---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You may write it on his tombstone, You…"
description: "\"You may write it on his tombstone, You may cut it on his card, That a young man married is a young man marred\" — Rudyard Kipling"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/rudyard-kipling-527_marriage_you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-ma_607995.png"
---

#  You may write it on his tombstone, You may cut it on his…

![“You may write it on his tombstone, You may cut it on his card, That a young man married is a young man marred” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/rudyard-kipling-527_marriage_you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-ma_607995.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/rudyard-kipling-527_marriage_you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-ma_607995.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/rudyard-kipling-527_marriage_you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-ma_607995.png)

> “You may write it on his tombstone, You may cut it on his card, That a young man married is a young man marred”

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The lines suggest that a young man’s marriage tarnishes his youth, implying that commitment changes one’s identity.

**In simple terms:** Marriage can be seen as marring youthful freedom.

Key Takeaway

Reflect on how life changes affect identity.

Themes

identity marriage youth societal expectations change

Mood

nostalgic reflective

Type

poetic cautionary

When to use this quote

- wedding planning
- career transition
- midlife reflection
- cultural tradition
- relationship counseling

Key Concepts

ritual social contract personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- Does marriage always diminish youth?
- What new strengths can marriage bring?

A Different Perspective

It may ignore positive aspects of maturity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Man Marred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-marred-1406456/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Married Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/married-young/) [Tombstone Cut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tombstone-cut-4943761/) [Write Tombstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-tombstone-4943760/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/)

## Related quotes

> [A young man married is a man that's marred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-young-man-married-is-a-man-that-s-marred/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I was married very young. I lived a very middle class life. I was married at age 21, divorced at 31.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-was-married-very-young-i-lived-a-very-middle-class-life-i-was/)

[John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/)

> [We shouldn't have got married, really. Shouldn't have got married. Too young. Not ready for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcgough/we-shouldn-t-have-got-married-really-shouldn-t-have-got-married-too/)

[Roger McGough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcgough/)

> [I got married young, far too young, but it is fine. We are still married 48 years later. I got married at 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/i-got-married-young-far-too-young-but-it-is-fine-we-are-still-married/)

[Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/)

> [My brother married young, and his is the best marriage I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/my-brother-married-young-and-his-is-the-best-marriage-i-know/)

[Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/)

> [I married a young Englishman in Cambridge in 1955 and have lived in Britain every since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-stevenson/i-married-a-young-englishman-in-cambridge-in-1955-and-have-lived-in/)

[Anne Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-stevenson/)

> [The great thing about getting married young like I did and having a child so young is that he gets to know all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-danza/the-great-thing-about-getting-married-young-like-i-did-and-having-a/)

[Tony Danza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-danza/)

> [“Despite his failings she couldn’t shun Nathanael, she was too fond of fleshly delight. He kept her belly large, pumping her full of child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/despite-his-failings-she-couldn-t-shun-nathanael-she-was-too-fond-of/)

[Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/)

> [Like so many substantial citizens of America, he had married young and kept on marrying, springing from blonde to blonde like the chamois of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-so-many-substantial-citizens-of-america-he-had-married-young-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It is a wonderful thing to get married young and become a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/it-is-a-wonderful-thing-to-get-married-young-and-become-a-father/)

[Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/)

> [I knew I wanted a 'Girls'-type show about my life, but what's the big thing that happened to me? Oh, I got married when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holmes/i-knew-i-wanted-a-girls-type-show-about-my-life-but-what-s-the-big/)

[Pete Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holmes/)

> [“Honey, I appreciate that so much, I really do, but it’s not just transferring that I’m worrying about. I’m worried about his mind-set. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/honey-i-appreciate-that-so-much-i-really-do-but-it-s-not-just/)

[Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/)

> [A lot of Hollywood couples get married young and wind up growing out of their relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-stanger/a-lot-of-hollywood-couples-get-married-young-and-wind-up-growing-out/)

[Patti Stanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-stanger/)

> [I just always wanted to get married young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mccartan/i-just-always-wanted-to-get-married-young/)

[Ryan McCartan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mccartan/)

> [“It was not as if he did not know what living in Lagos could do to a woman married to a young and wealthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/it-was-not-as-if-he-did-not-know-what-living-in-lagos-could-do-to-a/)

[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/)

## More by Rudyard Kipling

> [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

[Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

## More Marriage quotes

> [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/)

[John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/)

> [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/)

[Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/)

> [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/)

[Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/)

> [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/)

[James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [“Take an interest in his appearance. Keeping his clothes in order is your job; encouraging him to look his best, and admiring him when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-baker/take-an-interest-in-his-appearance-keeping-his-clothes-in-order-is/)

[Ellen Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-baker/)

> [Females always say, you can't turn a hoe into a house wife, but steady be trying to turn a dog into a faithful man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/females-always-say-you-can-t-turn-a-hoe-into-a-house-wife-but-steady/)

[Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/)

> [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/)

[William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/)

> [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/)

[Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/)

> [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [“His own parents, the estimable Gilchrists, a couple who had taken the 'till death' part of their own wedding vows so seriously he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-blake/his-own-parents-the-estimable-gilchrists-a-couple-who-had-taken-the/)

[Ally Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-blake/)

[Browse all 31,920 Marriage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You may write it on his tombstone, You may cut it on his card, That a young man married is a young man marred",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rudyard Kipling"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-may-cut-it-on-his-card-that-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Marriage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-may-cut-it-on-his-card-that-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/rudyard-kipling-527_marriage_you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-ma_607995.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/rudyard-kipling-527_marriage_you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-ma_607995.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/rudyard-kipling-527_marriage_you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-ma_607995.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You may write it on his tombstone, You may cut it on his card, That a young man married is a young man marred” — Rudyard Kipling",
                "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": "Rudyard Kipling",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You may write it on his...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-may-cut-it-on-his-card-that-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-write-it-on-his-tombstone-you-may-cut-it-on-his-card-that-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
