Topics · Life & Self
Wisdom about happiness.
What people have learned about happiness the hard way, and what the classics said about it first.
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From the library
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.
Energy is eternal delight.
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
Who is content Needs fear no shame. Who knows to stop Incurs no blame. From danger free Long live shall he.
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary of him. Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive with him.
Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.
There is no guilt greater than to sanction ambition; no calamity greater than to be discontented with one's lot; no fault greater than the wish to be getting. Therefore the sufficiency of contentment is an enduring and unchanging sufficiency.
Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
The government that seems the most unwise, Oft goodness to the people best supplies; That which is meddling, touching everything, Will work but ill, and disappointment bring. Misery!—happiness is to be found by its side! Happiness!—misery lurks beneath it! Who knows what either will come to in the end?
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
Hence, those with whom he agrees as to the Tao have the happiness of attaining to it; those with whom he agrees as to its manifestation have the happiness of attaining to it; and those with whom he agrees in their failure have also the happiness of attaining (to the Tao). (But) when there is not faith sufficient (on his part), a want of faith (in him) ensues (on the part of the others).
Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.
The superior man ordinarily considers the left hand the most honourable place, but in time of war the right hand. Those sharp weapons are instruments of evil omen, and not the instruments of the superior man;—he uses them only on the compulsion of necessity. Calm and repose are what he prizes; victory (by force of arms) is to him undesirable. To consider this desirable would be to delight in the…
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.