--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To wipe all tears from off all faces is a…" description: "\"To wipe all tears from off all faces is a task too hard for mortals; but to alleviate misfortunes is often within the most limited power: yet the oppor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/samuel-johnson-50_alleviate_to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is_1310208.jpg" --- # To wipe all tears from off all faces is a task too hard… ![“To wipe all tears from off all faces is a task too hard for mortals; but to alleviate misfortunes is often within the most limited power: yet the opportunities which every day affords of relieving the most wretched of human beings are overlooked and neglected with equal disregard of policy and…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/samuel-johnson-50_alleviate_to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is_1310208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/samuel-johnson-50_alleviate_to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is_1310208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/samuel-johnson-50_alleviate_to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is_1310208.jpg) > “To wipe all tears from off all faces is a task too hard for mortals; but to alleviate misfortunes is often within the most limited power: yet the opportunities which every day affords of relieving the most wretched of human beings are overlooked and neglected with equal disregard of policy and goodness.” [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. Human suffering can be eased by modest actions, yet society often ignores these opportunities due to policy neglect. **In simple terms:** Small acts can help the suffering, but are often ignored. Key Takeaway Take small, concrete steps to help those in need. Themes compassion social responsibility policy inequality Mood empathetic motivational Type inspirational social When to use this quote - charity work - community service - advocacy - policy reform Key Concepts ethics public policy humanitarianism Questions to Reflect On - What simple actions can we take daily to aid the vulnerable? - How can policies better support grassroots help? A Different Perspective Systemic barriers limit individual impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [Mortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortals/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) ## Related quotes > [To wipe all tears from off all faces is a task too hard for mortals; but to alleviate misfortunes is often within the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is-a-task-too-hard-for-mortals-2/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [There is nothing magnanimous in bearing misfortunes with fortitude, when the whole world is looking on… He who, without friends to encourage or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/there-is-nothing-magnanimous-in-bearing-misfortunes-with-fortitude/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“And the hurt was so deep that it was way beyond tears and so their faces were dry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/and-the-hurt-was-so-deep-that-it-was-way-beyond-tears-and-so-their/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [He will wipe the tears from all faces.' It takes nothing from the loveliness of the verse to say that is exactly what will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/he-will-wipe-the-tears-from-all-faces-it-takes-nothing-from-the/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [Let us wipe tears from each others faces!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayjee-grogan/let-us-wipe-tears-from-each-others-faces/) [Ayjee Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayjee-grogan/) > [Health is certainly more valuable than money; because it is by health that money is procured; but thousands and millions are of small avail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/health-is-certainly-more-valuable-than-money-because-it-is-by-health-2/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I think raising wages, investing in infrastructure, making sure that people have access to good educations that equip them for the jobs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-raising-wages-investing-in-infrastructure-making-sure-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ The next most dangerous thing \[after nuclear proliferation\] is probably... global warming, and then, right behind that are overpopulation -- we need to get… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/the-next-most-dangerous-thing-after-nuclear-proliferation-is-probably/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [In all things preserve integrity; and the consciousness of your own uprightness will alleviate the toil of business, soften the hardness of ill-success and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-paley/in-all-things-preserve-integrity-and-the-consciousness-of-your-own/) [Babe Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-paley/) > [We are at the point in time and terror where nothing short of a strong uniform policy of domestic disarmament will alleviate the danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-v-murphy/we-are-at-the-point-in-time-and-terror-where-nothing-short-of-a/) Patrick V. Murphy > [I believe that the war on drugs is a tragically misplaced use of resources - an immoral venture that produces far more suffering than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/i-believe-that-the-war-on-drugs-is-a-tragically-misplaced-use-of/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [I don't think happiness is necessarily the reason we're here. I think we're here to learn and evolve, and the pursuit of knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-don-t-think-happiness-is-necessarily-the-reason-we-re-here-i-think/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-lee-crumpler/i-early-conceived-a-liking-for-and-sought-every-opportunity-to/) Rebecca Lee Crumpler > [How the American right managed to convince itself that the programs to alleviate poverty are responsible for the consequences of poverty will someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/how-the-american-right-managed-to-convince-itself-that-the-programs/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) ## 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. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. 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 Alleviate quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [How the American right managed to convince itself that the programs to alleviate poverty are responsible for the consequences of poverty will someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/how-the-american-right-managed-to-convince-itself-that-the-programs/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-lee-crumpler/i-early-conceived-a-liking-for-and-sought-every-opportunity-to/) Rebecca Lee Crumpler > [I don't think happiness is necessarily the reason we're here. I think we're here to learn and evolve, and the pursuit of knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-don-t-think-happiness-is-necessarily-the-reason-we-re-here-i-think/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I believe that the war on drugs is a tragically misplaced use of resources - an immoral venture that produces far more suffering than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/i-believe-that-the-war-on-drugs-is-a-tragically-misplaced-use-of/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [We are at the point in time and terror where nothing short of a strong uniform policy of domestic disarmament will alleviate the danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-v-murphy/we-are-at-the-point-in-time-and-terror-where-nothing-short-of-a/) Patrick V. Murphy > [In all things preserve integrity; and the consciousness of your own uprightness will alleviate the toil of business, soften the hardness of ill-success and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-paley/in-all-things-preserve-integrity-and-the-consciousness-of-your-own/) [Babe Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-paley/) > [ The next most dangerous thing \[after nuclear proliferation\] is probably... global warming, and then, right behind that are overpopulation -- we need to get… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/the-next-most-dangerous-thing-after-nuclear-proliferation-is-probably/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [I think raising wages, investing in infrastructure, making sure that people have access to good educations that equip them for the jobs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-raising-wages-investing-in-infrastructure-making-sure-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes - and we must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/we-can-choose-to-alleviate-suffering-we-can-choose-to-work-together/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I advise nobody to drown sorrow in cocoa. It is bad for the figure and it does not alleviate the sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/i-advise-nobody-to-drown-sorrow-in-cocoa-it-is-bad-for-the-figure-and/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [He wanted to hear her concerns and alleviate them, he wanted to hold her and kiss her and convince her that he would find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-wanted-to-hear-her-concerns-and-alleviate-them-he-wanted-to-hold/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [As a Christian, part of my obligation is to alleviate suffering. Explicit recognition of that in the Methodist tradition is one reason I'm comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/as-a-christian-part-of-my-obligation-is-to-alleviate-suffering/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If any student comes to me and says he wants to be useful to mankind and go into research to alleviate human suffering, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/if-any-student-comes-to-me-and-says-he-wants-to-be-useful-to-mankind/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [All the advantages that man has gained from his ever-deepening understanding of the natural world that surrounds him, his technological, chemical and medical progress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/all-the-advantages-that-man-has-gained-from-his-ever-deepening/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) Browse all 143 Alleviate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To wipe all tears from off all faces is a task too hard for mortals; but to alleviate misfortunes is often within the most limited power: yet the opportunities which every day affords of relieving the most wretched of human beings are overlooked and neglected with equal disregard of policy and goodness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is-a-task-too-hard-for-mortals/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alleviate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is-a-task-too-hard-for-mortals/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/samuel-johnson-50_alleviate_to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is_1310208.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/samuel-johnson-50_alleviate_to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is_1310208.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/samuel-johnson-50_alleviate_to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is_1310208.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To wipe all tears from off all faces is a task too hard for mortals; but to alleviate misfortunes is often…” — 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": "To wipe all tears from off...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is-a-task-too-hard-for-mortals/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-wipe-all-tears-from-off-all-faces-is-a-task-too-hard-for-mortals/#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 } } ] } ```