They who increase knowledge, increase sorrow
—Common Proverb
Sorrow makes men sincere.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
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
The pleasure that is in sorrow is sweeter than the pleasure of pleasure itself.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
Sorrow was made for man, not for beasts; yet if men encourage melancholy too much, they become no better than beasts.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
Pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete joy.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
Never a tear bedims the eye that time and patience will not dry.
—Bret Harte (1836–1902) American Short Story Writer, Poet
The sorrows and disasters of Europe always brought fortune to America.
—Stephen Leacock (1869–1944) Canadian Political Scientist, Humorist
There is no worse sorrow than remembering happiness in the day of sorrow.
—Alfred de Musset (1810–57) French Dramatist, Poet, Novelist
All sorrows are bearable, if there is bread.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
She would have made a splendid wife, for crying only made her eyes more bright and tender.
—O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) (1862–1910) American Writer of Short Stories
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
Wherever souls are being tried and ripened, in whatever commonplace and homely way, there God is hewing out the pillars for His temple.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
In this sad world of ours, sorry comes to all, and it often comes with bitter agony. Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better. But this is not true. You are sure to be happy again. Knowing this, truly believing it, will make you less miserable now.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Since sorrow never comes too late And happiness too swiftly flies.
—Thomas Gray (1716–71) English Poet, Book Collector
We come to learn that it does not pay to grieve too much over our errors. Ordinarily we try to do the best we can.
—Thomas Masson (1866–1934) American Journalist, Humorist, Author
Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of good wine
—Thomas Aquinas (1225–74) Italian Catholic Priest, Philosopher, Theologian
Our sorrows are like thunder-clouds, which seem black in the distance, but grow lighter as they approach.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
A small sorrow distracts; a great one makes us collected.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
The sorrows of a noble soul are as May frosts, which precede the milder seasons; but the sorrows of a hardened, lost soul, are as the autumn frosts, which foretell but the coming of winter.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
The natural effect of sorrow over the dead is to refine and elevate the mind.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
The only thing grief as taught me is to know how shallow it is.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, faith looks up.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
He who has not looked on Sorrow will never see Joy.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
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
There are some men above grief and some men below it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Sorrow is a kind of rust of the soul, which every new idea contributes in its passage to scour way.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Prayer has comforted us in sorrow and will help strengthen us for the journey ahead.
—George W. Bush (b.1946) American Head of State, Businessperson
He that hath so many and great causes of joy, and yet is in love with sorrow and peevishness, deserves to starve in the midst of plenty, and to want comfort, while he is encircled with blessings.
—Jeremy Taylor
Waste no tears over the griefs of yesterday.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
This world is so full of care and sorrow that it is a gracious debt we owe to one another to discover the bright crystals of delight hidden in somber circumstances and irksome tasks.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
To fight aloud is very brave, but gallanter, I know, who charge within the bosom, the Cavalry of Woe.
—Emily Dickinson (1830–86) American Poet
Sorrows are our best educators. A man can see further through a tear than a telescope.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Sorrow is a kind of rust of the soul which every new idea contributes in its passage to scour away. It is the putrefaction of stagnant life, and is remedied by exercise and motion.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
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
The worst sorrows in life are not in its losses and misfortunes, but its fears.
—A. C. Benson (1862–1925) English Essayist, Poet, Author
Those who are held wise among men, and who search for the reason of things, are those who bring the most sorrow upon themselves.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Sorrow is the source of literature, joy is the source of virtue.
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
What’s gone and what’s past help should be past grief.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
That loss is common would not make My own less bitter, rather more: Too common! Never morning wore To evening, but some heart did break.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
Night brings out stars as sorrow shows us truths.
—Philip James Bailey (1816–1902) English Poet
It is the veiled angel of sorrow who plucks away one thing and another that bound us here in ease and security, and, in the vanishing of these dear objects, indicates the true home of our affections and our peace.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
What is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering and sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering.
—Buddhist Teaching
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
Sorrows gather around great souls as storms do around mountains; but, like them, they break the storm and purify the air of the plain beneath them.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
Sorrows are like thunderclouds – in the distance they look black, over our heads scarcely gray.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
Sorrow has the fortunate peculiarity that it preys upon itself. It dies of starvation. Since it is essentially an interruption of habits, it can be replaced by new habits. Constituting, as it does, a void, it is soon filled up by a real “horror vacuum.”
—August Strindberg (1849–1912) Swedish Playwright, Novelist, Essayist
The path of sorrow, and that path alone, leads to the land where sorrow is unknown; no traveller ever reached that blessed abode who found not thorns and briers in his road.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Sorrows cannot all be explained away in a life truly lived, grief and loss accumulate like possessions.
—Stefan Kanfer (1933–2018) American Journalist, Contributing Editor, Critic, Author
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