ADVERSITY

Subjects: Calamity, Depression, Difficulty, Evil, Fall, Fate, Misery, Misfortune, Poverty, Trials, Trouble, Woe

1. If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small.—Bible: Proverbs, 24:10

2. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.—Bible, Hebrews, 12:6

3. He that is down needs fear no fall.—BUNYAN, Pilgrim's Progress

4. Adversity, if a man is set down to it by degrees, is more supportable with equanimity by most people than any great prosperity arrived at in a single lifetime.—SAMUEL BUTLER, The Way of All Flesh

5. Adversity is the first path to truth.—BYRON, Don Juan

6. Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man; but for one man who can stand prosperity there are a hundred that will stand adversity.—CARLYLE, Heroes & Hero-Worship

7. If aught can teach us aught, Affliction's looks,
   (Making us pry into ourselves so near),
   Teach us to know ourselves, beyond all books,
   Or all the learned schools that ever were.—SIR JOHN DAVIES, Nosce Teipsum

8. There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up, and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.—WASHINGTON IRVING, The Sketch-Book

9. A man used to vicissitudes is not easily dejected.—SAMUEL JOHNSON, Rasselas

10. For a man to rejoice in adversity is not grievous to him who loves; for so to joy is to joy in the cross of Christ.—THOMAS A KEMPIS, Of the Imitation of Christ

11. In the adversity of our best friends we often find something that is not exactly displeasing.—LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, Maxims

12. Adversity reminds men of religion.—LIVY, History

13. Let us be patient! These severe afflictions
    Not from the ground arise,
    But oftentimes celestial benedictions
    Assume this dark disguise.—LONGFELLOW, Resignation

14. In adversity a man is saved by hope.—MENANDER, Fragments

15. Who would have known of Hector, if Troy had been happy? The road to valor is builded by adversity.—OVID, Tristia

16. These are the times that try men's souls.—THOMAS PAINE, The American Crisis

17. Whom unmerciful disaster Followed fast and followed faster.—POE, The Raven

18. Adversity makes a man wise, though not rich.—Proverb

19. Behold a thing worthy of a God, a brave man matched in conflict with adversity.—SENECA, De Providentia

20. Gold is tried by fire, brave men by adversity.—SENECA, De Providentia

21. Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.—SENECA, Hercules Furens

22. Sweet are the uses of adversity;
    Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
    Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
    And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
    Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
    Sermons in stones, and good in everything.—SHAKESPEARE, As You Like It

23. A wretched soul, bruised with adversity.—SHAKESPEARE, The Comedy of Errors

24. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity,
    For wise men say it is the wisest course.—SHAKESPEARE, Henry VI

25. The worst is not
    So long as we can say,
    "This is the worst."—SHAKESPEARE, King Lear

26. Henceforth I'll bear
    Affliction till it do cry out itself
    "Enough, enough," and die.—SHAKESPEARE, King Lear

27. O benefit of ill! now I find true
    That better is by evil still made better.—SHAKESPEARE, Sonnet CXIX

28. The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.—C. H. SPURGEON, Sorrow's Discipline

29. Count each affliction, whether light or grave,
    God's messenger sent down to thee; do thou
    With courtesy receive him.—AUBREY THOMAS DE VERE, Sorrow