A contented mind is a continual feast.
Meaning: Satisfaction with what you have provides lasting emotional nourishment superior to physical abundance.
Origin: A variation on Proverbs 15:15. Miles Coverdale's Bible of 1535 renders it "a quiet heart is as a continual feast," and the King James Version "he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast." The contented-mind wording, which makes it a lesson in wanting less, is found in print from the 19th century.
More proverbs about Wisdom
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- The greatest wealth is contentment with a little. — Modest sufficiency brings more peace than endless pursuit of accumulation.
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- In wiving and thriving men should take counsel of all the world. — Marriage and business success require diverse perspectives, not solitary decision-making.
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- Far from court, far from care. — Distance from power's intrigues shields one from their anxieties and dangers.