William Ernest Henley Quotes

A man of pleasure is a man of pains.

Pleasure bought with pain does harm.

Tears are the natural penalties of pleasure. It is a law that we should pay for all that we enjoy.

Pleasure is sweetest when 'tis paid for by another's pain.

It is one of history's greatest ironies that, over the centuries, the pursuit of pleasure has resulted in more pain than enjoyment.

For every pleasure, there must be a sacrifice.

Perhaps all pleasure is only relief.

What happiness is there which is not purchased with more or less of pain?

If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?

No victory is free from sorrow.

Touring is the best invention of all time, so if I have to suffer a little bit of payback for having all this fun, then so be it.

When pain ends, gain ends too.

Pleasure is nothing else but the intermission of pain, the enjoying of something I am in great trouble for till I have it.

Pain may be said to follow pleasure as its shadow.

If there is no enjoyment in this world, there would not be so much suffering. As suffering really is the frustration of our attempts to enjoy.

I see the cure is not worth the pain.

We may think we live for wisdom, but in fact we're living for the the pleasure wisdom brings us.

It would be better if there were nothing. Since there is more pain than pleasure on earth, every satisfaction is only transitory, creating new desires and new distresses, and the agony of the devoured animal is always far greater than the pleasure of the devourer

Perhaps in nearly every joy, as certainly in every pleasure, cruelty has its place.

Desire, said the Buddha, is the cause of suffering. But without desire, what delight?

Perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures.

For every victory there is a price.

all success cloaks a surrender

Hope itself is a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords; but, like all other pleasures immoderately enjoyed, the excesses of hope must be expiated by pain.

Whatever capacities there may be for enjoyment or for suffering in this strange being of ours, and God only knows what they are, they will be drawn out wholly in accordance with character.