Only that day dawns to which we are awake.

What it means

A new day does not arrive just because the clock moves. It arrives when you wake up to it. Thoreau's last lines promise there is more light still to come.

The source

"Only that day dawns to which we are awake." Henry David Thoreau said it in Walden (1854), Conclusion. Written in English: Walden, 1854.

"Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star."

Original English (Walden, 1854), Walden (1854), Conclusion. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862). Lived two years in a cabin he built at Walden Pond and wrote Walden about it. His essay Civil Disobedience argued for refusing to cooperate with injustice.

Questions

What does "Only that day dawns to which we are awake." mean?

A new day does not arrive just because the clock moves. It arrives when you wake up to it. Thoreau's last lines promise there is more light still to come.

Who said "Only that day dawns to which we are awake."?

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862). Source: Walden (1854), Conclusion.

What is the original wording?

Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star (Original English (Walden, 1854)). Written in English: Walden, 1854.

Is "Only that day dawns to which we are awake." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Only that day dawns to which we are awake." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), Conclusion, trans. Original English (Walden, 1854)). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/only-that-day-dawns-to-which-we-are