--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a perennial nobleness, and even…" description: "\"There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgetful of his high calling, there is always hope in a man ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/thomas-carlyle-207_calling_there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even_97763.png" --- # There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in… ![“There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgetful of his high calling, there is always hope in a man that actually and earnestly works: in idleness alone there is perpetual despair.” quote by Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/thomas-carlyle-207_calling_there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even_97763.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/thomas-carlyle-207_calling_there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even_97763.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/thomas-carlyle-207_calling_there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even_97763.png) > “There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgetful of his high calling, there is always hope in a man that actually and earnestly works: in idleness alone there is perpetual despair.” [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work confers purpose and dignity; even when one strays, earnest effort restores hope, while idleness breeds despair. **In simple terms:** Hard work gives meaning; laziness leads to hopelessness. Key Takeaway Purpose emerges from diligent effort. Themes purpose work ethic hope despair meaning Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - personal projects - volunteering - academic research Key Concepts existential fulfillment moral philosophy Practical Applications - Set measurable goals - Cultivate disciplined routines Questions to Reflect On - How does meaningful work affect personal identity? - Can idleness ever be productive? A Different Perspective Idealizes work without acknowledging systemic barriers that can limit opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Idleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sacredness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacredness/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [There is always hope in a man that actually and earnestly works: in Idleness alone is there perpetual despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-always-hope-in-a-man-that-actually-and-earnestly-works-in/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [In idleness there is a perpetual despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/in-idleness-there-is-a-perpetual-despair/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul. May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/may-you-see-in-what-you-do-the-beauty-of-your-own-soul-may-the/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [“A Blessing; May the light of your soul guide you; May the light of your soul bless the work you do with the secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/a-blessing-may-the-light-of-your-soul-guide-you-may-the-light-of-your/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [Withal I did infer your lineaments, Being the right idea of your father, Both in your form and nobleness of mind; Laid open all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/withal-i-did-infer-your-lineaments-being-the-right-idea-of-your/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Nobleness was one word for making a fuss about the trivial inevitabilities of life, but there were others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/nobleness-was-one-word-for-making-a-fuss-about-the-trivial/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [As one lamp lights another, nor grows less,So nobleness enkindleth nobleness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/as-one-lamp-lights-another-nor-grows-less-so-nobleness-enkindleth/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [No one can build his security upon the nobleness of another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/no-one-can-build-his-security-upon-the-nobleness-of-another-person/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [The heroic soul does not sell its justice and its nobleness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-heroic-soul-does-not-sell-its-justice-and-its-nobleness/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“She laughed and said not to confuse pride with nobleness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brom/she-laughed-and-said-not-to-confuse-pride-with-nobleness/) [Brom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brom/) > [O beautiful for spacious skies, . . . O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-lee-bates/o-beautiful-for-spacious-skies-o-beautiful-for-heroes-proved-in/) [Katharine Lee Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-lee-bates/) > [Ambition is the germ from which all growth of nobleness proceeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/ambition-is-the-germ-from-which-all-growth-of-nobleness-proceeds/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Be NOBLE! and the nobleness that liesIn other men, sleeping, but never dead,Will rise in majesty to meet thine own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/be-noble-and-the-nobleness-that-liesin-other-men-sleeping-but-never/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [There are epidemics of nobleness as well as epidemics of disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/there-are-epidemics-of-nobleness-as-well-as-epidemics-of-disease/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [I am speaking now of the highest duty we owe our friends, the noblest, the most sacred - that of keeping their own nobleness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/i-am-speaking-now-of-the-highest-duty-we-owe-our-friends-the-noblest/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) ## More by Thomas Carlyle > [O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/o-thou-that-pinest-in-the-imprisonment-of-the-actual-and-criest/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The sincere alone can recognize sincerity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-sincere-alone-can-recognize-sincerity/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-glory-of-a-workman-still-more-of-a-master-workman-that-he-does/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [All human things do require to have an ideal in them; to have some soul in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/all-human-things-do-require-to-have-an-ideal-in-them-to-have-some/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Insurrection, never so necessary, is a most sad necessity; and governors who wait for that to instruct them are surely getting into the fatalest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/insurrection-never-so-necessary-is-a-most-sad-necessity-and-governors/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-is-philosophy-but-a-continual-battle-against-custom/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Let Time and Chance combine, combine! Let Time and Chance combine! The fairest love from heaven above, That love of yours was mine, My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/let-time-and-chance-combine-combine-let-time-and-chance-combine-the/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Thought will not work except in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-will-not-work-except-in-silence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The public is anold woman.Let her maunderand mumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-public-is-anold-woman-let-her-maunderand-mumble/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Does not every true man feel that he is himself made higher by doing reverence to what is really above him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/does-not-every-true-man-feel-that-he-is-himself-made-higher-by-doing/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The press is the fourth estate of the realm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-press-is-the-fourth-estate-of-the-realm/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) [Explore all 917 Thomas Carlyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## More Calling quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [\*Calling someone I don't want to answer\* \*Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail..\* Hello? -\_\_\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/calling-someone-i-don-t-want-to-answer-please-go-to-voice-mail-please/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you... This turning toward what you deeply love saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sometimes-you-hear-a-voice-through-the-door-calling-you-this-turning/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) Browse all 3,811 Calling quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgetful of his high calling, there is always hope in a man that actually and earnestly works: in idleness alone there is perpetual despair.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Carlyle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even-sacredness-in-work-were-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Calling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even-sacredness-in-work-were-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/thomas-carlyle-207_calling_there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even_97763.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/thomas-carlyle-207_calling_there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even_97763.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/thomas-carlyle-207_calling_there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even_97763.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgetful of his…” — Thomas Carlyle", "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": "Thomas Carlyle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a perennial nobleness, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even-sacredness-in-work-were-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even-sacredness-in-work-were-he/#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 } } ] } ```