--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The truth is that life is hard and…" description: "\"The truth is that life is hard and dangerous; that he who seeks his own happiness does not find it; that he who is weak must suffer; that he who demand..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/joyce-cary-11619_brave_the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dange_2567504.jpg" --- # The truth is that life is hard and dangerous; that he who… ![“The truth is that life is hard and dangerous; that he who seeks his own happiness does not find it; that he who is weak must suffer; that he who demands love will be disappointed; that he who is greedy will not be fed; that he who seeks peace will find strife; that truth is only for the brave…” quote by Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/joyce-cary-11619_brave_the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dange_2567504.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/joyce-cary-11619_brave_the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dange_2567504.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/joyce-cary-11619_brave_the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dange_2567504.jpg) > “The truth is that life is hard and dangerous; that he who seeks his own happiness does not find it; that he who is weak must suffer; that he who demands love will be disappointed; that he who is greedy will not be fed; that he who seeks peace will find strife; that truth is only for the brave; that joy is only for him who does not fear to be alone; that life is only for the one who is not afraid to die.” [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is harsh; happiness, love, and peace are elusive unless one embraces bravery and solitude. **In simple terms:** Hard life rewards the brave and solitary. Key Takeaway Embrace courage, accept solitude. Themes hardship bravery solitude happiness peace Mood somber reflective Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - war zones - personal loss - loneliness - risky ventures - self‑reliance Key Concepts existentialism stoicism nihilism Questions to Reflect On - Do you avoid solitude? - What does bravery mean to you? A Different Perspective Bravery does not guarantee happiness; fear of death can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Disappointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointed/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [Greedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greedy/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-afraid/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life is hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-hard/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Not afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-afraid/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Strife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strife/) [Strife Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strife-truth-1660484/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-brave-1660485/) [Truth is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-is/) [Truth Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-life/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/once-to-every-man-and-nation-comes-the-moment-to-decide-in-the-strife-2/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [“Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth and falsehood, for the good or evil side;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/once-to-every-man-and-nation-comes-the-moment-to-decide-in-the-strife/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The truth about life is, that life IS hard. If you ignore the dick heads that hurt you and concentrate on the ones you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/the-truth-about-life-is-that-life-is-hard-if-you-ignore-the-dick/) [Azgraybebly Joslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azgraybebly-joslan/) > [Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life: Such a Way as gives us breath: Such a Truth as ends all strife: Such a Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-hebert/come-my-way-my-truth-my-life-such-a-way-as-gives-us-breath-such-a/) [Georges Hebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-hebert/) > [Why do we cling to life and why are we afraid of death? You may not have thought about it. The reason why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/why-do-we-cling-to-life-and-why-are-we-afraid-of-death-you-may-not/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The most important thing in life is to dare. The most complicated thing in life is to be afraid. The smartest thing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/the-most-important-thing-in-life-is-to-dare-the-most-complicated/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [“I'm not afraid of the thought of being stuck with only one other person for the rest of my life. I'm afraid that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-jaydon/i-m-not-afraid-of-the-thought-of-being-stuck-with-only-one-other/) [Neena Jaydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-jaydon/) > [I lose my way And it's not too long before you point it out I cannot cry Because I know that's weakness in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/i-lose-my-way-and-it-s-not-too-long-before-you-point-it-out-i-cannot/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [Letting go is the hardest thing. Everybody is so afraid. They're so afraid of eternity. They're so afraid of life. They're so afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/letting-go-is-the-hardest-thing-everybody-is-so-afraid-they-re-so/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“I looked up at him, rain blending into my tears, ''Michael listen! You told me once that when you thought of life, you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-hample/i-looked-up-at-him-rain-blending-into-my-tears-michael-listen-you/) [Maddie Hample](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-hample/) > [“I think maybe the reason I have spent most of my life being afraid is that I have been trying to prepare myself, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-maybe-the-reason-i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-being-afraid-is/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Every successful person needs to have at least one person in their life who's not afraid of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/every-successful-person-needs-to-have-at-least-one-person-in-their/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [If you are going to win the fight of your life, you can't be afraid to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/if-you-are-going-to-win-the-fight-of-your-life-you-can-t-be-afraid-to/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [“You know me. Guys like me come a dime a dozen. No fire. No backbone. Dead weight waiting to be pulled around and taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goodis/you-know-me-guys-like-me-come-a-dime-a-dozen-no-fire-no-backbone-dead/) [David Goodis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goodis/) > [“Sad state to spend your life in. Being afraid of your own self." Rex Walls”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/sad-state-to-spend-your-life-in-being-afraid-of-your-own-self-rex/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) ## More by Joyce Cary > [A perpetually new and lively world, but a dangerous one, full of tragedy and injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/a-perpetually-new-and-lively-world-but-a-dangerous-one-full-of/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [I look