--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The poor and the busy have no leisure for…" description: "\"The poor and the busy have no leisure for sentimental sorrow.\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/samuel-johnson-50_busy_the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-fo_2399726.png" --- # The poor and the busy have no leisure for sentimental… ![“The poor and the busy have no leisure for sentimental sorrow.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/samuel-johnson-50_busy_the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-fo_2399726.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/samuel-johnson-50_busy_the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-fo_2399726.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/samuel-johnson-50_busy_the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-fo_2399726.png) > “The poor and the busy have no leisure for sentimental sorrow.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poor and busy lack time for sentimental grief, implying hardship limits emotional indulgence. **In simple terms:** Hardship leaves little room for sorrow. Key Takeaway Find balance amid responsibilities. Themes poverty busyness emotion Mood somber pragmatic Type psychological social When to use this quote - work schedule - financial strain - family duties Key Concepts time scarcity emotional health Questions to Reflect On - How can you allow space for feeling despite busyness? - Can brief moments of reflection help? A Different Perspective Emotional expression is still vital for wellbeing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure/) [Leisure Sentimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure-sentimental-6006332/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-busy-980833/) [Sentimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentimental/) [Sentimental Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentimental-sorrow-6006331/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) ## Related quotes > [Only the rich can achieve enlightenment because the poor are too busy looking for fridge freezers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/only-the-rich-can-achieve-enlightenment-because-the-poor-are-too-busy/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The poor are too busy working to need justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/the-poor-are-too-busy-working-to-need-justice/) [Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/) > [“The poor are so busy trying to survive from one day to the next, they haven’t the time or energy to keep score.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-poor-are-so-busy-trying-to-survive-from-one-day-to-the-next-they/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Friendship requires more time than poor busy men can usually command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/friendship-requires-more-time-than-poor-busy-men-can-usually-command/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [No man is obliged to do as much as he can do. A man is to have part of his life to himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/no-man-is-obliged-to-do-as-much-as-he-can-do-a-man-is-to-have-part-of/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Leisure and curiosity might soon make great advances in useful knowledge, were they not diverted by minute emulation and laborious trifles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/leisure-and-curiosity-might-soon-make-great-advances-in-useful/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Good-humor is a state between gayety and unconcern,--the act or emanation of a mind at leisure to regard the gratification of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/good-humor-is-a-state-between-gayety-and-unconcern-the-act-or/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Solitude is the surest nurse of all prurient passions, and a girl in the hurry of preparation, or tumult of gaiety, has neither inclination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/solitude-is-the-surest-nurse-of-all-prurient-passions-and-a-girl-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [John Wesley's conversation is good, but he is never at leisure. He is always obliged to go at a certain hour. This is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/john-wesley-s-conversation-is-good-but-he-is-never-at-leisure-he-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [We are perpetually moralists, but we are geometricians only by chance. Our intercourse with intellectual nature is necessary; our speculations upon matter are voluntary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/we-are-perpetually-moralists-but-we-are-geometricians-only-by-chance/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If work and leisure are soon to be subordinated to this one utopian principle - absolute busyness - then utopia and melancholy will come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunter-grass/if-work-and-leisure-are-soon-to-be-subordinated-to-this-one-utopian/) [Gunter Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunter-grass/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Let observation with extensive view, Survey mankind from China to Peru; Remark each anxious toil, each eager strife, And watch the busy scenes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/let-observation-with-extensive-view-survey-mankind-from-china-to-peru/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Those who have past much of their lives in this great city, look upon its opulence and its multitudes, its extent and variety, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-have-past-much-of-their-lives-in-this-great-city-look-upon/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) [Victoria Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-derbyshire/) > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. 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Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) [The Shawshank Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-shawshank-redemption/) [Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The poor and the busy have no leisure for sentimental sorrow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-for-sentimental-sorrow/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-for-sentimental-sorrow/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/samuel-johnson-50_busy_the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-fo_2399726.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/samuel-johnson-50_busy_the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-fo_2399726.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/samuel-johnson-50_busy_the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-fo_2399726.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The poor and the busy have no leisure for sentimental sorrow.” — Samuel Johnson", "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": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The poor and the busy have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-for-sentimental-sorrow/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-poor-and-the-busy-have-no-leisure-for-sentimental-sorrow/#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 } } ] } ```