--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the…" description: "\"Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another's prosperity, like the scorpion confined within a circle of fire, will sting itself to de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/charles-caleb-colton-270_brightness_envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-b_2562331.png" --- # Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of… ![“Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another's prosperity, like the scorpion confined within a circle of fire, will sting itself to death.” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/charles-caleb-colton-270_brightness_envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-b_2562331.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/charles-caleb-colton-270_brightness_envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-b_2562331.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/charles-caleb-colton-270_brightness_envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-b_2562331.png) > “Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another's prosperity, like the scorpion confined within a circle of fire, will sting itself to death.” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Envy consumes a person when surrounded by others' success, leading to self‑destruction. **In simple terms:** Envy can kill you when you compare yourself to others. Key Takeaway Avoid comparison; cultivate contentment. Themes envy selfdestruction comparison Mood anxious reflective Type moral philosophical When to use this quote - workplace competition - social media scrolling - family gatherings - financial stress Key Concepts psychology human nature emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your envy? - How can you turn envy into growth? A Different Perspective Envy may also motivate improvement if channeled positively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Scorpions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scorpions/) ## Related quotes > [“He was horrible and fascinating all at once, like a scorpion prepared to strike, all angles and sharp lines and menace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-creagh/he-was-horrible-and-fascinating-all-at-once-like-a-scorpion-prepared/) [Kelly Creagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-creagh/) > [War prosperity is like the prosperity that an earthquake or a plague brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/war-prosperity-is-like-the-prosperity-that-an-earthquake-or-a-plague/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [War prosperity is like the prosperity that an earthquake or a plague brings...but no one has for those reasons yet sought to celebrate earthquakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/war-prosperity-is-like-the-prosperity-that-an-earthquake-or-a-plague-2/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [You can not be found poor with a mouth full of prosperity. Like wise you shall never act foolish with your mouth full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marv-stark/you-can-not-be-found-poor-with-a-mouth-full-of-prosperity-like-wise/) [Marv Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marv-stark/) > [We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-contend-that-for-a-nation-to-try-to-tax-itself-into-prosperity-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Prosperity is like perfume, it often makes the head ache.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cavendish/prosperity-is-like-perfume-it-often-makes-the-head-ache/) [Margaret Cavendish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cavendish/) > [For one man who sincerely pities our misfortunes, there are a thousand who sincerely hate our success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/for-one-man-who-sincerely-pities-our-misfortunes-there-are-a-thousand/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The rich are more envied by those who have a little, than by those who have nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/the-rich-are-more-envied-by-those-who-have-a-little-than-by-those-who/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Money is the most envied, but the least enjoyed. Health is the most enjoyed, but the least envied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/money-is-the-most-envied-but-the-least-enjoyed-health-is-the-most/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Envy ought to have no place allowed it in the hearts of people; for the goods of this present world are so vile and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/envy-ought-to-have-no-place-allowed-it-in-the-hearts-of-people-for/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [“like the scorpion's question mark drawn in the pollen on the canvas of the sky and of our brains at midnight”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aime-cesaire/like-the-scorpion-s-question-mark-drawn-in-the-pollen-on-the-canvas/) [Aimé Césaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aime-cesaire/) > [“Like the scorpion said to the maiden as she lay dying, ‘You knowed I was poison when you picked me up.’ ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/like-the-scorpion-said-to-the-maiden-as-she-lay-dying-you-knowed-i/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [He's dangerous, he's beautiful, and he loves the heat, like me - that's why I had a scorpion tattooed on my leg in 1999…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-virenque/he-s-dangerous-he-s-beautiful-and-he-loves-the-heat-like-me-that-s/) [Richard Virenque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-virenque/) > [“This man was truly like a scorpion, a poisonous sting when one least expected it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-stuart/this-man-was-truly-like-a-scorpion-a-poisonous-sting-when-one-least/) [Anne Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-stuart/) > [“Discouragement is like a scorpion in your shoe; it takes courage to toss it out so you can move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/discouragement-is-like-a-scorpion-in-your-shoe-it-takes-courage-to/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) ## More by Charles Caleb Colton > [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-beautiful-woman-if-poor-should-use-double-circumspection-for-her/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/to-dare-to-live-alone-is-the-rarest-courage-since-there-are-many-who/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/none-are-so-fond-of-secrets-as-those-who-do-not-mean-to-keep-them/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Ignorance lies at the bottom of all human knowledge, and the deeper we penetrate, the nearer we arrive unto