When it comes to iconic voices, I believe you’d agree with me that Bob Marley isn’t just a name; he’s a legend!

His unique blend of reggae music, incorporating elements of rock, soul, and R&B, and his promotion of unity and equality, has made him one of the most popular musical and cultural icons in the world.

Below you’ll discover the best Bob Marley quotes I could find online, covering themes of love, peace, music, freedom, and resistance against oppression.

Even after his death, Marley’s music and philosophy continue to inspire generations and advocate for love and unity.

Let’s read the most famous Bob Marley quotes!

Contents show

10 Best Bob Marley Quotes

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

Bob Marley smiling, tilting his head backward representing the best Bob Marley quote

2. “Love, friendship, laughter… some of the best things in life really are free.” — Bob Marley

3. “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.” — Bob Marley

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

5. “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley leaning back with a smile representing the best Bob Marley quote

6. “The most beautiful curve on a woman’s body is her smile.” ― Bob Marley

7. “We don’t have education, we have inspiration; if I was educated I would be a damn fool.” — Bob Marley

8. “Truth is everybody is going to hurt you: you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.” — Bob Marley

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

10. “True friends are like stars; you can only recognize them when it’s dark around you.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley grins with his head gently tilted back

Bob Marley Inspirational Quotes

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

Bob Marley donning a plaid shirt beams with a broad smile

2. “You say dabble in Politics? I don’t know what that is. You say stand up and talk for my rights? I know that that is.” — Bob Marley

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

4. “Truth is the light so you never give up the fight.” — Bob Marley

5. “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

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

7. “Until the color of a man’s skin, is of no more significance than the color of his eyes, me say war.” — Bob Marley

8. “Why not help each other on the way? Make it much easier.” — Bob Marley

9. “I’m gonna be your friend in high tide or in low tide.” — Bob Marley

10. “I went deep inside myself. I had time to explore my beliefs and because of that I’m stronger.” — Bob Marley

11. “We got to realize we are one people.” — Bob Marley

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

13. “Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze.” — Bob Marley

14. “Rise up this mornin’, smile with the risin’ sun.” — Bob Marley

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

Bob Marley wearing a plaid shirt and a broad smile

16. “Don’t forget your history.” — Bob Marley

17. “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

18. “But though we bear our burdens now, all afflictions got to end somehow.” — Bob Marley

19. “Smelling the air when spring comes by raindrops reminds us of youthful days.” — Bob Marley

20. “You find strength in knowing that you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley shares a moment of sheer joy with a broad smile

21. “Don’t worry about a thing, every little thing is gonna be alright.” ― Bob Marley

22. “Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon.” — Bob Marley

23. “The most beautiful things are not perfect, they are special.” — Bob Marley

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

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

26. “Heal with loneliness, heartaches and teardrops ” — Bob Marley

27. “That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, Dis a war.” — Bob Marley

28. “You think it’s the end, but it’s just the beginning.” — Bob Marley

29. “So much trouble in the world. All you got to do: give a little.” — Bob Marley

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

Bob Marley Quotes On Music

1. “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

Bob Marley on stage with a guitar and microphone

2. “Me see myself as a revolutionary, wouldn’t want no help and imma take no bribe from no one and fight it single handed with music.” — Bob Marley

3. “Reggae is my heart, reggae is my soul.” ― Bob Marley

4. “Yeah me see myself as a revolutionary, wouldn’t want no help and imma take no bribe from no one and fight it single handed with music.” ― Bob Marley

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

6. “We like to be free like birds in a tree.” — Bob Marley

7. “It take a joyful sound, to make a world go round.” — Bob Marley

8. “Long time you fight revolution and when you fight revolution you use guns. You don’t really want talk about revolution until you have guns, right? So me don’t want ever to talk ‘bout revolution because me no never get gun. Me make music. Music is the biggest gun.'” — Bob Marley

9. “Reggae music is the purest music.” — Bob Marley

10. “I was really into like — they call it spiritual music. ‘Cause it got me revolutionized.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley performing with a guitar and microphone

11. “Musicians must be spokespeople for the oppressed masses.” — Bob Marley

12. “Hit me with music now.” — Bob Marley

13. “Forget your troubles and dance.” — Bob Marley

14. “I wish I was the music that rock your soul.” — Bob Marley

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

Bob Marley Love Quotes

1. “You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? ” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley strikes a pose in a white shirt and denim pants, holding a guitar

2. “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

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

4. “Make love and not war! ‘Cause we don’t need no trouble.” — Bob Marley

5. “In life I know there’s lots of grief, but your love is my relief.” — Bob Marley

6. “What we need is love, to guide and protect us on.” — Bob Marley

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

8. “Got to build our love on one foundation.” — Bob Marley

9. “They say love is a stream that will find its course.” — Bob Marley

10. “The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman without the intention of loving her.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley, dressed in a white shirt and denim, poses confidently with his guitar

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

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

13. “Oh, so happy we will be sharing the love that is free.” — Bob Marley

14. “Is this love that I’m feelin’? ” — Bob Marley

15. “Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley, in denim pants and a white shirt, strikes a pose with a guitar

16. “It’s your love that I’m waiting on.” — Bob Marley

17. “It’s me love that you’re running from.” — Bob Marley

18. “Let love come running in, darlin’, ” — Bob Marley

19. “Love has come to bloom again.” — Bob Marley

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

Bob Marley holding a guitar in a captivating pose

21. “One love, one heart, one destiny.” — Bob Marley

22. “He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break.” — Bob Marley

23. “I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love.” — Bob Marley

24. “If she’s worth it, you won’t give up. If you give up, you’re not worthy.” — Bob Marley

