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If you wish me well, do not stand pitying me, but lend me…

“If you wish me well, do not stand pitying me, but lend me some succour as fast as you can; for pity is but cold comfort when one is up to the chin in water, and within a hair's breadth of starving or drowning.” quote by Aesop
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“If you wish me well, do not stand pitying me, but lend me some succour as fast as you can; for pity is but cold comfort when one is up to the chin in water, and within a hair's breadth of starving or drowning.”

Aesop

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Pity alone does not help; swift, practical aid is needed when someone is in dire straits.

In simple terms: Help quickly, not just feel sorry.

Key Takeaway

Offer concrete assistance in emergencies.

Themes

compassion action empathy urgency practicality

Mood

urgent empathetic

Type

moral practical

When to use this quote

  • disaster relief
  • medical emergencies
  • personal crises
  • community support

Key Concepts

ethical behavior humanitarian response moral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

  • When have you offered help versus just sympathy?
  • How can we turn empathy into effective aid?
A Different Perspective

Pity can become empty comfort without action.

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