I have known no man of genius who had not to pay, in some affliction or defect either physical or spiritual, for what the gods had given him

I know of no man of genius who had not to pay, in some affliction or defect either physical or spiritual, for what the gods had given him.

To say that a man is vain means merely that he is pleased with the effect he produces on other people.

I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

No one could be more happy than a man who has never known affliction

And when affliction touches a man, he calls on Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction from him, he passes on as though he had never called on Us on account of an affliction that touched him; thus that which they do is made fair-seeming to the extravagant.