Make not a toil of your pleasure.

Meaning: Pursuing enjoyment through rigid discipline defeats its purpose; leisure requires spontaneity and freedom from obligation.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Wisdom

• Don't stop the plough to catch a mouse. — Abandoning important long-term work for trivial immediate concerns wastes effort and dela…
• Do not live poor to die rich. — Prioritize present wellbeing over deferred gratification; excessive frugality throughout…
• He that would be Pope must think of nothing else. — Single-minded devotion to ambition demands sacrificing all other concerns and distraction…
• A little pot is soon hot. — Small things heat quickly, so modest people reach their limit of patience or emotion fast…
• Poverty is the mother of health. — Lack of resources forces people to walk more, eat simply, and avoid excess indulgence.
• True praise takes root and spreads. — Genuine compliments, like seeds, gain momentum and influence others' perceptions through…

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…