Live so that when you die even the undertaker will be sorry.

Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), ch. 6, Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

What it means

The joke has a serious core: live so well that even the man who profits from your death will miss you. Kindness and good humor leave a mark. Aim for that.

The source

"Live so that when you die even the undertaker will be sorry." Mark Twain said it in Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), ch. 6, Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar. Written in English: Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894.

"Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."

Original English (Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894), Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), ch. 6, Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Mark Twain (1835–1910). American humorist and novelist. His sharpest one-liners appear as Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar in Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894) and Following the Equator (1897).

Questions

What does "Live so that when you die even the undertaker will be sorry." mean?: The joke has a serious core: live so well that even the man who profits from your death will miss you. Kindness and good humor leave a mark. Aim for that.
Who said "Live so that when you die even the undertaker will be sorry."?: Mark Twain (1835–1910). Source: Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), ch. 6, Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar.
What is the original wording?: Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry (Original English (Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894)). Written in English: Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894.
Is "Live so that when you die even the undertaker will be sorry." 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

"Live so that when you die even the undertaker will be sorry." (Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), ch. 6, Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar, trans. Original English (Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894)). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/live-so-that-when-you-die-even-the