"May you live in interesting times", often referred to as the Chinese curse, is reputed to be the English translation of an ancient Chinese proverb and curse, although it may have originated among the English themselves. It is reported that it was the first of three curses of increasing severity, the other two being:
- "May you come to the attention of those in authority" (sometimes rendered "May the government be aware of you"). This is sometimes quoted as "May you come to the attention of powerful people." (Alternately, "important people".)
- "May you find what you are looking for." This is sometimes quoted as "May your wishes be granted."
Read more about May You Live In Interesting Times: Origins, Popularization and Usage
Famous quotes containing the words live, interesting and/or times:
“So wise so young, they say, do never live long.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“A coma that is a white, interesting country ...”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)
“I love my mother for all the times she said absolutely nothing. . . . Thinking back on it all, it must have been the most difficult part of mothering she ever had to do: knowing the outcome, yet feeling she had no right to keep me from charting my own path. I thank her for all her virtues, but mostly for never once having said, “I told you so.””
—Erma Bombeck (20th century)