Affliction Quote by Sir John Davies
“If aught can teach us aught, Affliction's looks, Making us pry into ourselves so, near, Teach us to know ourselves, beyond all books, Or all the learned schools that ever were.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Affliction and Self‑Knowledge, 1600
Suffering forces introspection, revealing truths beyond formal learning.
In simple terms: Hardship reveals deeper self‑knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Embrace hardship for insight.
Themes
suffering
self‑knowledge
learning
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy
- grief counseling
- personal crises
- creative blocks
- spiritual retreats
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
spirituality
Questions to Reflect On
- What lessons have you learned from hardship?
- How can you balance suffering with self‑care?
A Different Perspective
Pain may overwhelm and hinder growth.
![“May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down my face make me more radiant: may my hidden weeping bloom… How we waste our afflictions!... [T]hey're really our wintering foliage, our dark greens of meaning…” quote by Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c7/rainer-maria-rilke-193_abode_may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and_52479.jpg)
