proverb · Words worth keeping
A sorrow shared is but half a trouble, / But a joy that's shared is a joy made double.
A sorrow shared is but half a trouble, / But a joy that's shared is a joy made double.
In print by 1893 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Sharing sorrow can make it feel less solitary, while sharing joy can add another person’s pleasure to it. The balanced contrast values companionship without promising a fixed reduction in grief or increase in happiness.
What the words are saying
The two lines give opposite arithmetic to sorrow and joy: one is halved and the other doubled when shared. These quantities are expressive images, not measurements. A willing listener can accompany someone through difficulty, and a person who welcomes good news can add their own delight to a celebration. Sharing works through the quality of the relationship rather than the mere act of disclosure. Some feelings are private, some listeners are unsuitable, and support does not remove every problem. The proverb is best read as an invitation to receptive companionship, leaving the person concerned free to choose whether and how to speak.
Everyday example
A friend listens to a disappointment and later joins in celebrating a small achievement.
When to use it
Use it to recognise supportive companionship in difficult and happy moments.
What it does not mean
Nobody owes disclosure, and shared sorrow is not guaranteed to diminish.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional proverb
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1893 AD · industrial
In print by 1893: recorded in Dictionary of Quotations (1893). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- Dictionary of Quotations (1893) (1893 AD)
Printed citation: Pr. · page_020
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.