it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/ignorance-lies-at-the-bottom-of-all-human-knowledge-and-the-deeper-we/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We ought not to be over-anxious to encourage innovation in cases of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-ought-not-to-be-over-anxious-to-encourage-innovation-in-cases-of/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who have differed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-owe-almost-all-our-knowledge-not-to-those-who-have-agreed-but-to/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Metaphysicians have been learning their lessons for the last four thousand years, and it is high time that they should now begin to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/metaphysicians-have-been-learning-their-lessons-for-the-last-four/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Faith and works are necessary to our spiritual life as Christians, as soul and body are to our natural life as men; for faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/faith-and-works-are-necessary-to-our-spiritual-life-as-christians-as/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-all-moves-equally-says-pascal-nothing-seems-to-move-as-in-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Explore all 778 Charles Caleb Colton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More Brightness quotes > [God's glory is the created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-grudem/god-s-glory-is-the-created-brightness-that-surrounds-god-s-revelation/) [Wayne Grudem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-grudem/) > [Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krishna. By distributing the holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvati/only-an-empowered-personality-can-distribute-the-holy-name-of-the/) [Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvati/) > [The studious silence of the library ... Thought is the thought of thought. Tranquil brightness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-studious-silence-of-the-library-thought-is-the-thought-of-thought/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/daily-simple-sincere-and-mighty-prayers-lift-our-lives-to-a-higher/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [But woe to him, who left to moan, Reviews the hours of brightness gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/but-woe-to-him-who-left-to-moan-reviews-the-hours-of-brightness-gone/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [A joyful life isn’t about others; it’s about the brightness that is associated with being alive. Your path to it is through anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/a-joyful-life-isn-t-about-others-it-s-about-the-brightness-that-is/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Without good humour, learning and bravery can only confer that superiority which swells the heart of the lion in the desert, where he roars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/without-good-humour-learning-and-bravery-can-only-confer-that/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [For pain is perhaps but a violent pleasure? Who could determine the point where pleasure becomes pain, where pain is still a pleasure? Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/for-pain-is-perhaps-but-a-violent-pleasure-who-could-determine-the/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [His form had yet not lost All her original brightness, nor appear'd Less than archangel ruin'd, and th' excess Of glory obscur'd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/his-form-had-yet-not-lost-all-her-original-brightness-nor-appear-d/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [More than anything, one is struck by the light. Light everywhere. Brightness everywhere. Everywhere, the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/more-than-anything-one-is-struck-by-the-light-light-everywhere/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [Squeeze your eyes closed, as tight as you can, and think of all your favorite autumns, crisp and perfect, all bound up together like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/squeeze-your-eyes-closed-as-tight-as-you-can-and-think-of-all-your/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Writing is to descend like a miner to the depths of the mine with a lamp on your forehead, a light whose dubious brightness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/writing-is-to-descend-like-a-miner-to-the-depths-of-the-mine-with-a/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [What a view, i said again. The river was blank and mindless with beauty. It was the most glorious thing I have ever seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/what-a-view-i-said-again-the-river-was-blank-and-mindless-with-beauty/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [It is no secret that the moon has no light of her own, but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/it-is-no-secret-that-the-moon-has-no-light-of-her-own-but-is-as-it/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Christ is already in that place of peace, which is all in all. He is on the right hand of God. He is hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/christ-is-already-in-that-place-of-peace-which-is-all-in-all-he-is-on/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) Browse all 287 Brightness quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another's prosperity, like the scorpion confined within a circle of fire, will sting itself to death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Caleb Colton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-brightness-of-another-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brightness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-brightness-of-another-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/charles-caleb-colton-270_brightness_envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-b_2562331.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/charles-caleb-colton-270_brightness_envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-b_2562331.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/charles-caleb-colton-270_brightness_envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-b_2562331.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another's prosperity, like the scorpion confined…” — Charles Caleb Colton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Caleb Colton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Envy, if surrounded on all sides...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-brightness-of-another-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/envy-if-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-the-brightness-of-another-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```