Adversity Quotes

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.

Horace

Happiness is like a sunbeam, which the least shadow intercepts, while adversity is often as the rain of spring.

Chinese Prove

Fire is the test of gold adversity, of strong men.

Seneca

Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat.

Ryszard Kapuscinski

Adversity has ever been considered the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself.

Samuel Johnson

Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it a man hardly knows whether he is honest or not.

Henry Fielding

Sweet are the uses of adversity, which, like a toad, though ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in its head.

William Shakespeare

Adversity does teach who your real friends are.

Lois McMaster Bujold, A Civil Campaign, 1999

Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with.

Leighton

In adversity remember to keep an even mind.

Horace, Odes

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity.

Socrates

True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.

George Washington

However, never daunted, I will cope with adversity in my traditional manner... sulking and nausea.

Tom K. Ryan

Nothing is harder to direct than a man in prosperity; nothing more easily managed that one is adversity.

Plutarch

Adversity is the first path to truth.

George Gordon Byron

He that can heroically endure adversity will bear prosperity with equal greatness of the soul; for the mind that cannot be dejected by the former is not likely to be transported without the latter.

Henry Fielding

In prosperity prepare for a change; in adversity hope for one.

James Burgh

Certainly virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.

Sir Francis Bacon, Of Adversity

He knows not his own strength that hath not met adversity.

Ben Jonson

Adversity makes men wise but not rich.

John Ray

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow grow, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.

George Washington

Within every adversity is an equal or greater opportunity.

Napoleon Hill

By courage I repel adversity. Adversa Virtute Repello.

Anonymous

Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a greater.

William Hazlitt

The reason why great men meet with so little pity or attachment in adversity, would seem to be this: the friends of a great man were made by his fortune, his enemies by himself, and revenge is a much more punctual paymaster than gratitude.

C. C. Colton

By courage I repel adversity.

Anonymous

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

Anne Bradstreet

Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.

Seneca, Epistles

Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them.

Publilius Syrus

A wretched soul, bruised with adversity, We bid be quiet when we hear it cry; But were we burdened with like weight of pain, As much or more we should ourselves complain.

William Shakespeare

Memory tempers prosperity, mitigates adversity, control youth, and delights old age.

Firmianus Lactantius

Adversity cause some men to break others to break records.

William A. Ward

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.

Albert Schweitze

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.

George Washington

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity.

Socrates

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 1717 Bible

Adversity is the touchstone of friendship.

French Prove

Certainly virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.

Francis Bacon