The line you’re asking about is from J. R. R. Tolkien. It appears in his poem “The Riddle of Strider,” which appears in The Fellowship of the Ring. The full, commonly cited version is: Not all those who wander are lost. If you’re exploring origins and variations, here are some quick notes:
- The line is part of a larger four-line verse in Tolkien’s work, sometimes quoted out of context.
- It’s frequently attributed to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings writings and is widely referenced in popular culture.
- There are paraphrasings and interpretations that place the sentiment in different contexts, but the canonical source remains Tolkien’s poem within The Fellowship of the Ring.
