--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even members of the nobility, let alone…" description: "\"Even members of the nobility, let alone persons of no consequence, would do well not to have children.\" — Yoshida Kenko" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/yoshida-kenk-15122_children_even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-p_1882246.jpg" --- # Even members of the nobility, let alone persons of no… ![“Even members of the nobility, let alone persons of no consequence, would do well not to have children.” quote by Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/yoshida-kenk-15122_children_even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-p_1882246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/yoshida-kenk-15122_children_even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-p_1882246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/yoshida-kenk-15122_children_even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-p_1882246.jpg) > “Even members of the nobility, let alone persons of no consequence, would do well not to have children.” [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the elite and common folk should consider childlessness to avoid burdens. **In simple terms:** Childlessness can be wise. Key Takeaway Weigh personal freedom against societal expectations. Themes family responsibility individualism Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical social When to use this quote - career focus - financial planning - overpopulation concerns Key Concepts philosophy population ethics Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your family decisions? - How does childlessness affect community? A Different Perspective Societal pressure may conflict with personal choice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Nobility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobility/) ## Related quotes > [Awake, awake, English nobility! Let not sloth dim your horrors new-begot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/awake-awake-english-nobility-let-not-sloth-dim-your-horrors-new-begot/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Military deployments have never been something to enjoy, but the consequence of the actions, the shared nature of the sacrifices, and the nobility of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hegseth/military-deployments-have-never-been-something-to-enjoy-but-the/) [Pete Hegseth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hegseth/) > [“Earth’s nobility are soon forgotten. John Bunyan, the Bedford tinker, has outlived the whole crowd of those who were the nobility in his day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/earth-s-nobility-are-soon-forgotten-john-bunyan-the-bedford-tinker/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [Love to learn every noble soul without hesitation, without expectation and without discrimination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kaushik/love-to-learn-every-noble-soul-without-hesitation-without-expectation/) [Chanda Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kaushik/) > [“I believe that love is better than hate. And that there is more nobility in building a chicken coop than in destroying a cathedral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-that-love-is-better-than-hate-and-that-there-is-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We need above all to learn again to believe in the possibility of nobility of spirit in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/we-need-above-all-to-learn-again-to-believe-in-the-possibility-of/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-proud-spirit-of-the-original-owners-of-these-vast-prairies/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/you-can-easily-judge-the-character-of-a-man-by-how-he-treats-those/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“The nobility above all could not understand how it could possibly regenerate itself in assemblies where no provision had been made for a supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-siey-s/the-nobility-above-all-could-not-understand-how-it-could-possibly/) Emmanuel Sieyés > [“Laws should act as the lower limits of acceptable behavior, not as a guide to noble action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hammond/laws-should-act-as-the-lower-limits-of-acceptable-behavior-not-as-a/) [George Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hammond/) > [The only way to live in the midst of inharmonious influences is to strengthen the will power and endure all things, yet keeping fineness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/the-only-way-to-live-in-the-midst-of-inharmonious-influences-is-to/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [“Nobility is often no more than the inner aspect which our egotistical feelings assume when we have not yet named and classified them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/nobility-is-often-no-more-than-the-inner-aspect-which-our-egotistical/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Every man has his price. This is not true. But for every man there exists a bait which he cannot resist swallowing. To win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-man-has-his-price-this-is-not-true-but-for-every-man-there/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The army is the true nobility of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-army-is-the-true-nobility-of-our-country/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Fransisco, you're some kind of very high nobility, aren't you?" He answered, "Not yet. The reason my family has lasted for such a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/fransisco-you-re-some-kind-of-very-high-nobility-aren-t-you-he/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Yoshida Kenko > [It is a most wonderful comfort to sit alone beneath a lamp, book spread before you, and commune with someone from the past whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/it-is-a-most-wonderful-comfort-to-sit-alone-beneath-a-lamp-book/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [One should write not unskillfully in the running hand, be able to sing in a pleasing voice and keep good time to music; and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/one-should-write-not-unskillfully-in-the-running-hand-be-able-to-sing/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [The true criminal must be defined as a man who commits a crime though he is as decently fed and clothed as others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/the-true-criminal-must-be-defined-as-a-man-who-commits-a-crime-though/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“In everything, no matter what it may be, uniformity is undesirable. Leaving something incomplete makes it interesting, and gives one the feeling that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/in-everything-no-matter-what-it-may-be-uniformity-is-undesirable/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [There is nothing finer than to be alone with nothing to distract you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/there-is-nothing-finer-than-to-be-alone-with-nothing-to-distract-you/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“It is a great error to be superior to others…It is such pride as this that makes a man appear a fool, makes him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/it-is-a-great-error-to-be-superior-to-others-it-is-such-pride-as-this/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“The pleasantest of all diversions is to sit alone under a lamp, a book spread out before you, and to make friends with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/the-pleasantest-of-all-diversions-is-to-sit-alone-under-a-lamp-a-book/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [In everything, no matter what it may be, uniformity is undesirable. Leaving something incomplete makes it interesting, and gives one the feeling that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/in-everything-no-matter-what-it-may-be-uniformity-is-undesirable-2/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“If you must take care that your opinions do not differ in the least from those of the person with whom you are talking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/if-you-must-take-care-that-your-opinions-do-not-differ-in-the-least/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“Jos kaiken aikaa täytyy varoa olemasta eri mieltä keskustelukumppaninsa kanssa, tuntuu kuin loppujen lopuksi olisi aivan yksin. But such a man there cannot be;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/jos-kaiken-aikaa-t-ytyy-varoa-olemasta-eri-mielt/) [Yoshida Kenkō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“It is a fine thing when a man who thoroughly understands a subject is unwilling to open his mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/it-is-a-fine-thing-when-a-man-who-thoroughly-understands-a-subject-is/) [Yoshida Kenkō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“Well! Being born into this world there are, I suppose, many aims which we may strive to attain. The Imperial Throne of the Mikado…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/well-being-born-into-this-world-there-are-i-suppose-many-aims-which/) [Yoshida Kenkō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [“As a rule the tales which get abroad in the world are false. . . . People always exaggerate things. More so, when months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/as-a-rule-the-tales-which-get-abroad-in-the-world-are-false-people/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [What a strange, demented feeling it gives me when I realize I have spent whole days before this ink stone, with nothing better to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/what-a-strange-demented-feeling-it-gives-me-when-i-realize-i-have/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [On a moonlit night, after a snowfall, or under cherry blossoms, it adds to our pleasure if, while chatting at our ease, we bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/on-a-moonlit-night-after-a-snowfall-or-under-cherry-blossoms-it-adds/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) [Explore all 31 Yoshida Kenko quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even members of the nobility, let alone persons of no consequence, would do well not to have children.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yoshida Kenko" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-persons-of-no-consequence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-persons-of-no-consequence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/yoshida-kenk-15122_children_even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-p_1882246.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/yoshida-kenk-15122_children_even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-p_1882246.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/yoshida-kenk-15122_children_even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-p_1882246.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even members of the nobility, let alone persons of no consequence, would do well not to have children.” — Yoshida Kenko", "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": "Yoshida Kenko", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even members of the nobility, let...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-persons-of-no-consequence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/even-members-of-the-nobility-let-alone-persons-of-no-consequence/#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 } } ] } ```