--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have been born once and there can be…" description: "\"We have been born once and there can be no second birth. Fir all eternity we shall no longer be. But you, although you are not master of tomorrow, are ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/epicurus-1642_birth_we-have-been-born-once-and-there-can-be_3235145.jpg" --- # We have been born once and there can be no second birth… ![“We have been born once and there can be no second birth. Fir all eternity we shall no longer be. But you, although you are not master of tomorrow, are postponing your happiness.” quote by Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/epicurus-1642_birth_we-have-been-born-once-and-there-can-be_3235145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/epicurus-1642_birth_we-have-been-born-once-and-there-can-be_3235145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/epicurus-1642_birth_we-have-been-born-once-and-there-can-be_3235145.jpg) > “We have been born once and there can be no second birth. Fir all eternity we shall no longer be. But you, although you are not master of tomorrow, are postponing your happiness.” [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life offers only one birth; postponing happiness is futile because the future is uncertain. **In simple terms:** We have one life; don’t delay joy. Key Takeaway Embrace present happiness now. Themes philosophy life happiness Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - relationship building - personal goals - health decisions Key Concepts epicureanism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What simple joys can you savor today? - How do you balance present pleasure with future planning? A Different Perspective Focusing only on present may ignore long‑term consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) ## Related quotes > [Postponing happiness until "all your ducks are in order" means never because life is not that clean, fair or predictable. It isn't what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/postponing-happiness-until-all-your-ducks-are-in-order-means-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness is something that you don't postpone. If you are postponing happiness - it is something you will probably never experience much of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/happiness-is-something-that-you-don-t-postpone-if-you-are-postponing/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Stop postponing your happiness. Be happy now. Your thoughts and beliefs do create your reality, but only when your present state is joyful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/stop-postponing-your-happiness-be-happy-now-your-thoughts-and-beliefs/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [“Joy begins when we value today instead of waiting for tomorrow Tomorrow deserves our attention, but today deserves to be lived. Do not keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-jansen-easy-branches/joy-begins-when-we-value-today-instead-of-waiting-for-tomorrow/) [Jan Jansen Easy Branches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-jansen-easy-branches/) > [“Do not postpone your happiness to "achievement" of goals. It is not worth postponing your happiness, even for a moment... Learn to "be happy"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-arora/do-not-postpone-your-happiness-to-achievement-of-goals-it-is-not/) [Manoj Arora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-arora/) > [There are only two important moments in a man's life; first when he was born & second when he proves why he was born!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-only-two-important-moments-in-a-man-s-life-first-when-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is, of course, quite true that God will not love you any less, or have less use for you, if you happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-of-course-quite-true-that-god-will-not-love-you-any-less-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is two big things happend in people life. First is the time they were born. Second is when they found the reason why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-louise/there-is-two-big-things-happend-in-people-life-first-is-the-time-they/) [Donna Louise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-louise/) > [I was born in the Second World War during the Nazi invasion of my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/i-was-born-in-the-second-world-war-during-the-nazi-invasion-of-my/) [Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/) > [You were not born to be a second-hander." Howard Roark to Gail Wynand in "The Fountainhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/you-were-not-born-to-be-a-second-hander-howard-roark-to-gail-wynand/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [I remember when my daughter, Marina, was born. The second I laid eyes on her, I was in love, and I had never felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/i-remember-when-my-daughter-marina-was-born-the-second-i-laid-eyes-on/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [“Of one kind, and yet of another, wings and wind bear him forth. From chains comes his second birth and never shall he stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-o-connor/of-one-kind-and-yet-of-another-wings-and-wind-bear-him-forth-from/) [Bryce O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-o-connor/) > [We are born into the world of nature; our second birth is into the world of spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-born-into-the-world-of-nature-our-second-birth-is-into-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Leaving home in a sense involves a kind of second birth in which we give birth to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-neelly-bellah/leaving-home-in-a-sense-involves-a-kind-of-second-birth-in-which-we/) [Robert Neelly Bellah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-neelly-bellah/) > [“- the second birth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/the-second-birth/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) ## More by Epicurus > [Most beautiful is the sight of those near and dear to us when our original kinship makes us of one mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/most-beautiful-is-the-sight-of-those-near-and-dear-to-us-when-our/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Any man who does not think that what he has is more than ample, is an unhappy man, even if he is the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/any-man-who-does-not-think-that-what-he-has-is-more-than-ample-is-an/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“The opinions held by most people about the gods are not true conceptions of them but fallacious notions, according to which awful penalties are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-opinions-held-by-most-people-about-the-gods-are-not-true/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death is nothing to us: for that which is dissolved is without sensation; and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-is-nothing-to-us-for-that-which-is-dissolved-is-without/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Neither one should hesitate about dedicating oneself to philosophy when young, nor should get tired of doing it when one's old, because no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/neither-one-should-hesitate-about-dedicating-oneself-to-philosophy/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-thou-wilt-make-a-man-happy-add-not-unto-his-riches-but-take-away/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Being happy is knowing how to be content with little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/being-happy-is-knowing-how-to-be-content-with-little/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Injustice is not evil in itself, but only in the fear and apprehension that one will not escape those who have been set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/injustice-is-not-evil-in-itself-but-only-in-the-fear-and-apprehension/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Riches do not exhilarate us so much with their possession as they torment us with their loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/riches-do-not-exhilarate-us-so-much-with-their-possession-as-they/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/i-have-never-wished-to-cater-to-the-crowd-for-what-i-know-they-do-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-pleasant-life-is-not-produced-by-continual-drinking-and-dancing/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/be-moderate-in-order-to-taste-the-joys-of-life-in-abundance/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If the gods have the will to remove evil and cannot, then they are not all-powerful. If they are neither able nor willing, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-the-gods-have-the-will-to-remove-evil-and-cannot-then-they-are-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Of all things which wisdom provides to make life entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/of-all-things-which-wisdom-provides-to-make-life-entirely-happy-much/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-does-not-concern-us-because-as-long-as-we-exist-death-is-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) [Explore all 209 Epicurus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## More Birth quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974 > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The greatest mystery in life is not life itself, but death. Death is the culmination of life, the ultimate blossoming of life. In death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-greatest-mystery-in-life-is-not-life-itself-but-death-death-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) Adam Imad > [The wailing of the newborn infant is mingled with the dirge for the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/the-wailing-of-the-newborn-infant-is-mingled-with-the-dirge-for-the/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [I gave birth to most of them MC's... So when it comes around to the month of May, Send me your royalty check for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-shante/i-gave-birth-to-most-of-them-mc-s-so-when-it-comes-around-to-the/) Roxanne Shante > [“A Beautiful verse takes birth when "U"n"I" VERSE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-walecha/a-beautiful-verse-takes-birth-when-u-n-i-verse/) [Rajesh Walecha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-walecha/) > [“There is no born evil, only a corruptible canvas darkened by a formidable perpetrator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yefon-isabelle/there-is-no-born-evil-only-a-corruptible-canvas-darkened-by-a/) [Yefon Isabelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yefon-isabelle/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) [Browse all 6,183 Birth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have been born once and there can be no second birth. 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