Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley, the man who pioneered reggae and made it globally beloved, would have turned 76 on Saturday. Marley, whose knickname was “Tuff Gong,” died on May 11, 1981 at age 36 when he succumbed to acral melanoma, a rare skin cancer.

Marley's songs, including “Get Up, Stand Up,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” and “So Much Trouble in the World,” fused elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady in a way that will never be forgotten. His music was brilliant. So were his lyrics. And his quotes were pretty remarkable too.

On his birthday today, here are some of Marley's best-known quotes, courtesy of goalcast, to remember him.

1. "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."

2. "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."

3. "Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet."

4. "Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I’m not perfect — and I don’t live to be — but before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean!"

5. "The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for."

6. "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds."

7. "Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life."

8. "Don’t gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold."

9. "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."

10. "The winds that sometimes take something we love, are the same that bring us something we learn to love."

bob marley
Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley. Keystone/Getty Images
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