Rise above everything with these The Lion King quotes that will teach you how to overcome any obstacle that life may throw your way.
The Lion King is about a young lion named Simba who experienced loss and betrayal from a young age. His happy days turned tragic when his uncle, Scar, killed his father. Simba fled the kingdom, believing he was to blame for his father’s death.
Years later, Simba returns to his family to defend his kingdom and expose Scar’s lies and evil intentions. He grew to be a great and mature leader who found his true calling. Along the way, he also found everlasting friendship and a one-of-a-kind love.
From the animated to the live-action movies, there are countless memorable lines that we still adore and look back to today. To reminisce about your favorite scenes, make sure you read through to the end!
Begin here.
And don’t forget to check out these Rafiki quotes and Beauty and the Beast quotes.
Best The Lion King Quotes
1. “When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eats the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.” – Mufasa
2. “Well, somebody once told me that the great kings of the past are up there, watching over us.” – Simba
3. “Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king.” – Mufasa
4. “I’m only brave when I have to be. Being brave doesn’t mean you go looking for trouble.” – Mufasa
5. “It’s times like this my buddy Timon here says: you gotta put your behind in your past.” – Pumbaa
6. “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen—nobody knows my sorrow.” – Zazu
7. “Simba, you have forgotten me. You have forgotten who you are and so forgotten me. Look inside yourself Simba, you are more than what you have become, you must take your place in the Circle of Life.” – Mufasa
8. “Sometimes what’s left behind can grow better than the generation before.” – Simba
9. “Not always, Scar. One day, it’ll be my son who rules. Simba will be your king.” – Mufasa
10. “Yet out of the ashes of this tragedy we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era in which lion and hyena come together in a great and glorious future.” – Scar
Famous The Lion King Quotes
11. “Look Simba, everything the light touches is our kingdom.” – Mufasa
12. “There’s one in every family, sire. Two in mine, actually. And they always manage to ruin special occasions.” – Zazu
13. “Danger? Hah! I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger.” – Simba
14. “See, I told you having a lion on our side wasn’t such a bad idea.” – Timon
15. “I left to find help, and I found you. Don’t you understand? You’re our only hope.” – Nala
16. “But, Zazu, you told me they are nothing but slobbery, mangy stupid poachers.” – Simba
17. “Why won’t he be the king I know he is, the king I see inside?” – Nala
18. “My dad just showed me the whole kingdom. And I’m gonna rule it all.” – Simba
19. “I just wanted to show you I could do it. That I could be brave like you.” – Simba
20. Simba: “That’s not my father. That’s just my reflection.”
Rafiki: “No. Look harder. You see? He lives in you.”
Also read: The Little Mermaid Quotes, Ursula Quotes
Inspirational The Lion King Quotes
21. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” – Rafiki
22. “Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.” – Mufasa
23. “As you go through life, you will see that there is so much that we don’t understand. And the only thing we know is things don’t always go the way we plan.” – Simba
24. “To change the past is a big order, but you can change the future.” – Timon
25. “It’s the Circle of Life and it moves us all, through despair and hope, through faith and love, ’til we find our place on the path unwinding.” – Rafiki
26. “It belongs to no one, but will be yours to protect. A great responsibility.” – Mufasa
27. “Look, sometimes bad things happen—and there’s nothing you can do about it. So why worry?” – Simba
28. “They can have the world. We’ll create our own.” – Kiara
29. “Love will find a way, anywhere we go. We’re home if we are there together.” – Simba
Also read: Mulan Quotes, Shrek Quotes
The Lion King Quotes That Discuss Great Leadership
30. “Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.” – Mufasa
31. “A king’s time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the new king.” – Mufasa
32. “While others search for what they can take, a true king searches for what he can give.” – Mufasa
33. “A true king’s power is his compassion.” – Sarabi
34. Simba: “But I thought a king can do whatever he wants.”
Mufasa: “There’s more to being a king than getting your way all the time.”
