No Pains, No Gains

If little labour, little are our gains;
Man's fortunes are according to his pains.

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick was a 17th-century English lyric poet and cleric. He is known for his book of poems, "Hesperides," which includes the carpe diem poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time." His works are noted for their clarity, simplicity, and musical quality. Herrick was also a vicar of Dean Prior in Devon, despite being ejected during the English Civil War and later reinstated.

Robert Herrick

War.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

On Himself

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

To Sycamores.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

An Ode To Master Endymion Porter, Upon His Brother's Death

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

Pains Without Profit.

A long life's-day I've taken pains
For very little, or no gains;
The evening's come, here now I'll stop,
And work no more, but shut up shop.

Robert Herrick

Pain Ends In Pleasure.

Afflictions bring us joy in times to come,
When sins, by stripes, to us grow wearisome.

Robert Herrick

Persecutions Profitable.

Afflictions they most profitable are
To the beholder and the sufferer:
Bettering them both, but by a double strain,
The first by patience, and the last by pain.

Robert Herrick

Pain And Pleasure.

God suffers not His saints and servants dear
To have continual pain or pleasure here;
But look how night succeeds the day, so He
Gives them by turns their grief and jollity.

Robert Herrick

Adversity.

Love is maintain'd by wealth; when all is spent,
Adversity then breeds the discontent.

Robert Herrick

God's Blessing.

In vain our labours are whatsoe'er they be,
Unless God gives the benedicite.

Robert Herrick