Chapter XXXVII
PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY. It is a terrible thing to be happy! How satisfied people are! How sufficient they find it! How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
Les Misérables, V. 5/5: Jean Valjean
Chapter XXXVII
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
PITY
THE
UNHAPPY,
BUT
BE
INDULGENT
TO
THE
HAPPY.
It
is
a
terrible
thing
to
be
happy!
How
satisfied
people
are!
How
sufficient
they
find
it!
How,
when
possessed
of
the
false
object
of
life,
happiness,
they
forget
the
true
one,
duty!
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
PITY
THE
UNHAPPY,
BUT
BE
INDULGENT
TO
THE
HAPPY.
Line 2
It
is
a
terrible
thing
to
be
happy!
Line 3
How
satisfied
people
are!
Line 4
How
sufficient
they
find
it!
Line 5
How,
when
possessed
of
the
false
object
of
life,
happiness,
they
forget
the
true
one,
duty!
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Duty
noun
US /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading “How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!”
Life
noun
US /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!”
One
pronoun
US /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!”
Terrible
noun
US /ˈterrible/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “It is a terrible thing to be happy!”
Thing
noun
US /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “It is a terrible thing to be happy!”
All words in this reading · 31
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is a terrible thing to be happy!
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading How satisfied people are!
BEauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
BUTconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
false
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How sufficient they find it!
forget
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
happiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
HAPPY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How satisfied people are!
INDULGENT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is a terrible thing to be happy!
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is a terrible thing to be happy!
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
object
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How satisfied people are!
PITY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
possessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
satisfied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How satisfied people are!
sufficient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How sufficient they find it!
terriblenounUS /ˈterrible/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It is a terrible thing to be happy!
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading How sufficient they find it!
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is a terrible thing to be happy!
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!
UNHAPPY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PITY THE UNHAPPY, BUT BE INDULGENT TO THE HAPPY.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading How, when possessed of the false object of life, happiness, they forget the true one, duty!