35. “What else matters? You’re alive. And that means, you’re the king.” – Nala
Also read: Frozen Quotes, Olaf Quotes
Emotional The Lion King Quotes That Will Move You to Tears
36. “Whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you, and so will I.” – Mufasa
37. “I just needed to get out on my own, live my own life.” – Simba
38. “If it’s important to you—we’re with you to the end!” – Timon
39. “How can I go back? I’m not who I used to be.” – Simba
40. “As king, I was proud of one thing, you as my son. That alone. No, that is forever.” – Mufasa
Also read: Monsters, Inc. Quotes, Up Quotes
Short The Lion King Quotes to Reflect On
41. “The question is, who are you?” – Rafiki
42. “If you will not fight, then you will die as well.” – Zira
43. “Can’t cut it out, it will grow right back.” – Rafiki
44. “Truth? But, truth is in the eye of the beholder.” – Scar
45. “Everybody is somebody. Even a nobody.” – Rafiki
46. “Simba, you can’t escape your destiny.” – Zazu
47. “Any story worth telling is worth telling twice.” – Rafiki
48. “Change is good.” – Rafiki
49. “Look beyond what you see.” – Rafiki
50. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” – Timon
Also read: Short Quotes
The Lion King Quotes to Help You Relive Your Favorite Scenes
51. “I may run from hyenas but I always fight a bully.” – Pumbaa
52. “And just think, whenever he gets dirty you can take him out and beat him.” – Zazu
53. “No, no, no. Amateur. Lie down before you hurt yourself.” – Timon
54. “Going back means I’ll have to face my past. I’ve been running from it for so long.” – Simba
55. “You can’t do anything to me, because I’m the future king!” – Simba
56. “I finally got some sense knocked into me. And I’ve got the bump to prove it.” – Simba
57. “The king approaches! This is not a drill. His Majesty has requested an audience. Upon his entrance, you will rise and genuflect.” – Zazu
58. “When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world.” – Timon
59. “Well, I’m not letting anyone tell me where to go, what to do, and even who to marry. There will never be a king like me.” – Simba
60. “Mufasa’s death is a terrible tragedy. But to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live—for me, it is a deep personal loss.” – Scar
61. “Now this looks familiar. Where have I seen this before? Hmm, let me think. Oh, yes, I remember! This is just the way your father looked before he died.” – Scar
62. “You can’t eat me! It is forbidden to eat a member of the king’s court! Ow! No, please! Stop it!” – Zazu
63. “You said you’d always be there for me! But you’re not. It’s because of me. It’s my fault. It’s my fault.” – Simba
64. “It’s over. There is nothing left. We have only one choice. We must leave Pride Rock.” – Sarabi
65. Sarabi: “Your son’s awake.”
Mufasa: “Before sunrise, he’s your son.”
Also read: Princess Mononoke Quotes, The Wizard of Oz Quotes
The Lion King Quotes to Provoke You
66. “Well, look who’s come down to mingle with the commoners.” – Scar
67. “You could have been killed. You deliberately disobeyed me and what’s worse, you put Nala in danger!” – Mufasa
68. “Listen, you think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life? You don’t even know what I’ve been through!” – Simba
69. “Life’s not fair, is it? You see, I—well, I shall never be king. And you shall never see the light of another day. Adieu.” – Scar
70. “Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a lie.” – Simba
71. “Well as far as brains go, I got the lion’s share but when it comes to brute strength, I’m afraid I’m at the shallow end of the gene pool.” – Scar
72. “I’m surrounded by idiots.” – Scar
73. “If it weren’t for you Mufasa would still be alive. It’s your fault he’s dead. Do you deny it?” – Scar
74. “I was first in line until that little hairball was born.” – Scar
75. “You don’t deserve to live.” – Simba
76. “Not yet I don’t. And with an attitude like that, I’m afraid you’re shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king indeed.” – Zazu
77. “Run. Run away, Scar. And never return.” – Simba
78. “Well, he’s as good as dead out there anyway. And if he comes back, we’ll kill him.” – Shenzi
79. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip you apart.” – Simba
80. Mufasa: “Don’t turn your back on me, Scar.”
Scar: “Oh no Mufasa, perhaps you shouldn’t turn your back on me.”
