--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ere you lie down to sleep in the night…" description: "\"Ere you lie down to sleep in the night, sit still awhile, and nurse again to life your gentler self. Forget the restless, noisy spirit of the day, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/max-ehrmann-13726_bosoms_ere-you-lie-down-to-sleep-in-the-night-s_1537239.jpg" --- # Ere you lie down to sleep in the night, sit still awhile… ![“Ere you lie down to sleep in the night, sit still awhile, and nurse again to life your gentler self. Forget the restless, noisy spirit of the day, and encourage to speech the soft voices within you that timidly whisper of the peace of the quiet night; and occasionally look out at the quiet stars…” quote by Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/max-ehrmann-13726_bosoms_ere-you-lie-down-to-sleep-in-the-night-s_1537239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/max-ehrmann-13726_bosoms_ere-you-lie-down-to-sleep-in-the-night-s_1537239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/max-ehrmann-13726_bosoms_ere-you-lie-down-to-sleep-in-the-night-s_1537239.jpg) > “Ere you lie down to sleep in the night, sit still awhile, and nurse again to life your gentler self. Forget the restless, noisy spirit of the day, and encourage to speech the soft voices within you that timidly whisper of the peace of the quiet night; and occasionally look out at the quiet stars. The night will soothe you like a tender mother, folding you against her soft bosom, and hiding you from the harm of the world.” [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage advises quiet reflection at night to reconnect with inner calm, away from daily noise, allowing restorative peace. **In simple terms:** Find peace by quieting the mind before sleep. Key Takeaway Embrace nightly stillness for inner calm. Themes mindfulness inner peace night self‑care reflection Mood calming reflective soothing Type advice philosophical poetic When to use this quote - Evening routine - pre‑sleep meditation - journaling - stargazing - breathing exercises Key Concepts Meditation self‑compassion psychological restoration Questions to Reflect On - How can you create a calming pre‑sleep ritual? - What inner thoughts emerge when you pause at night? A Different Perspective May be difficult for those with insomnia or anxiety that disrupts quiet. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Restless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restless/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Music, when soft voices die, Vibrates in the memory; Odors, when sweet violets sicken, Live within the sense they quicken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/music-when-soft-voices-die-vibrates-in-the-memory-odors-when-sweet/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“ Music, When Soft Voices Die Music, when soft voices die, Vibrates in the memory; Odours, when sweet violets sicken, Live within the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/music-when-soft-voices-die-music-when-soft-voices-die-vibrates-in-the/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Music, when soft voices die Vibrates in the memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/music-when-soft-voices-die-vibrates-in-the-memory/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“I wear the words To shield me From breaking, And as the quiet night Gives in to despair— I gently let go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-mir/i-wear-the-words-to-shield-me-from-breaking-and-as-the-quiet-night/) Jasmine Miró > [It's dark already and I'm out here again, talking, telling the story to the quiet night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/it-s-dark-already-and-i-m-out-here-again-talking-telling-the-story-to/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [“There was an eerie quiet about last night, like death sleeping on the beach of Lake Erie. I woke up with sand in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/there-was-an-eerie-quiet-about-last-night-like-death-sleeping-on-the/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“There is nothing better than a quiet night, a cup of tea, and a quiet place to read a good book,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-pearson/there-is-nothing-better-than-a-quiet-night-a-cup-of-tea-and-a-quiet/) Deb Pearson > [Better, Cilla thought, to be alone on a quiet night than to be alone in a crowd. Much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/better-cilla-thought-to-be-alone-on-a-quiet-night-than-to-be-alone-in/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“By then the streets are empty and quiet, night about to fall, curfew about to come down like a giant warm embrace, keeping us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/by-then-the-streets-are-empty-and-quiet-night-about-to-fall-curfew/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Sit down, Lanie, and eat. 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The disease was idealism. Because of it, I did the thing in life I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/i-contracted-a-disease-which-i-have-never-shaken-off-the-disease-was/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/nurture-strength-of-spirit-to-shield-you-in-sudden-misfortune/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. 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I think it must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/i-see-there-is-a-good-deal-of-grandiloquence-in-my-book-my-friends/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [You are a child of the universe...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/you-are-a-child-of-the-universe/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [“Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/be-gentle-with-yourself-you-are-a-child-of-the-universe-no-less-than/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [And though age and infirmity overtake me, and I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams, teach me still to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/and-though-age-and-infirmity-overtake-me-and-i-come-not-within-sight/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [Whether of not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/whether-of-not-it-is-clear-to-you-no-doubt-the-universe-is-unfolding/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [“Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/beyond-a-wholesome-discipline-be-gentle-with-yourself-you-are-a-child/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/therefore-be-at-peace-with-god-whatever-you-conceive-him-to-be/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [Forbid that I should judge others, lest I condemn myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/forbid-that-i-should-judge-others-lest-i-condemn-myself/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) > [“-Desiderata- Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ehrmann/desiderata-go-placidly-amid-the-noise-and-haste-and-remember-what/) [Max Ehrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) [Explore all 49 Max Ehrmann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ehrmann/) ## More Bosoms quotes > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Cover that bosom that I must not see: souls are wounded by such things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/cover-that-bosom-that-i-must-not-see-souls-are-wounded-by-such-things/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [The soul whose bosom lust did never touch Is God's fair bride; and maiden's souls are such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/the-soul-whose-bosom-lust-did-never-touch-is-god-s-fair-bride-and/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [The world of imagination is the world of eternity. It is the divine bosom into which we shall all go after death of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-world-of-imagination-is-the-world-of-eternity-it-is-the-divine/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Deliberate long before thou consecrate a friend, and when thy impartial justice concludes him worthy of thy bosom, receive him joyfully, and entertain him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/deliberate-long-before-thou-consecrate-a-friend-and-when-thy/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-father-may-turn-his-back-on-his-child-brothers-and-sisters-may/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-proud-spirit-of-the-original-owners-of-these-vast-prairies/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [Music can minister to minds diseased, pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, raze out the written troubles of the brain, and with its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/music-can-minister-to-minds-diseased-pluck-from-the-memory-a-rooted/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [For a long time, no village girl would dress her hair or bosom with the sweetest flower from that field of death: and after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/for-a-long-time-no-village-girl-would-dress-her-hair-or-bosom-with/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [To seek out in a world full of joy the one thing that is certain to give you pain, and hug it to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-giraudoux/to-seek-out-in-a-world-full-of-joy-the-one-thing-that-is-certain-to/) [Jean Giraudoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-giraudoux/) > [... the evil that comes out of your lips, into your own bosom will fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/the-evil-that-comes-out-of-your-lips-into-your-own-bosom-will-fall/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [If you can sin and not weep over it, you are an heir of Hell. 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