--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No people ever lived by cursing their…" description: "\"No people ever lived by cursing their fathers, however great a curse their fathers might have been to them.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/henry-david-thoreau-20_curse_no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fa_2678977.jpg" --- # No people ever lived by cursing their fathers, however… ![“No people ever lived by cursing their fathers, however great a curse their fathers might have been to them.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/henry-david-thoreau-20_curse_no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fa_2678977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/henry-david-thoreau-20_curse_no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fa_2678977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/henry-david-thoreau-20_curse_no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fa_2678977.jpg) > “No people ever lived by cursing their fathers, however great a curse their fathers might have been to them.” [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. Even when ancestors are flawed, we should not let their curses define our lives; choose our own path. **In simple terms:** Don’t let ancestors’ flaws dictate your life. Key Takeaway Live independently of inherited negativity. Themes independence family self‑determination resilience Mood reflective empowering Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - family dynamics - personal healing - career choices - social expectations Key Concepts legacy personal agency psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor your heritage while forging your own identity? - What steps help you release inherited negativity? A Different Perspective Family influence can be strong, making detachment difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Curse Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse-fathers-2565025/) [Cursing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cursing/) [Cursing Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cursing-fathers-2565024/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fathers/) [Great Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-curse-2120219/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Lived Cursing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-cursing-2565026/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Might have been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might-have-been/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Her (India's) great curse is caste; but English education has already proved a tremendous power in levelling the injurious distinctions of caste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshub-chandra-sen/her-india-s-great-curse-is-caste-but-english-education-has-already/) [Keshub Chandra Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshub-chandra-sen/) > [“This eternal accusation against Christianity I shall write upon all walls, wherever walls are to be found--I have letters that even the blind will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/this-eternal-accusation-against-christianity-i-shall-write-upon-all/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The great curse of modern political life is incrementalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-keating/the-great-curse-of-modern-political-life-is-incrementalism/) [Paul Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-keating/) > [On all the walls, wherever walls exist, I will inscribe this eternal indictment of Christianity--I have letters to make even blindmen see… I call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/on-all-the-walls-wherever-walls-exist-i-will-inscribe-this-eternal/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [A great curse has fallen upon modern life with the discovery of the vastness of the word Education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-great-curse-has-fallen-upon-modern-life-with-the-discovery-of-the/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I call Christianity the one great curse, the one great intrinsic depravity, the one great instinct for revenge for which no expedient is sufficiently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-call-christianity-the-one-great-curse-the-one-great-intrinsic-2/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“I call Christianity the one great curse, the one great intrinsic depravity, the one great instinct of revenge, for which no means are venomous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-call-christianity-the-one-great-curse-the-one-great-intrinsic/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The great curse of theology and ecclesiasticisim has always been their tendency to sacrifice large interests to small: Charity to Creed, Unity to Uniformity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-great-curse-of-theology-and-ecclesiasticisim-has-always-been/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [Our manners have been corrupted by communication with the saints. Our hymn-books resound with a melodious cursing of God and enduring Him forever. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-manners-have-been-corrupted-by-communication-with-the-saints-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our hymn-books resound with a melodious cursing of God and enduring Him forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-hymn-books-resound-with-a-melodious-cursing-of-god-and-enduring/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Let me go to hell, that's all i ask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel/let-me-go-to-hell-that-s-all-i-ask/) [Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Cursing like a sailor don't make you cool -Stephanie Mayfield.(:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie/cursing-like-a-sailor-don-t-make-you-cool-stephanie-mayfield/) [Stephanie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) ## 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 Curse quotes > [Who knew the counter-curse was just unjellify?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-malfoy/who-knew-the-counter-curse-was-just-unjellify/) [Lucius Malfoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-malfoy/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [You have been deceived by your own cold heart - a curse upon your house and all within it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beauty-and-the-beast/you-have-been-deceived-by-your-own-cold-heart-a-curse-upon-your-house/) [Beauty And The Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beauty-and-the-beast/) > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Were you indeed not blinded by the Curse Of Self-exile, that still grows worse and worse, Yourselves would know that, though you see him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farid-al-din-attar/were-you-indeed-not-blinded-by-the-curse-of-self-exile-that-still/) [Farid al-Din Attar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farid-al-din-attar/) > [Down where I grew up, able-bodied people do that which we believe God created them to do. Work is a blessing; it's not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-southerland/down-where-i-grew-up-able-bodied-people-do-that-which-we-believe-god/) [Steve Southerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-southerland/) > [I especially like the songs Hurry Up and The Curse Of Castle Dragon, and I often include them in my live show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-especially-like-the-songs-hurry-up-and-the-curse-of-castle-dragon/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [If the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labour, entertainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/if-the-idea-of-having-to-change-ourselves-makes-us-uncomfortable-we/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Mungu akikubariki kipaji chako watu watasema ni laana. Maisha yako ni sawa na mto. Unakoelekea ni baharini. Lakini sasa umefika kwenye mlango wa bahari.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-akikubariki-kipaji-chako-watu-watasema-ni-laana-maisha-yako-ni/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-readily-assume-that-everything/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [You have power over my body but the Lord Jesus hath power over my body and soul; and assure yourselves thus much, you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hutchinson/you-have-power-over-my-body-but-the-lord-jesus-hath-power-over-my/) [Anne Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hutchinson/) > [“The penis, often regarded as a weapon, is also a burden, the male curse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gay-talese/the-penis-often-regarded-as-a-weapon-is-also-a-burden-the-male-curse/) [Gay Talese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gay-talese/) > [“Beauty will always be a curse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-c-perry/beauty-will-always-be-a-curse/) [L.C. Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-c-perry/) > [“Sometimes," Helena continued, "I have a terrible dream of the future. Not now, but presently, people may forget their loyalty to their kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/sometimes-helena-continued-i-have-a-terrible-dream-of-the-future-not/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) [Browse all 1,718 Curse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No people ever lived by cursing their fathers, however great a curse their fathers might have been to them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fathers-however-great-a-curse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fathers-however-great-a-curse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/henry-david-thoreau-20_curse_no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fa_2678977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/henry-david-thoreau-20_curse_no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fa_2678977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/henry-david-thoreau-20_curse_no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fa_2678977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No people ever lived by cursing their fathers, however great a curse their fathers might have been to them.” — 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": "No people ever lived by cursing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fathers-however-great-a-curse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-people-ever-lived-by-cursing-their-fathers-however-great-a-curse/#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 } } ] } ```