25. “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

Bob Marley posing in a white shirt and denim pants

26. “If she’s amazing, she won’t be easy.” — Bob Marley

27. “Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.” — Bob Marley

28. “Love would never leave us alone.” ― Bob Marley

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

30. “They told me that to make her fall in love I had to make her laugh. But every time she laughs I’m the one who falls in love” ― Bob Marley

Bob Marley posing with a guitar under his arm

Motivational Quotes By Bob Marley

1. “They say: only the fittest of the fittest shall survive, stay alive.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley looking sideways, exhaling smoke from his mouth

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

3. “Rise up, fallen fighters. Rise and take your stance again.” — Bob Marley

4. “Man, you got to do your best.” — Bob Marley

5. “Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley in a white shirt exhales smoke

6. “Every man got a right to decide his own destiny.” — Bob Marley

7. “Never expect God to do for you what you don’t do to others.” ― Bob Marley

8. “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery.” — Bob Marley

9. “You can’t find the right roads when the streets are paved.” ― Bob Marley

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

Bob Marley dressed in a white shirt, releases smoke from his mouth

11. “We know where we’re going; we know where we’re from.” — Bob Marley

12. “Keep calm and chive on.” — Bob Marley

13. “Light up the darkness.” — Bob Marley

14. “Don’t let them change ya, or even rearrange ya.” — Bob Marley

15. “God sent me on earth. He send me to do something, and nobody can stop me. If God want to stop me, then I stop. Man never can.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley looks sideways, exhaling smoke from his mouth

16. “You have to be someone.” — Bob Marley

17. “They will always tell you that you can’t do what you want to do, but you can do what you want to do. You just have to believe in yourself. The system is to bring you down, but you can rise up.” ― Bob Marley

18. “My heart says follow through.” — Bob Marley

19. “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

20. “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

Bob Marley captivates with a sideways look, exhaling smoke

21. “Don’t worry, Be HAPPY!” ― Bob Marley

22. “Sayin’ give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right. Sayin’ let’s get together and feel all right….There ain’t no hiding place from the Father of Creation.” ― Bob Marley

23. “Let righteousness cover the earth, like the water covers the sea.” ― Bob Marley

24. “They gave me star treatment because I was making a lot of money. But I was just as good when I was poor.” ― Bob Marley

25. “Things will be OK in the end. If it’s not OK, it’s not the end.” ― Bob Marley

Bob Marley looks sideways, releasing smoke from his mouth

Bob Marley Quotes About Life

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

Bob Marley dons a white shirt, hand resting on his chest

2. “Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living? ” — Bob Marley

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

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

5. “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

Bob Marley dressed in a white shirt holding his hand on his chest

6. “Don’t jump in the water, if you can’t swim.” — Bob Marley

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

8. “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

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

10. “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

11. “Everything in life got its purpose, find its reason in every season.” — Bob Marley

12. “Most people think great god will come from the skies, 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

13. “Live to fight another day.” — Bob Marley

14. “To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in my life is to risk nothing.” — Bob Marley

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

Bob Marley, in a white shirt, expresses sincerity with his hand on his chest

16. “One lifetime is not enough to live.” ― Bob Marley

17. “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

18. “It takes a revolution to make a solution.” — Bob Marley

19. “Hey, lively up yourself.” — Bob Marley

20. “When one door is closed, don’t you know, another is open.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley posing in a white shirt, with his hand on his chest

21. “I know I’m not perfect and I don’t live to be.” — Bob Marley

22. “Live if you want to live.” — Bob Marley

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

24. “Money can’t buy you life.” ― Bob Marley

25. “It is better to live on the housetop than live in a house full of confusion. Well, not a quote off of a book, but still my favorite.” ― Bob Marley

dressed in white, Bob Marley puts his hand on his chest

Thought-Provoking Bob Marley Quotes

1. “They don’t want to see us live together; all they want us to do is keep on killing one another.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley, adorned in a plaid shirt, looks up with a broad smile

2. “In the abundance of water a fool is thirsty.” — Bob Marley

3. “On a hot, sunny day, follow the shadows for rescue.” — Bob Marley

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

5. “He who hide the wrong he did, surely did the wrong thing still.” — Bob Marley

dressed in a stylish plaid shirt, Bob Marley looks up with a broad smile

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

7. “Can’t run away from yourself.” — Bob Marley

8. “Man is a universe within himself.” — Bob Marley

9. “Such a natural mystic, blowing through the air.” — Bob Marley

10. “The lips of the righteous teach many, But fools die for want of wisdom.” — Bob Marley

11. “They don’t want us to unite: all they want us to do is keep on fussing and fighting.” — Bob Marley

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

13. “And what has been hidden from the wise and the prudent has been revealed in the mouth of the toddlers.” — Bob Marley

14. “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

15. “The winds that sometimes take something we love, are the same that bring us something we learn to love.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley, wearing a plaid shirt, looks up widely smiling

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

17. “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

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

19. “When the race gets hard to run, it means you just can’t take the peace.” ― Bob Marley

20. “The beauty of love. The love of beauty. The greener you are, the wiser you will be.” — Bob Marley

Bob Marley dressed in a plaid shirt gazes up with a broad smile

21. “Only a foolish dog barks at a flying bird.” ― Bob Marley

22. “My home is in my head.” ― Bob Marley

23. “You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you.” ― Bob Marley

24. “How many rivers do we have to cross, before we can talk to the boss? ” — Bob Marley

25. “The problem is people are being hated when they are real and are being loved when they are fake.” ― Bob Marley

Final Thoughts

Marley’s legacy lives on not only through his music but also through the enduring impact of his messages of love, unity, and social change.

I hope you enjoyed reading this collection of Bob Marley quotes and that you felt inspired to spread the love and unity he stood for!