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No man is an island

Meaning: Humans need connection with others.

Origin: John Donne's Meditation XVII from Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1624).

Translations

  • French: Nul homme n'est une île (literally: No man is an island)
  • Spanish: Ningún hombre es una isla (literally: No man is an island)
  • Japanese: 人は一人では生きられない (Hito wa hitori de wa ikirarenai) (literally: A person cannot live alone)

More proverbs about Human Nature

  • Beggars on horseback — Those given power abuse it worst.
  • Familiarity breeds contempt — Being too close to something can reduce appreciation for it.
  • Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are — The company you keep reflects and shapes your own character.
  • One kind word can warm three winter months — A single act of kindness has an impact far greater and longer-lasting than the moment it…
  • Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches — Only the person experiencing a difficulty truly understands its depth.
  • Even the sun has its spots — Nothing and nobody is perfect; even the greatest things have their flaws.

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