’t refuse it what to be got to be.” – Bob Marley

“And what has been hidden from the wise and the prudent been revealed in the mouth of the toddler.” – Bob Marley

“Until the end of the world, all whys will be answered, but now, you can only ask!” – Bob Marley

“Live for yourself, and you will live in vain. Live for others, and you will live again.” – Bob Marley

“Judge not, before you judge yourself. Judge not, if you’re not ready for judgment.” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley Quotes About Achieving Happiness

“Don’t bury your thoughts; put your vision to reality.” – Bob Marley

“When the root is strong, the fruit is sweet.” – Bob Marley

“I know that I’m not perfect and that I don’t claim to be. So before you point your fingers, make sure your hands are clean.” – Bob Marley

“You have to be someone.” – Bob Marley

“Money can’t buy life.” – Bob Marley

“Don’t complicate your mind.” – Bob Marley

“Open your eyes. Look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” – Bob Marley

“If something can corrupt you, you’re corrupted already.” – Bob Marley

“I don’t believe in death, neither in flesh nor in spirit.” – Bob Marley

“In this great future, you can’t forget your past.” – Bob Marley

“Road of life is rocky, and you may stumble too, so while you talk about me, someone else is judging you.” – Bob Marley

“My future is righteousness.” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley Quotes About Fame, His Album, Jamaican Music, and The World in General

“Some will hate you, pretend they love you, now then behind they try to eliminate you.” – Bob Marley

“If puss and dog can get together, why can’t we love one another?” – Bob Marley

“There will never be no love at all.” – Bob Marley

“Your life is worth much more than gold.” – Bob Marley

“None but ourselves can free our minds.” – Bob Marley

“Who are you to judge the life I live? I am not perfect, and I don’t have to be! Before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean.” – Bob Marley

“It is better to live on the housetop than to live in a house full of confusion.” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley Quotes on Politics, Religion, and Unity

“One love, one heart. Let’s get together and feel all right.” – Bob Marley

“My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die.” – Bob Marley

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires. It is in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” – Bob Marley

“Man can’t do without God. Just like you’re thirsty, you have to drink water. You just can’t go without God.” – Bob Marley

“Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner all the days of your life.” – Bob Marley

“Everything is political. I will never be a politician or even think political. Me just deal with life and nature. That is the greatest thing to me.” – Bob Marley

“Free speech carries with it some freedom to listen.” – Bob Marley

“I have no have education. I have inspiration. If I was educated, I would be a damn fool.” – Bob Marley

“Some people say great God come from the sky, take away everything and make everybody feel high. But if you know what life is worth, you will look for yours on earth.” – Bob Marley

“If you’re white and you’re wrong, then you’re wrong; if you’re black and you’re wrong, you’re wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green. God make no rules about color; only society make rules where my people suffer, and that why we must have redemption and redemption now.” – Bob Marley

“The people who were trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. Why should I?” – Bob Marley

“Tell the children the truth.” – Bob Marley

“Truth is the light, so you never give up the fight.” – Bob Marley

“Life and Jah are one in the same. Jah is the gift of existence. I am in some way eternal; I will never be duplicated. The singularity of every man and woman is Jah’s gift. What we struggle to make of it is our sole gift to Jah. The process of what that struggle becomes, in time, the Truth.” – Bob Marley

“If you get down and quarrel every day, you’re saying prayers to the devil, I say.” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley Quotes About the Present and Future

“One love, one heart, one destiny.” – Bob Marley

“You entertain people who are satisfied. Hungry people can’t be entertained – or people who are afraid. You can’t entertain a man who has no food.” – Bob Marley

“And no matter what game they play, we got something they can never take away.” – Bob Marley

“Every time I plant a seed, he say kill it before it grow, he say kill it before they grow.” – Bob Marley

“Me only have one ambition, y’know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together – black, white, Chinese, everyone – that’s all.” – Bob Marley

“[Rasta] not a culture; it’s a reality.” – Bob Marley

“Don’t give up the fight. Stand up for your rights.” – Bob Marley

“It take many a year, mon, and maybe some bloodshed must be, but righteousness someday prevail.” – Bob Marley

“The devil ain’t got no power over me. The devil come, and me shake hands with the devil. Devil have his part to play. Devil’s a good friend, too… because when you don’t know him, that’s the time he can mosh you down.” – Bob Marley

“A hungry mob is an angry mob.” – Bob Marley

“Prejudice is a chain; it can hold you. If you prejudice, you can’t move; you keep prejudice for years. Never get nowhere with that.” – Bob Marley

“Me don’t dip on nobody’s side. Me don’t dip on the black man’s side, not the white man’s side. Me dip on God’s side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.” – Bob Marley

“Rastafari not a culture; it’s a reality.” – Bob Marley

“The harder the battle, the sweet of Jah victory.” – Bob Marley

“People want to listen to a message, word from Jah. This could be passed through me or anybody. I am not a leader. Messenger. The words of the songs, not the person, is what attracts people.” – Bob Marley

“I don’t stand for black man’s side; I don’t stand for white man’s side; I stand for God’s side.” – Bob Marley

“Two thousand years of history Black History could not be wiped away so easily.” – Bob Marley

“Today, people struggle to find what’s real. Everything has become so synthetic that a lot of people, all they want is to grasp onto hope.” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley Quotes on Motivation, Growth, and Overcoming Adversity

“The good times of today are the sad thoughts of tomorrow.” – Bob Marley

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; no one but ourselves can free our minds.” – Bob Marley

“Overcome the devils with a thing called love.” – Bob Marley

“The winds that sometimes take something we love are the same that bring us something we learn to love. Therefore we should not cry about something that was taken from us, but, yes, love what we have been given. Because what is really ours is never gone forever.” – Bob Marley

“When one door is closed, don’t you know that many more are open?” – Bob Marley

“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief, and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts; put your vision to reality. Wake up and live!” – Bob Marley

“Though the road’s been rocky, it sure feels good to me.” – Bob Marley

“You just can’t live that negative way. You know what I mean. Make way for the positive day. Cause it’s a new day.” – Bob Marley

“When the race gets hard to run. It means you just can’t take the peace.” – Bob Marley

“Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad, but it’s everything in between that makes it all worth living.” – Bob Marley

“Just because you are happy, it does not mean that the day is perfect but that you have looked beyond its imperfections.” – Bob Marley

“I don’t know how to live good. I only know how to suffer.” – Bob Marley

“You not supposed to feel down over whatever happen to you. I mean, you’re supposed to use whatever happen to you as some type of upper, not a downer.” – Bob Marley

“The day you stop racing is the day you win the race.” – Bob Marley

“Don’t worry about a thing ’cause every little thing gonna be alright.” – Bob Marley

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” – Bob Marley

“My fear is my only courage.” – Bob Marley