Sorrow happens, hardship happens, the hell with it, who never knew the price of happiness, will not be happy.
—Yevgeny Yevtushenko (1933–2017) Russian Poet, Dissident
We may learn from children how large a part of our grievances is imaginary. But the pain is just as real.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
With no matter what human being, taken individually, I always find reasons for concluding that sorrow and misfortune do not suit him; either because he seems too mediocre for anything so great, or, on the contrary, too precious to be destroyed.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
There is peace and rest and comfort in sorrow
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Sorrow is to the soul what the worm is to wood
—Turkish Proverb
A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
An excess of sorrow is as foolish as profuse laughter; while, on the other hand, not to mourn at all is insensibility.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the face the heart is made better.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Sorrow is the source of literature, joy is the source of virtue.
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak whispers the o’er-fraught heart, and bids it break.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A sorrow’s crown of sorrow is remembering happier times.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
Sorrow is the handmaid of God, not of Satan.—She would lead us, as she did the Psalmist, to say, “Who will show us any good?” that after having said this we may also say with him, “Lord, lift thou the light of thy countenance upon us.”
—Arthur Sherburne Hardy (1847–1930) American Engineer, Educator, Editor, Diplomat, Novelist, Poet
Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, great as each may be, their highest comfort given to the sorrowful is a cordial introduction into another’s woe. Sorrow’s the great community in which all men born of woman are members at one time or another.
—Sean O’Casey (1880–1964) Irish Dramatist, Memoirist
He that hath pity on another man’s sorrow shall be free from it himself; and he that delighteth in, and scorneth the misery of another shall one time or other fall into it himself.
—Walter Raleigh (1552–1618) English Courtier, Navigator, Poet
Grief should be the instructor of the wise: sorrow is knowledge; they who know the most must mourn the deepest o’er the fatal truth,—the tree of knowledge is not that of life.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
A small sorrow distracts; a great one makes us collected.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
There are some men above grief and some men below it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Short time seems long in sorrow’s sharp sustaining; though woe be heavy, yet it seldom sleeps, and they who watch, see time how slow it creeps.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
If there is a hell upon earth it is to be found in a melancholy man’s heart.
—Robert Burton (1577–1640) English Scholar, Clergyman
There is something pleasurable in calm remembrance of a past sorrow.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Light griefs do speak, while sorrow’s tongue is bound.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Excessive sorrow laughs. Excessive joy weeps.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Four be the things I am wiser to know:
Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe.
Four be the things I’d been better without:
Love, curiosity, freckles, and doubt.
Three be the things I shall never attain:
Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.
Three be the things I shall have till I die:
Laughter and hope and a sock in the eye.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
Sorrow is tranquility remembered in emotion.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Nature refuses to sympathize with our sorrow. She seems not to have provided for, but by a thousand contrivances against it. She has bevelled the margins of the eyelids that the tears may not overflow on the cheek.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
One sorrow never comes but brings an heir that may succeed as his inheritor.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The sorrows and disasters of Europe always brought fortune to America.
—Stephen Leacock (1869–1944) Canadian Political Scientist, Humorist
Pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete joy.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
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