--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nature never said to me: Do not be poor…" description: "\"Nature never said to me: Do not be poor; still less did she say: Be rich; her cry to me was always: Be independent.\" — Nicolas Chamfort" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/nicolas-chamfort-2263_cry_nature-never-said-to-me-do-not-be-poor-s_145502.png" --- # Nature never said to me: Do not be poor; still less did… ![“Nature never said to me: Do not be poor; still less did she say: Be rich; her cry to me was always: Be independent.” quote by Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/nicolas-chamfort-2263_cry_nature-never-said-to-me-do-not-be-poor-s_145502.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/nicolas-chamfort-2263_cry_nature-never-said-to-me-do-not-be-poor-s_145502.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/nicolas-chamfort-2263_cry_nature-never-said-to-me-do-not-be-poor-s_145502.png) > “Nature never said to me: Do not be poor; still less did she say: Be rich; her cry to me was always: Be independent.” [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True freedom comes from self‑reliance, not wealth or poverty; independence is the ultimate goal. **In simple terms:** Independence is the real wealth. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑reliance. Themes freedom independence self‑reliance Mood reflective empowering Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - financial planning - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism personal autonomy Questions to Reflect On - What does independence mean to you? - How can you balance self‑reliance with connection? A Different Perspective Independence can feel isolating without community support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [The whole of nature, as has been said, is a conjugation of the verb to eat, in the active and in the passive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ralph-inge/the-whole-of-nature-as-has-been-said-is-a-conjugation-of-the-verb-to/) [William Ralph Inge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ralph-inge/) > [“He tousled Baby's hair, then looked up at Tiger Lily. "The woods have rules." 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I don't mean to the screen in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/i-try-to-avoid-giving-advice-the-only-advice-i-will-give-is-to-pay/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [Those walls and bars are there for a reason,” said Crake. “Not to keep us out, but to keep them in. Mankind needs barriers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/those-walls-and-bars-are-there-for-a-reason-said-crake-not-to-keep-us-2/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Where there are large powers with little ambition... nature may be said to have fallen short of her purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/where-there-are-large-powers-with-little-ambition-nature-may-be-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No one described him better than he did when someone accused him of being rich. “No, not rich,” he said. “I am a poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/no-one-described-him-better-than-he-did-when-someone-accused-him-of/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“I also remember that my father was one of the people who voted to get the Dauntless out of the factionless sector of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-also-remember-that-my-father-was-one-of-the-people-who-voted-to-get/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“must have looked forsaken standing there because she clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and said, “Poor Miss Sarah.” I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/must-have-looked-forsaken-standing-there-because-she-clucked-her/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Someone said drink the water, but I will drink the wine Someone said take a poor man, the rich don't have a dime Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/someone-said-drink-the-water-but-i-will-drink-the-wine-someone-said/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [“She cleared her throat once or twice, and said something about poor people should eat a lot of herrings, as they were most nutritious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-comyns/she-cleared-her-throat-once-or-twice-and-said-something-about-poor/) [Barbara Comyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-comyns/) > [“My mom often said "We're not poor, we just don't have much money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-cochran/my-mom-often-said-we-re-not-poor-we-just-don-t-have-much-money/) Les Cochran > [“It was once said that the poor are “constantly exposed to evidence of their own irrelevance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/it-was-once-said-that-the-poor-are-constantly-exposed-to-evidence-of-2/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“It was once said that the poor are 'constantly exposed to evidence of their own irrelevance.' Especially for poor African-American families - who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/it-was-once-said-that-the-poor-are-constantly-exposed-to-evidence-of/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) ## More by Nicolas Chamfort > [Men of reason have endured;men of passion have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/men-of-reason-have-endured-men-of-passion-have-lived/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Contact with the world either breaks or hardens the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/contact-with-the-world-either-breaks-or-hardens-the-heart/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Of all days, the day on which one has not laughed is the one most surely wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/of-all-days-the-day-on-which-one-has-not-laughed-is-the-one-most/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [It is commonly supposed that the art of pleasing is a wonderful aid in the pursuit of fortune; but the art of being bored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/it-is-commonly-supposed-that-the-art-of-pleasing-is-a-wonderful-aid/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [How many fools does it take to make up a public?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/how-many-fools-does-it-take-to-make-up-a-public/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [The poor are the blacks of Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/the-poor-are-the-blacks-of-europe/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [It is with happiness as with watches: the less complicated, the less easily deranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/it-is-with-happiness-as-with-watches-the-less-complicated-the-less/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [A modicum of discord is the very spice of courtship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/a-modicum-of-discord-is-the-very-spice-of-courtship/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Tragedy has the great moral defect of giving too much importance to life and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/tragedy-has-the-great-moral-defect-of-giving-too-much-importance-to/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Men's hearts and faces are always wide asunder; women's are not only in close connection, but are mirror-like in the instant power of reflection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/men-s-hearts-and-faces-are-always-wide-asunder-women-s-are-not-only/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [I only study the things I like; I apply my mind only to matters that interest me. They'll be useful-or useless-to me or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/i-only-study-the-things-i-like-i-apply-my-mind-only-to-matters-that/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Contemptuous people are sure to be contemptible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/contemptuous-people-are-sure-to-be-contemptible/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Do not suppose opportunity will knock twice at your door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/do-not-suppose-opportunity-will-knock-twice-at-your-door/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Sometimes apparent resemblance of character will bring two men together and for a certain time unite them. But their mistake gradually becomes evident, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/sometimes-apparent-resemblance-of-character-will-bring-two-men/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [“Paris, a city of gaieties and pleasures, where four-fifths of the inhabitants die of grief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/paris-a-city-of-gaieties-and-pleasures-where-four-fifths-of-the/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) [Explore all 169 Nicolas Chamfort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) ## More Cry quotes > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. 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I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was raised by a man who did not emote, ever... I always cry at movies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/i-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-neighborhood-and-was-raised-by-a-man-who/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [I cry at the end of every book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/i-cry-at-the-end-of-every-book/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [ The most important thing I learned \[...\] was that when a person dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-that-when-a-person-dies-he/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) > [I would have done anything for him. Maybe that was my sickness. We made love in nothing places and turned the lights off. 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