upon life as a gift from God. I did nothing to earn it. Now that the time is coming to give it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/i-look-upon-life-as-a-gift-from-god-i-did-nothing-to-earn-it-now-that/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [It is a tragedy of the world that no one knows what he doesn't know - the less a man knows, the more sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/it-is-a-tragedy-of-the-world-that-no-one-knows-what-he-doesn-t-know/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [“Girl going past clinging to a young man's arm. Putting up her face like a duck to the moon. Drinking joy. Green in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/girl-going-past-clinging-to-a-young-man-s-arm-putting-up-her-face/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [It is the tragedy of the world that no one knows what he doesn't know - and the less a man knows, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/it-is-the-tragedy-of-the-world-that-no-one-knows-what-he-doesn-t-know/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [“Nothing is a masterpiece - a real masterpiece - till it's about two hundred years old. A picture is like a tree or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/nothing-is-a-masterpiece-a-real-masterpiece-till-it-s-about-two/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [Politics is like navigation in a sea without charts, and wise men live the lives of pilgrims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/politics-is-like-navigation-in-a-sea-without-charts-and-wise-men-live/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [It is sometimes said that toleration should be refused to the intolerant. In practice this would destroy it... The only remedy for dogmatism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/it-is-sometimes-said-that-toleration-should-be-refused-to-the/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [The concept, the label, is perpetually hiding from us all the nature of the real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/the-concept-the-label-is-perpetually-hiding-from-us-all-the-nature-of/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [Old men when they begin to hear the last trumpet, on the morning breeze, often have a kind of absent-minded smile; like people listening.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/old-men-when-they-begin-to-hear-the-last-trumpet-on-the-morning/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [The principal fact of life is the free mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/the-principal-fact-of-life-is-the-free-mind/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [A foul-mouthed oaf, a drunken laborer lying in a drain, a beaten wife with blackened eyes and torn clothes, cannot be made romantic to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/a-foul-mouthed-oaf-a-drunken-laborer-lying-in-a-drain-a-beaten-wife/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [It was as dark as the inside of a cabinet minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/it-was-as-dark-as-the-inside-of-a-cabinet-minister/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [To forgive is wisdom, to forget is genius. And easier. Because it's true. It's a new world every heart beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/to-forgive-is-wisdom-to-forget-is-genius-and-easier-because-it-s-true/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [I write the big scenes first, that is, the scenes that carry the meaning of the book, the emotional experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/i-write-the-big-scenes-first-that-is-the-scenes-that-carry-the/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) [Explore all 59 Joyce Cary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) ## More Brave quotes > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/) [Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/) > [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/) [Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/) > [“Victory is for the fucking brave, not the timid and excuse-riddled weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/victory-is-for-the-fucking-brave-not-the-timid-and-excuse-riddled-weak/) [Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/) > [I'm very proud of 'Every Girl's a Super Girl.' I want all girls to know that no matter what size, color, or shape, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-siwa/i-m-very-proud-of-every-girl-s-a-super-girl-i-want-all-girls-to-know/) [JoJo Siwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-siwa/) > [And I read the moral--A brave endeavour To do thy duty, whate'er its worth, Is better than life with love forever, And love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/and-i-read-the-moral-a-brave-endeavour-to-do-thy-duty-whate-er-its/) [James Jeffrey Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jeffrey-roche/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [You know what really made me sick? I was in Washington, D.C. at another time reading in a paper where the U.S. gives Byron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-know-what-really-made-me-sick-i-was-in-washington-d-c-at-another/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a fallacy with stand up comedy, which is, people come up to comedians, and they go, 'You say what I think but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/there-s-a-fallacy-with-stand-up-comedy-which-is-people-come-up-to/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [Fortune helps the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/fortune-helps-the-brave/) [Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/) > [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [THE British are brave people. They can face anything, except reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-brave-people-they-can-face-anything-except-reality/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) [Browse all 3,314 Brave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The truth is that life is hard and dangerous; that he who seeks his own happiness does not find it; that he who is weak must suffer; that he who demands love will be disappointed; that he who is greedy will not be fed; that he who seeks peace will find strife; that truth is only for the brave; that joy is only for him who does not fear to be alone; that life is only for the one who is not afraid to die.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joyce Cary" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dangerous-that-he-who-seeks-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dangerous-that-he-who-seeks-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/joyce-cary-11619_brave_the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dange_2567504.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/joyce-cary-11619_brave_the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dange_2567504.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/joyce-cary-11619_brave_the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dange_2567504.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The truth is that life is hard and dangerous; that he who seeks his own happiness does not find it; that he…” — Joyce Cary", "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": "Joyce Cary", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The truth is that life is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dangerous-that-he-who-seeks-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/the-truth-is-that-life-is-hard-and-dangerous-that-he-who-seeks-his/#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 } } ] } ```