--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Therefore I tell my sorrows to the…" description: "\"Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones; Who, though they cannot answer my distress, Yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes, For that the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/william-shakespeare-4_answers_therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stone_1111517.jpg" --- # Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones; Who, though… ![“Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones; Who, though they cannot answer my distress, Yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes, For that they will not intercept my tale: When I do weep, they humbly at my feet Receive my tears and seem to weep with me; And, were they but attired in grave…” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/william-shakespeare-4_answers_therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stone_1111517.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/william-shakespeare-4_answers_therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stone_1111517.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/william-shakespeare-4_answers_therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stone_1111517.jpg) > “Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones; Who, though they cannot answer my distress, Yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes, For that they will not intercept my tale: When I do weep, they humbly at my feet Receive my tears and seem to weep with me; And, were they but attired in grave weeds, Rome could afford no tribune like to these.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker finds solace in stones, which listen without judgment, unlike noisy political figures. **In simple terms:** Stones offer silent, non‑judgmental comfort. Key Takeaway Seek quiet, non‑critical listeners for grief. Themes solace silence politics grief empathy Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal mourning - public speaking - stress relief - conflict resolution Key Concepts Stoicism psychology social critique Questions to Reflect On - Do you have a non‑judgmental outlet for sorrow? - How does silence aid healing? A Different Perspective Stones cannot respond or help solve problems; they only absorb emotion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Distress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graves/) [Rome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rome/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Sorrows Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrows-stones-2964091/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Tell Sorrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-sorrows-2964090/) [Weed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weed/) [Weep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weep/) [Weep Attired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weep-attired-2964093/) [Weep Humbly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weep-humbly-2964092/) ## Related quotes > [So tell me when my sorrows over, you're the reason why I'm closed. Tell me when you hear me falling. There's a possibility it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/so-tell-me-when-my-sorrows-over-you-re-the-reason-why-i-m-closed-tell/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [Can anybody tell what sorrows are locked up with our best affections, or what pain may be associated with every pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/can-anybody-tell-what-sorrows-are-locked-up-with-our-best-affections/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [If you know someone who tries to drown their sorrows, you might tell them sorrows know how to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-know-someone-who-tries-to-drown-their-sorrows-you-might-tell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How odd it is that we so often weep for each other's distresses, when we shed not a tear for our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/how-odd-it-is-that-we-so-often-weep-for-each-other-s-distresses-when/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [When heaven doth weep, doth not the earth o'erflow? If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad, Threatening the welkin with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-heaven-doth-weep-doth-not-the-earth-o-erflow-if-the-winds-rage-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Weep not, sweet queen, for trickling tears are vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/weep-not-sweet-queen-for-trickling-tears-are-vain/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“What’s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba That he should weep for her? What would he do Had he the motive and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-s-hecuba-to-him-or-he-to-hecuba-that-he-should-weep-for-her-what/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Thou has done a deed whereat valour will weep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-has-done-a-deed-whereat-valour-will-weep/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep. But they are creul tears. This sorrow's heavenly; it strikes where it doth love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/so-sweet-was-ne-er-so-fatal-i-must-weep-but-they-are-creul-tears-this/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Weep I cannot; But my heart bleeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/weep-i-cannot-but-my-heart-bleeds/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [His jest shall savour but a shallow wit, when thousands more weep than did laugh it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/his-jest-shall-savour-but-a-shallow-wit-when-thousands-more-weep-than/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When heaven doth weep, doth not the earth o'erflow? If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad, Threatening the welkin with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-heaven-doth-weep-doth-not-the-earth-o-erflow-if-the-winds-rage/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [His jest will savour but of shallow wit, When thousands weep, more than did laugh at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/his-jest-will-savour-but-of-shallow-wit-when-thousands-weep-more-than/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To weep is to make less the depth of grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-weep-is-to-make-less-the-depth-of-grief/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“O shut the door! and when thou hast done so, Come weep with me; past hope, past cure, past help!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-shut-the-door-and-when-thou-hast-done-so-come-weep-with-me-past/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) [Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones; Who, though they cannot answer my distress, Yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes, For that they will not intercept my tale: When I do weep, they humbly at my feet Receive my tears and seem to weep with me; And, were they but attired in grave weeds, Rome could afford no tribune like to these.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stones-who-though-they-cannot/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stones-who-though-they-cannot/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/william-shakespeare-4_answers_therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stone_1111517.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/william-shakespeare-4_answers_therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stone_1111517.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/william-shakespeare-4_answers_therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stone_1111517.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Therefore I tell my sorrows to the stones; Who, though they cannot answer my distress, Yet in some sort they…” — William Shakespeare", "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": "William Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Therefore I tell my sorrows to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stones-who-though-they-cannot/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/therefore-i-tell-my-sorrows-to-the-stones-who-though-they-cannot/#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 } } ] } ```