---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would surpass the powers of a well man…"
description: "\"It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take up his bed and walk, and I should certainly advise a sick one to lay down his bed and run.\" ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/henry-david-thoreau-20_advise_it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-ma_158941.jpg"
---

#  It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take…

![“It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take up his bed and walk, and I should certainly advise a sick one to lay down his bed and run.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/henry-david-thoreau-20_advise_it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-ma_158941.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/henry-david-thoreau-20_advise_it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-ma_158941.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/henry-david-thoreau-20_advise_it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-ma_158941.jpg)

> “It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take up his bed and walk, and I should certainly advise a sick one to lay down his bed and run.”

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He argues that modern strength lies in active effort, not passive rest, urging the ill to keep moving rather than stay idle.

**In simple terms:** Being active is stronger than staying still, even when sick.

Key Takeaway

Keep moving, don’t let inactivity weaken you.

Themes

health activity motivation well‑being

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- recovering from illness
- daily exercise
- mental health routines

Key Concepts

vitality self‑discipline resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance activity with necessary recovery?
- When is rest more beneficial than exertion?

A Different Perspective

Physical limits may require rest.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advise/) [Advise Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advise-sick-1747779/) [Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed/) [Bed Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed-walk-1082529/) [Certainly Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-advise-1747781/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Surpass Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surpass-powers-1747780/) [Walk Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walk-certainly-1747782/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/)

## Related quotes

> [I roll out of bed, walk into the garage, work out, and go about my day. I'll bring my daughter out there in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-vogel/i-roll-out-of-bed-walk-into-the-garage-work-out-and-go-about-my-day-i/)

[Mike Vogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-vogel/)

> [Thank God I have the seeing eye, that is to say, as I lie in bed I can walk step by step on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/thank-god-i-have-the-seeing-eye-that-is-to-say-as-i-lie-in-bed-i-can/)

[Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/)

> [Cold and hunger seem more friendly to my nature than those methods which men have adopted and advise to ward them off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/cold-and-hunger-seem-more-friendly-to-my-nature-than-those-methods/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Biography, too, is liable to the same objection; it should be autobiography. Let us not, as the Germans advise, endeavor to go abroad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/biography-too-is-liable-to-the-same-objection-it-should-be/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Only a foolish man wil keep on doing one ting and expect another result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordons/only-a-foolish-man-wil-keep-on-doing-one-ting-and-expect-another/)

[Gordons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordons/)

> [I do not allow fan-fiction. The characters are copyrighted. It upsets me terribly to even think about fan-fiction with my characters. I advise my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-do-not-allow-fan-fiction-the-characters-are-copyrighted-it-upsets/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

> [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/)

[Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/)

> [You bomb ISIL. You're not trying to bomb innocent people. And that requires intelligence and confidence in our military to be able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-bomb-isil-you-re-not-trying-to-bomb-innocent-people-and-that/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [I advise women to invest in real estate. It is the collateral to be preferred above all others, and the safest means of investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hetty-green/i-advise-women-to-invest-in-real-estate-it-is-the-collateral-to-be/)

[Hetty Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hetty-green/)

> [Some writing courses will advise you to write what you know. I've always thought this is very odd advice ... because it means, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/some-writing-courses-will-advise-you-to-write-what-you-know-i-ve/)

[Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/)

> [Dont ever wrestle with a pig u'll both get dirty but the pig will enj0y it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udechukwu-d0navan/dont-ever-wrestle-with-a-pig-u-ll-both-get-dirty-but-the-pig-will/)

[Udechukwu D0navan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udechukwu-d0navan/)

> [Sometimes curiosity is a poison, not only for those who drink it but for everyone around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/sometimes-curiosity-is-a-poison-not-only-for-those-who-drink-it-but/)

[G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/)

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Choosing a job or business is the same thing. I'm not the best one to advise someone how to make billions of dollars; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/choosing-a-job-or-business-is-the-same-thing-i-m-not-the-best-one-to/)

[Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/)

## More by Henry David Thoreau

> [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## More Advise quotes

> [Choosing a job or business is the same thing. I'm not the best one to advise someone how to make billions of dollars; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/choosing-a-job-or-business-is-the-same-thing-i-m-not-the-best-one-to/)

[Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/)

> [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Sometimes curiosity is a poison, not only for those who drink it but for everyone around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/sometimes-curiosity-is-a-poison-not-only-for-those-who-drink-it-but/)

[G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/)

> [Dont ever wrestle with a pig u'll both get dirty but the pig will enj0y it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udechukwu-d0navan/dont-ever-wrestle-with-a-pig-u-ll-both-get-dirty-but-the-pig-will/)

[Udechukwu D0navan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udechukwu-d0navan/)

> [Some writing courses will advise you to write what you know. I've always thought this is very odd advice ... because it means, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/some-writing-courses-will-advise-you-to-write-what-you-know-i-ve/)

[Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/)

> [I advise women to invest in real estate. It is the collateral to be preferred above all others, and the safest means of investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hetty-green/i-advise-women-to-invest-in-real-estate-it-is-the-collateral-to-be/)

[Hetty Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hetty-green/)

> [You bomb ISIL. You're not trying to bomb innocent people. And that requires intelligence and confidence in our military to be able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-bomb-isil-you-re-not-trying-to-bomb-innocent-people-and-that/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/)

[Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/)

> [I do not allow fan-fiction. The characters are copyrighted. It upsets me terribly to even think about fan-fiction with my characters. I advise my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-do-not-allow-fan-fiction-the-characters-are-copyrighted-it-upsets/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

> [Only a foolish man wil keep on doing one ting and expect another result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordons/only-a-foolish-man-wil-keep-on-doing-one-ting-and-expect-another/)

[Gordons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordons/)

> [I do believe that where there is a choice between cowardice and non-violence I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-believe-that-where-there-is-a-choice-between-cowardice-and-non/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [You are lucky in life if you have the right heroes. I advise all of you, to the extent you can, to pick out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/you-are-lucky-in-life-if-you-have-the-right-heroes-i-advise-all-of/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [“I don't advise. You mutn't give any weight to what I say, except in so far as your own judgment approves it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/i-don-t-advise-you-mutn-t-give-any-weight-to-what-i-say-except-in-so/)

[George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/)

> [Parents can only advise their children or point them in the right direction. Ultimately people shape their own characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/parents-can-only-advise-their-children-or-point-them-in-the-right/)

[Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/)

[Browse all 507 Advise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advise/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take up his bed and walk, and I should certainly advise a sick one to lay down his bed and run.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-man-nowadays-to-take-up-his-bed/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advise"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-man-nowadays-to-take-up-his-bed/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/henry-david-thoreau-20_advise_it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-ma_158941.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/henry-david-thoreau-20_advise_it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-ma_158941.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/henry-david-thoreau-20_advise_it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-ma_158941.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take up his bed and walk, and I should certainly…” — Henry David Thoreau",
                "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": "Henry David Thoreau",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It would surpass the powers of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-man-nowadays-to-take-up-his-bed/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-would-surpass-the-powers-of-a-well-man-nowadays-to-take-up-his-bed/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```