--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For it is only the finite that has…" description: "\"For it is only the finite that has wrought and suffered; the infinite lies stretched in smiling repose.\" — Ralph Waldo Emerson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_finite_for-it-is-only-the-finite-that-has-wroug_320953.png" --- # For it is only the finite that has wrought and suffered… ![“For it is only the finite that has wrought and suffered; the infinite lies stretched in smiling repose.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_finite_for-it-is-only-the-finite-that-has-wroug_320953.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_finite_for-it-is-only-the-finite-that-has-wroug_320953.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_finite_for-it-is-only-the-finite-that-has-wroug_320953.png) > “For it is only the finite that has wrought and suffered; the infinite lies stretched in smiling repose.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finite experiences bring suffering, while the infinite offers peaceful contentment through a serene perspective. **In simple terms:** Limited struggles cause pain; the infinite brings calm. Key Takeaway Embrace a broader view to find peace. Themes philosophy spirituality existence contentment perspective Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - creative writing - nature immersion Key Concepts transcendence mindfulness inner peace Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing limits affect your life? - What practices help you feel the infinite? A Different Perspective Infinite ideals may seem abstract or unattainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) ## Related quotes > [He in whom the love of repose predominates will accept the first creed, the first philosophy, the first political party he meets — most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/he-in-whom-the-love-of-repose-predominates-will-accept-the-first/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Every mind must make its choice between truth and repose. It cannot have both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-mind-must-make-its-choice-between-truth-and-repose-it-cannot/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Every man has a choice between love of truth and love of repose. Love of repose brings him a solid reputation and peaceful life;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-man-has-a-choice-between-love-of-truth-and-love-of-repose-love/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Repose and cheerfulness are the badge of the gentleman - repose in energy. The Greek battle pieces are calm; the heroes, in whatever violent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/repose-and-cheerfulness-are-the-badge-of-the-gentleman-repose-in/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Society is an illusion to the young citizen. It lies before him in rigid repose, with certain names, men, and institutions, rootedlike oak-trees to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/society-is-an-illusion-to-the-young-citizen-it-lies-before-him-in/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Repose and cheerfulness is the badge of the gentleman; repose in energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/repose-and-cheerfulness-is-the-badge-of-the-gentleman-repose-in-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I think that the heroism which at this day would make on us the impression of Epaminondas and Phocion must be that of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-think-that-the-heroism-which-at-this-day-would-make-on-us-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [ “God offers to every mind a choice between repose and truth. take which you please--you can never have both. \[Essay on Intellect\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/god-offers-to-every-mind-a-choice-between-repose-and-truth-take-which/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By a garden is meant mystically a place of spiritual repose, stillness, peace, refreshment, delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/by-a-garden-is-meant-mystically-a-place-of-spiritual-repose-stillness/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [For retirement brings repose, and repose allows a kindly judgment of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sharp-williams/for-retirement-brings-repose-and-repose-allows-a-kindly-judgment-of/) John Sharp Williams > [The longer I live, the more I feel that true repose consists in 'renouncing' one's own self, by which I mean making up one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-feel-that-true-repose-consists-in/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Coffee and tobacco are complete repose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/coffee-and-tobacco-are-complete-repose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Finite quotes > [There is a way in which the collective knowledge of mankind expresses itself, for the finite individual, through mere daily living . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurens-van-der-post/there-is-a-way-in-which-the-collective-knowledge-of-mankind-expresses/) [Laurens van der Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurens-van-der-post/) > [Wisdom views with an indifferent eye all finite joys, all blessings born to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/wisdom-views-with-an-indifferent-eye-all-finite-joys-all-blessings/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [There has been a tendency through the years for reason and moderation to prevail as long as things are going tolerably well or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/there-has-been-a-tendency-through-the-years-for-reason-and-moderation/) [J. 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Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-f-whitney/) > [Cryptography has generated number theory, algebraic geometry over finite fields, algebra, combinatorics and computers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-arnold/cryptography-has-generated-number-theory-algebraic-geometry-over/) [Vladimir Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-arnold/) > [All finite things reveal infinitude: The mountain with its singular bright shade Like the blue shine on freshly frozen snow, The after-light upon ice-burdened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roethke/all-finite-things-reveal-infinitude-the-mountain-with-its-singular/) [Theodore Roethke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roethke/) > [“Unless death is made a lesson for the living, the life lived is wasted. 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