I have known sorrow--therefore I
May laugh with you, O friend, more merrily
Than those who never read more

I have known sorrow--therefore I
May laugh with you, O friend, more merrily
Than those who never sorrowed upon earth
And know not laughter's worth.
I have known laughter--therefore I
May sorrow with you far more tenderly
Than those who never guess how sad a thing
Seems merriment to one heart's suffering.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of
the fool: this also is read more

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of
the fool: this also is vanity.

And unextinguish'd laughter shakes the skies.

And unextinguish'd laughter shakes the skies.

That laughter costs too much which is purchased by the sacrifice of decency.

That laughter costs too much which is purchased by the sacrifice of decency.

Laugh, and be fat, sir, your penance is known.
They that love mirth, let them heartily drink,
read more

Laugh, and be fat, sir, your penance is known.
They that love mirth, let them heartily drink,
'Tis the only receipt to make sorrow sink.

How much lies in Laughter: the cipher-key, wherewith we decipher
the whole man.

How much lies in Laughter: the cipher-key, wherewith we decipher
the whole man.

If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you're old.

If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you're old.

One horse-laugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms. It is not only more effective; it is also vastly more intelligent.

One horse-laugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms. It is not only more effective; it is also vastly more intelligent.

Unless a man or woman has experienced the darkness of the soul he or she can know nothing of that read more

Unless a man or woman has experienced the darkness of the soul he or she can know nothing of that transforming laughter without which no hint of the ultimate reality of the opposites can be faintly intuited.