Dying is nothing. Not living is terrible.
Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, Part 5 (Jean Valjean), Book 9, ch. 5
Ce n'est rien de mourir; c'est affreux de ne pas vivre.
Dying is nothing. Not living is terrible.
Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, Part 5 (Jean Valjean), Book 9, ch. 5
What it means
Jean Valjean says this on his deathbed. Death itself is not the tragedy; an unlived life is. Live fully while you can.
The source
"Dying is nothing. Not living is terrible." Victor Hugo said it in Les Misérables, Part 5 (Jean Valjean), Book 9, ch. 5. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.
"Ce n'est rien de mourir; c'est affreux de ne pas vivre."Original French, Les Misérables, Part 5 (Jean Valjean), Book 9, ch. 5. Text read at gutenberg.org.
Who said it
Victor Hugo (1802–1885). French poet and novelist who wrote Les Misérables (1862), much of it in exile on the island of Guernsey.
Questions
- What does "Dying is nothing. Not living is terrible." mean?
- Jean Valjean says this on his deathbed. Death itself is not the tragedy; an unlived life is. Live fully while you can.
- Who said "Dying is nothing. Not living is terrible."?
- Victor Hugo (1802–1885). Source: Les Misérables, Part 5 (Jean Valjean), Book 9, ch. 5.
- What is the original French?
- Ce n'est rien de mourir; c'est affreux de ne pas vivre. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.
- Is "Dying is nothing. Not living is terrible." on a shirt?
- Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.
Cite this line
"Dying is nothing. Not living is terrible." (Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, Part 5 (Jean Valjean), Book 9, ch. 5, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/dying-is-nothing-not-living-is-terrible
Filed under Quotes about time.
Wear it your way
The same line in every look it fits. Each one is printed to order on heavy cotton, same price.
More from Victor Hugo
- Grander than the sea is the sky. Grander than the sky, the soul.Les Misérables, Part 1 (Fantine), Book 7, ch. 3
- Poverty and loneliness are battlefields. Their unknown heroes are sometimes the greatest.Les Misérables, Part 3 (Marius), Book 5, ch. 1
- The supreme happiness of life is knowing you are loved.Les Misérables, Part 1 (Fantine), Book 5, ch. 4
- Whoever does not weep does not see.Les Misérables, Part 5 (Jean Valjean), Book 1, ch. 16
- Laughter is sunshine. It chases winter from the human face.Les Misérables, Part 2 (Cosette), Book 8, ch. 9
- Teach those who do not know as much as you can.Les Misérables, Part 1 (Fantine), Book 1, ch. 4