--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The heart is like an instrument whose…" description: "\"The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal nobler music from Life's many frets: The golden threads are spun thro' Suffering's fire, Wherewith ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/gerald-massey-22193_fire_the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-st_1130329.png" --- # The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal nobler… ![“The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal nobler music from Life's many frets: The golden threads are spun thro' Suffering's fire, Wherewith the marriage-robes for heaven are woven: And all the rarest hues of human life Take radiance, and are rainbow'd out in tears.” quote by Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/gerald-massey-22193_fire_the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-st_1130329.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/gerald-massey-22193_fire_the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-st_1130329.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/gerald-massey-22193_fire_the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-st_1130329.png) > “The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal nobler music from Life's many frets: The golden threads are spun thro' Suffering's fire, Wherewith the marriage-robes for heaven are woven: And all the rarest hues of human life Take radiance, and are rainbow'd out in tears.” [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s hardships forge precious qualities, turning suffering into beauty and depth. **In simple terms:** Suffering creates beauty and depth. Key Takeaway Embrace pain as a source of growth. Themes suffering beauty transformation resilience spirituality Mood reflective hopeful inspirational Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative writing - spiritual practice - personal growth - artistic expression Key Concepts alchemy redemption human experience Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform personal pain into creative expression? - What aspects of suffering have enriched your life? A Different Perspective Pain alone does not guarantee growth; context and intention matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heaven Woven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-woven-3101360/) [Hue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hue/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Life Frets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-frets-3101359/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Radiance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radiance/) [Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainbow/) [Rainbow Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainbow-tears-3101358/) [Robes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robes/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Spun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spun/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Strings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strings/) [Strings Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strings-steal-2426944/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Thread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thread/) [Woven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woven/) ## Related quotes > [The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal magic music from Life's mystic frets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-strings-steal-magic-music-from/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [All the rarest hues of human life take radiance and are rainbowed out in tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/all-the-rarest-hues-of-human-life-take-radiance-and-are-rainbowed-out/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [No man, even though he be Shakespeare, can write perfectly when his web is woven of threads that have been spun in many lands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/no-man-even-though-he-be-shakespeare-can-write-perfectly-when-his-web/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“A well-spun tale can transport listeners away from their humdrum lives and return them with an enlarged sense of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-auxier/a-well-spun-tale-can-transport-listeners-away-from-their-humdrum/) [Jonathan Auxier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-auxier/) > [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional-2/) [Philip K. 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The tiny elf dancer became a wooden doll whose strings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/am-spinning-the-silk-threads-of-my-story-weaving-the-fabric-of-my/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [The most exquisite folly is made of wisdom spun too fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-most-exquisite-folly-is-made-of-wisdom-spun-too-fine/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [It is often tragic to see how blatantly a man bungles his own life and the lives of others yet remains totally incapable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-often-tragic-to-see-how-blatantly-a-man-bungles-his-own-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything lined up. It has been easy, as if it were meant-" "Meant!" she said, amazed. She spun to face him, which, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/everything-lined-up-it-has-been-easy-as-if-it-were-meant-meant-she/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [I think the greatest gift we can give our children is the experience of deep quiet. If we don’t help our children cultivate contemplation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-think-the-greatest-gift-we-can-give-our-children-is-the-experience/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [My featherbed is deep and soft, and there I’ll lay you down, I’ll dress you all in yellow silk and on your head a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-featherbed-is-deep-and-soft-and-there-i-ll-lay-you-down-i-ll-dress/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Gerald Massey > [Not by appointment do we meet Delight And Joy; they heed not our expectancy; But round some corner in the streets of life, They,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/not-by-appointment-do-we-meet-delight-and-joy-they-heed-not-our/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [The plough of Time breaks up our Eden-land, And tramples down its fruitful flowery prime. Yet thro' the dust of ages living shoots O'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-plough-of-time-breaks-up-our-eden-land-and-tramples-down-its/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [Not by appointment do we meet delight Or joy; they heed not our expectancy; But round some corner of the streets of life they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/not-by-appointment-do-we-meet-delight-or-joy-they-heed-not-our/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [And thou hast stolen a jewel, Death! Shall light thy dark up like a Star. A Beacon kindling from afar Our light of love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/and-thou-hast-stolen-a-jewel-death-shall-light-thy-dark-up-like-a/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [“They must find it difficult, those who have taken authority as truth, rather than truth as authority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/they-must-find-it-difficult-those-who-have-taken-authority-as-truth/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [In this dim world of clouding cares, We rarely know, till wildered eyes See white wings lessening up the skies, The angels with us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/in-this-dim-world-of-clouding-cares-we-rarely-know-till-wildered-eyes/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [They must find it hard to take Truth for authority who have so long mistaken Authority for Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/they-must-find-it-hard-to-take-truth-for-authority-who-have-so-long/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [The Future, like a fruitfuller Summer, sits Ripening her Eden silently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-future-like-a-fruitfuller-summer-sits-ripening-her-eden-silently/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [When man to man shall be friend and brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/when-man-to-man-shall-be-friend-and-brother/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal magic music from Life's mystic frets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-strings-steal-magic-music-from/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [I know no better way of waging the battle for Truth than arraying the facts face to face on either side and letting them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/i-know-no-better-way-of-waging-the-battle-for-truth-than-arraying-the/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [Our dearest hopes in pangs are born, The kingliest Kings are crown'd with thorn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/our-dearest-hopes-in-pangs-are-born-the-kingliest-kings-are-crown-d/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [All the rarest hues of human life take radiance and are rainbowed out in tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/all-the-rarest-hues-of-human-life-take-radiance-and-are-rainbowed-out/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [Still all the day the iron wheels go onward, Grinding life down from its mark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/still-all-the-day-the-iron-wheels-go-onward-grinding-life-down-from/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [Christianity was neither original nor unique, but that the roots of much of the Judeo/ Christian tradition lay in the prevailing Kamite (ancient Egyptian)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/christianity-was-neither-original-nor-unique-but-that-the-roots-of/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) [Explore all 28 Gerald Massey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) ## More Fire quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 8,652 Fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal nobler music from Life's many frets: The golden threads are spun thro' Suffering's fire, Wherewith the marriage-robes for heaven are woven: And all the rarest hues of human life Take radiance, and are rainbow'd out in tears.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gerald Massey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-strings-steal-nobler-music-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-strings-steal-nobler-music-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/gerald-massey-22193_fire_the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-st_1130329.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/gerald-massey-22193_fire_the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-st_1130329.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/gerald-massey-22193_fire_the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-st_1130329.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The heart is like an instrument whose strings Steal nobler music from Life's many frets: The golden threads…” — Gerald Massey", "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": "Gerald Massey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The heart is like an instrument...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-strings-steal-nobler-music-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-heart-is-like-an-instrument-whose-strings-steal-nobler-music-from/#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 } } ] } ```