With hand on the spade and heart in the sky Dress the…
“With hand on the spade and heart in the sky Dress the ground and till it; Turn in the little seed, brown and dry, Turn out the golden millet. Work, and your house shall be duly fed: Work, and rest shall be won; I hold that a man had better be dead Than alive when his work is done.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Hard work yields sustenance and peace; when tasks are finished, one can rest, and death is preferable to endless toil.
In simple terms: Work brings food and rest; death is better than endless labor.
Key Takeaway
Finish your work, then rest.
Themes
labor
rest
ful
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- farming
- personal projects
- career completion
- life planning
Key Concepts
agricultural ethic
existential choice
Questions to Reflect On
- What task can you complete today?
- How do you balance effort and rest?
A Different Perspective
If work never ends, rest may never come.