Abraham Lincoln
October 19, 1860 · Illinois, USA · To an eleven-year-old who had written that he would win more votes if he grew a beard
As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affectation if I were to begin it now?
Letter to Grace Bedell
More from Abraham Lincoln · #humor
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U Tak 禹倬
early 14th century (recorded in a songbook of 1876) · Goryeo Korea
A stick in one hand, a thorn branch in the other, I meant to block the road of age with thorns and beat off white hair with the stick. But white hair knew it first, and came by the short cut.
한 손에 막ᄃᆡ를 들고 ᄯᅩ 한 손에 ᄀᆞ싀를 쥐여
늙는 길 ᄀᆞ싀로 막고 오는 白髮을 ᄆᆡ로 티렷터니
白髮이 제 몬져 알고 즈럼ᄭᅴᆯ로 오도다"Song of Lamenting Old Age," in Gagok wollyu (1876)
Abu al-Atahiya أبو العتاهية
early 9th century · Abbasid Baghdad
If only youth would come back for a single day, I would tell it what grey hair has done to me.
فيا ليت الشباب يعود يوما ،
فأخبره بما فعل المشيبDivan of Abu al-Atahiya
Yi Gyubo 李奎報
early 13th century · Goryeo Korea
I had not faced a mirror in so long that I could not remember whose face mine was. Happening to look into a well just now, I thought: he seems someone I once knew slightly.
不對靑銅久 吾顏莫記誰
偶來方炤井 似昔稍相知Dongguk Yi Sangguk jip, "Looking into a Well, Written in Jest"
Jeong Yakyong 丁若鏞
1832 · Joseon Korea
Now that my hair is entirely gone, what can all those troubles cling to? No more labour of combing and washing, and I am spared the shame of going grey.
今髮旣全無 衆瘼將焉倚
旣無櫛沐勞 亦免衰白恥Yeoyudang jeonseo, "An Old Man's Pleasures," first poem
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