--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'Twas merry when You wagered on your…" description: "\"'Twas merry when You wagered on your angling, when your diver Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-shakespeare-4_angling_twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angl_2598430.jpg" --- # 'Twas merry when You wagered on your angling, when your… ![“'Twas merry when You wagered on your angling, when your diver Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-shakespeare-4_angling_twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angl_2598430.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-shakespeare-4_angling_twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angl_2598430.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-shakespeare-4_angling_twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angl_2598430.jpg) > “'Twas merry when You wagered on your angling, when your diver Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up.” [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. Joy in simple pursuits fades when superficial concerns dominate. **In simple terms:** Simple joys wear out under pretenses. Key Takeaway Focus on genuine pleasures. Themes joy materialism distraction Mood lighthearted critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily life - consumer culture - relationships Key Concepts literature social critique Questions to Reflect On - What truly brings happiness? - How to balance fun and duty? A Different Perspective Superficial concerns can be unavoidable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angling/) [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Fishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishing/) [Lakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lakes/) [Merry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merry/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) ## Related quotes > [The sport and game of angling is the true means and cause that brings a man into a merry spirit, which makes a flowering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-berners/the-sport-and-game-of-angling-is-the-true-means-and-cause-that-brings/) Juliana Berners > [The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish Cut with her golden oars the silver stream And greedily devour the treacherous bait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-pleasant-st-angling-is-to-see-the-fish-cut-with-her-golden-oars/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Heaven give you many, many merry days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/heaven-give-you-many-many-merry-days/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A merry heart goes all the way, - A sad one tires inan hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-merry-heart-goes-all-the-way-a-sad-one-tires-inan-hour/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Fortune is merry, And in this mood will give us anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/fortune-is-merry-and-in-this-mood-will-give-us-anything/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure; let us be jocund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-mak-st-me-merry-i-am-full-of-pleasure-let-us-be-jocund/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Lack nothing: be merry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/lack-nothing-be-merry/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I am that merry wanderer of the night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-am-that-merry-wanderer-of-the-night/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“When icicles hang by the wall, And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, And Tom bears logs into the hall, And milk comes frozen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-icicles-hang-by-the-wall-and-dick-the-shepherd-blows-his-nail/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [And to be merry best becomes you; for, out of question, you were born in a merry hour. BEATRICE No, sure, my lord, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/and-to-be-merry-best-becomes-you-for-out-of-question-you-were-born-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Twas never merry world Since lowly feigning was called compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/twas-never-merry-world-since-lowly-feigning-was-called-compliment/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [As merry as the day is long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/as-merry-as-the-day-is-long/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [What should a man do but be merry? For look you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within's two hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-should-a-man-do-but-be-merry-for-look-you-how-cheerfully-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Be merry; you have cause, so have we all, of joy; for our escape is much beyond our loss . . . . then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/be-merry-you-have-cause-so-have-we-all-of-joy-for-our-escape-is-much/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts To courtship and such fair ostents of love As shall conveniently become you there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/be-merry-and-employ-your-chiefest-thoughts-to-courtship-and-such-fair/) [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 Angling quotes > [Good things come to those who hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/good-things-come-to-those-who-hustle/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [Angling may be said to be so like the Mathematics that it can never be fully learnt; at least not so fully but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/angling-may-be-said-to-be-so-like-the-mathematics-that-it-can-never/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Only those become weary of angling who bring nothing to it but the idea of catching fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-sabatini/only-those-become-weary-of-angling-who-bring-nothing-to-it-but-the/) [Rafael Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-sabatini/) > [In every species of fish I've angled for, it is the ones that have got away that thrill me the most, the ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bergman/in-every-species-of-fish-i-ve-angled-for-it-is-the-ones-that-have-got/) [Ray Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bergman/) > [“Smile, tip your traditional hat, and enjoy your time by the water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fennel-hudson/smile-tip-your-traditional-hat-and-enjoy-your-time-by-the-water/) [Fennel Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fennel-hudson/) > [I simply feel that the frontier of angling is no longer either ethical or geographical. The Bible tells us to watch and listen. Something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mcguane/i-simply-feel-that-the-frontier-of-angling-is-no-longer-either/) [Thomas McGuane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mcguane/) > [O, sir, doubt not that Angling is an art; is it not an art to deceive a trout with an artificial fly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/o-sir-doubt-not-that-angling-is-an-art-is-it-not-an-art-to-deceive-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“Angling is a recreation. It’s supposed to be fun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fennel-hudson/angling-is-a-recreation-it-s-supposed-to-be-fun/) [Fennel Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fennel-hudson/) > [“There’s always an opportunity to fish for something – even if it’s just for laughs or ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fennel-hudson/there-s-always-an-opportunity-to-fish-for-something-even-if-it-s-just/) [Fennel Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fennel-hudson/) > [“At all times and in all places, in season and out of season, time is now and England, place is now and England; past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-w-wemyss/at-all-times-and-in-all-places-in-season-and-out-of-season-time-is/) [G.M.W. Wemyss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-m-w-wemyss/) > [All Americans believe that they are born fishermen. For a man to admit a distaste for fishing would be like denouncing mother-love or hating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/all-americans-believe-that-they-are-born-fishermen-for-a-man-to-admit/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I think I fish, in part, because it's an anti-social, bohemian business that, when gone about properly, puts you forever outside the mainstream culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gierach/i-think-i-fish-in-part-because-it-s-an-anti-social-bohemian-business/) [John Gierach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gierach/) > [“Catching fish is secondary to the immeasurable joys of the watery world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fennel-hudson/catching-fish-is-secondary-to-the-immeasurable-joys-of-the-watery/) [Fennel Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fennel-hudson/) > [If you've got short, stubby fingers and wear reading glasses, any relaxation you would normally derive from fly fishing is completely eliminated when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ohman/if-you-ve-got-short-stubby-fingers-and-wear-reading-glasses-any/) Jack Ohman > [Good things come to those who initiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-roane/good-things-come-to-those-who-initiate/) [Susan RoAne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-roane/) [Browse all 91 Angling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'Twas merry when You wagered on your angling, when your diver Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angling-when-your-diver-did-hang/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angling-when-your-diver-did-hang/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-shakespeare-4_angling_twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angl_2598430.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-shakespeare-4_angling_twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angl_2598430.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-shakespeare-4_angling_twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angl_2598430.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'Twas merry when You wagered on your angling, when your diver Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he…” — 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": "'Twas merry when You wagered on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angling-when-your-diver-did-hang/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/twas-merry-when-you-wagered-on-your-angling-when-your-diver-did-hang/#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 } } ] } ```