Topics · Life & Self
Wisdom about resilience & hardship.
What people have learned about resilience & hardship the hard way, and what the classics said about it first.
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From the library
Sweet are the uses of adversity.
In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.
Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.
Thus it is that firmness and strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, the concomitants of life.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
The miserable have no other medicine but only hope.
He who does not fail in the requirements of his position, continues long; he who dies and yet does not perish, has longevity.
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors. It is through this that they suffer famine.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
Conscience is but a word that cowards use, devised at first to keep the strong in awe.
The perception of what is small is (the secret of) clear-sightedness; the guarding of what is soft and tender is (the secret of) strength.
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Hence he who (relies on) the strength of his forces does not conquer; and a tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms, (and thereby invites the feller.)
A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
As soon as it proceeds to action, it has a name. When it once has that name, (men) can know to rest in it. When they know to rest in it, they can be free from all risk of failure and error.
The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
Those three methods (of government) Thought olden ways in elegance did fail And made these names their want of worth to veil; But simple views, and courses plain and true Would selfish ends and many lusts eschew.
The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure.
Who thinks his great achievements poor Shall find his vigour long endure. Of greatest fulness, deemed a void, Exhaustion ne'er shall stem the tide. Do thou what's straight still crooked deem; Thy greatest art still stupid seem, And eloquence a stammering scream.
The course and nature of things is such that What was in front is now behind; What warmed anon we freezing find. Strength is of weakness oft the spoil; The store in ruins mocks our toil. Hence the sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.
To him by whom this harmony is known, (The secret of) the unchanging (Tao) is shown, And in the knowledge wisdom finds its throne. All life-increasing arts to evil turn; Where the mind makes the vital breath to burn, (False) is the strength, (and o'er it we should mourn.)
Therefore when one is making the Tao his business, those who are also pursuing it, agree with him in it, and those who are making the manifestation of its course their object agree with him in that; while even those who are failing in both these things agree with him where they fail.
If heaven were not thus pure, it soon would rend; If earth were not thus sure, 'twould break and bend; Without these powers, the spirits soon would fail; If not so filled, the drought would parch each vale; Without that life, creatures would pass away; Princes and kings, without that moral sway, However grand and high, would all decay.
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).
Who knows his manhood's strength, Yet still his female feebleness maintains; As to one channel flow the many drains, All come to him, yea, all beneath the sky. Thus he the constant excellence retains; The simple child again, free from all stains. Who knows how white attracts, Yet always keeps himself within black's shade, The pattern of humility displayed, Displayed in view of all beneath the…
The grandest forms of active force From Tao come, their only source. Who can of Tao the nature tell? Our sight it flies, our touch as well. Eluding sight, eluding touch, The forms of things all in it crouch; Eluding touch, eluding sight, There are their semblances, all right. Profound it is, dark and obscure; Things' essences all there endure. Those essences the truth enfold Of what, when seen,…