Funny The Lion King Quotes
81. “Wrong! The only checking out you will do is to check out of here.” – Zazu
82. “What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?” – Timon
83. “If you’re hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat, eat my buddy Pumbaa here because he is a treat. Come on down and dine on this tasty swine. All you have to do is get in line. Are you achin’? For some bacon? He’s a big pig! You could be a big pig too!” – Timon
84. “Think about it. When I’m king, I’ll have to give you orders. Tell you what to do. How weird is that?” – Simba
85. “Pumbaa, are you nuts? We’re talking about a lion; lions eat guys like us!” – Timon
86. “So where are we going? It better not be any place dumb.” – Nala
87. “I’m so hungry I could eat a whole zebra.” – Simba
88. “I’m telling you, kid: this is the great life. No rules, no responsibilities—ooh, the little cream-filled kind!” – Timon
89. Simba: “What’s a motto?”
Timon: “Nothing. What’s the motto with you?”
90. Timon: “I tell ya, Pumbaa, this stinks!”
Pumbaa: “Oh, sorry.”
Timon: “Not you, them! Him—her—alone.”
Also read: Funny Quotes
The Lion King Quotes for You to Enjoy
91. “Well the buzz from the bees is that the leopards are in a bit of a spot. And the baboons are going ape over this. Of course, the giraffes are acting like they’re above it all. The tick birds are pecking on the elephants. I told the elephants to forget it, but they couldn’t. The cheetahs are hard up, but I always say, cheetahs never prosper.” – Zazu
92. “Nope! wrong again! He’s alive and I will show him to you! You follow old Rafiki. He knows the way!” – Rafiki
93. “His father’s strength is flickering inside. I wonder how bravery will taste.” – Shenzi
94. “Mufasa is strong. Like, way stronger than us.” – Azizi
95. “It’s the lionesses job to go hunting.” – Scar
96. “Repeat after me. Hakuna Matata.” – Timon
97. “Ooh, I like that. He’s not the king but he’s still so proper.” – Shenzi
98. “Wrong! I’m not the one who’s confused. You don’t even know who you are!” – Rafiki
99. “He’s my brother, Zazu. This is his home. As long as I am king, that will never change.” – Mufasa
100. “Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody’s okay with this?” – Timon
101. “They’ll fall in love and here’s the bottom line: our trio’s down to two.” – Timon
102. “Oh, yes. Lucky Daddy was there to save you, eh? Oh, and just between us, you might want to work on that little roar of yours. Hmm?” – Scar
More The Lion King Quotes for Die-Hard Fans
103. “The choice is yours, Scar. Either step down or fight.” – Simba
104. “And he’s absolutely right! It’s far too dangerous. Only the bravest lions go there.” – Scar
105. “Well, sorry to burst the old bubble, but you two turtle doves have no choice. It’s a tradition going back generations.” – Zazu
106. “Life’s not fair, is it, my little friend? While some are born to feast, others spend their lives in the dark, begging for scraps. The way I see it, you and I are exactly the same. We both want to find a way out.” – Scar
107. “No! Simba’s gone back to challenge his uncle to take his place as king.” – Nala
108. “All the more reason for me to be protective. An elephant graveyard is no place for a young prince.” – Scar
109. “Everything’s destroyed. There’s no food, no water. Simba, if you don’t do something soon, everyone will starve.” – Nala
110. “I’m here to announce that King Mufasa’s on his way. So you’d better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning.” – Zazu
Did You Learn Anything From Our Collection About Love, Friendship, and Bravery?
The Lion King is one of Disney’s most successful animated movies of all time. Because of that, it gained a sequel, a live-action adaptation, a series, a musical, and more!
It uses drama to tell an emotional and entertaining story for children, but it also addresses real-life issues that can affect anyone. Embedded in each scene and line are lessons on strength, unconditional love, and the value of friendship and family.
More than that, The Lion King teaches us to go with the flow of life—stop worrying about things out of your control and things that are bound to happen. Life will go as it should, and we can’t always guarantee that it’ll all be good things. Sometimes, we can’t help but be knocked down by life, too.
So, allow your worries to fade as you focus on the present and remain optimistic. With that, we hope that our collection was able to remind you that life isn’t always fair and that things don’t always go as planned. As Timon and Pumbaa iconically sang to Simba, “Hakuna Matata, it means no worries!”
So, who’s your favorite character in The Lion King? Did we miss out on any other good quotes? Drop them down in the comments section below.
