--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should feel sorrow, but not sink under…" description: "\"We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression; the heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror, which reflects every object without being s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/confucius-164_feels_we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under_2762112.jpg" --- # We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression… ![“We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression; the heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror, which reflects every object without being sullied by any” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/confucius-164_feels_we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under_2762112.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/confucius-164_feels_we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under_2762112.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/confucius-164_feels_we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under_2762112.jpg) > “We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression; the heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror, which reflects every object without being sullied by any” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sorrow is natural but should not dominate; a wise heart reflects without being tainted. **In simple terms:** Feel sorrow, stay clear‑headed. Key Takeaway Maintain composure while acknowledging pain. Themes sorrow wisdom reflection resilience clarity Mood reflective calm Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - grieving a loss - facing criticism - stressful work - personal setbacks Key Concepts emotional balance philosophical stoicism inner peace Questions to Reflect On - How can you acknowledge sorrow without being overwhelmed? - What practices keep your mind clear? A Different Perspective Over‑suppression of emotion can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feel Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-sorrow-1534615/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-wise-856960/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mirror Reflects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror-reflects/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Oppression Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression-heart-3176662/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-man/) ## Related quotes > [The heart of the wise man lies quiet like limpid water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/the-heart-of-the-wise-man-lies-quiet-like-limpid-water/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/) > [We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under-its-oppression/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The mirror reflects all objects without being sullied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-mirror-reflects-all-objects-without-being-sullied/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“One day, you will see that the heart is not always as wise as it is strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/one-day-you-will-see-that-the-heart-is-not-always-as-wise-as-it-is/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Live, be, move, rejoice -- you are alive! Without the heart's wise rhythm, we could not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/live-be-move-rejoice-you-are-alive-without-the-heart-s-wise-rhythm-we/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. -Proverbs 23:15](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/my-son-if-your-heart-is-wise-my-heart-too-will-be-glad-proverbs-23-15/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [I don't have the best family history heart-wise, so I really try to keep my heart strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/i-don-t-have-the-best-family-history-heart-wise-so-i-really-try-to/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [Who was to know what went on in a person's heart? A wise woman kept her own counsel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-woolfolk-cross/who-was-to-know-what-went-on-in-a-person-s-heart-a-wise-woman-kept/) [Donna Woolfolk Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-woolfolk-cross/) > [There is a direct line that runs from our doctrine to our actions, from what is in our minds to what is in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wells/there-is-a-direct-line-that-runs-from-our-doctrine-to-our-actions/) [Tom Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wells/) > [“Be blessed with an honest character, true heart. Wise, dignified people who value honesty stir away from dishonest, corrupt schemers. Great reward is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/be-blessed-with-an-honest-character-true-heart-wise-dignified-people/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [Someday you will know that the heart is not always as wise as it is strong. - Uncle Eddie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/someday-you-will-know-that-the-heart-is-not-always-as-wise-as-it-is/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [That prayer has great power which a person makes with all his might. It makes a sour heart sweet, a sad heart merry, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mechthild-of-magdeburg/that-prayer-has-great-power-which-a-person-makes-with-all-his-might/) [Mechthild of Magdeburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mechthild-of-magdeburg/) > [The heart of wise teaches his mouth and adds to his lips.Pleasant words are like honecomb,sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/the-heart-of-wise-teaches-his-mouth-and-adds-to-his-lips-pleasant/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) > [The true teacher of love is the heart. The heart is very, very wise. It makes mistakes from time to time, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-true-teacher-of-love-is-the-heart-the-heart-is-very-very-wise-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Sometimes the heart is so heavy that we turn away from it and forget that its throbbing is the wisest message of life, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/sometimes-the-heart-is-so-heavy-that-we-turn-away-from-it-and-forget/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/better-than-the-one-who-knows-what-is-right-is-the-one-who-loves-what/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-live-in-a-very-small-house-but-my-windows-look-out-on-a-very-large/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-rule-a-country-of-a-thousand-chariots-there-must-be-reverent/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-real-fault-is-to-have-faults-and-not-amend-them/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-that-is-true-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A picture is poem without words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-picture-is-poem-without-words/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Heaven means to be one with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/heaven-means-to-be-one-with-god/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-study-and-at-times-practice-what-one-has-learned-is-this-not-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recompense-kindness-with-kindness/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is only one thing in life which never changes, and it is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-which-never-changes-and-it-is-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) [Explore all 1,019 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More Feels quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Most days, I go home and I feel rejuvenated. I feel ebullient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/most-days-i-go-home-and-i-feel-rejuvenated-i-feel-ebullient/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/) [Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/) > [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) [Browse all 38,933 Feels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression; the heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror, which reflects every object without being sullied by any", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under-its-oppression-the-heart-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feels" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under-its-oppression-the-heart-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/confucius-164_feels_we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under_2762112.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/confucius-164_feels_we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under_2762112.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/confucius-164_feels_we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under_2762112.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression; the heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror…” — Confucius", "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": "Confucius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should feel sorrow, but not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under-its-oppression-the-heart-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/we-should-feel-sorrow-but-not-sink-under-its-oppression-the-heart-of/#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 } } ] } ```