The first forty years are the text. The next thirty, the commentary.

What it means

Later life, Schopenhauer says, explains the meaning of earlier life. You only see the shape of your story after living a lot of it. Be patient with your own text.

The source

"The first forty years are the text. The next thirty, the commentary." Schopenhauer said it in Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 6. Translated from the original German by Spartan Surfers.

"die ersten vierzig Jahre unsers Lebens liefern den Text, die folgenden dreißig den Kommentar dazu"

Original German, Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 6. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Schopenhauer (1788–1860). German philosopher of the will and the great pessimist, who still wrote a practical guide to living as well as one can.

Questions

What does "The first forty years are the text. The next thirty, the commentary." mean?

Later life, Schopenhauer says, explains the meaning of earlier life. You only see the shape of your story after living a lot of it. Be patient with your own text.

Who said "The first forty years are the text. The next thirty, the commentary."?

Schopenhauer (1788–1860). Source: Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 6.

What is the original German?

die ersten vierzig Jahre unsers Lebens liefern den Text, die folgenden dreißig den Kommentar dazu. Translated from the original German by Spartan Surfers.

Is "The first forty years are the text. The next thirty, the commentary." on a shirt?

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

"The first forty years are the text. The next thirty, the commentary." (Schopenhauer, Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 6, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/the-first-forty-years-are-the-text-the