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Beautiful Sympathy Verses for Expressing Condolences

Sympathy verses are a heartfelt way to express your condolences. You don't have to find the words; they are all in the poem. Below you'll find excellent examples of sympathy poems that can be adapted to make them your own. Instead of "she" or "he" you can mention the deceased's name in the poem to make it more personal. You can also use the poem as it is.

Sympathy Verse Examples

Life is a book in volumes three-
The past, the present, and the yet-to-be.
The past is written and laid away,
The present we're writing every day,
And the last and best of volumes three
Is locked from sight - God keeps the key.
Author Unknown

Say not, in grief, that she has gone,
But give thanks that she was yours

Your life was full of loving deeds,
Forever thoughtful of our special needs,
Today and tomorrow, my whole life through,
I will always love and cherish you
Author Unknown

Gone yet not forgotten,
Although we are apart,
Your spirit lives within me,
Forever in my heart.
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Author Unknown

You left us so suddenly, your thoughts unknown,
You left us memories, we are proud to own
Author Unknown

Remember that your loss is shared by many friends who care
and that you're in our thoughts and hearts and in our every prayer
May you find the courage to face tomorrow in the love that surrounds you today.

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
You'd no doubt walk up to heaven
And bring him home again.
Author Unknown

He left before you,
A place to prepare,
In the shelter,
Of our Lord's care,
May this bring comfort,
In the sorrow you bear
Author Unknown

In God's care you rest above,
In our hearts you rest with love.
Memories of you are ours to keep,
Our words are few but our love is deep.
Author Unknown

A gift for such a little while,
Your loss just seems so wrong,
You should not have left before us,
It's with loved ones you belong.
Author Unknown

Your life was full of loving deeds,
Forever thoughtful of our special needs,
Today and tomorrow, my whole life through,
I will always love and cherish you
Author Unknown

May you find strength
In the love of family
And in the warm embrace
Of friends.
Author Unknown

At this time of sorrow,
May these truths sustain you ...
Your loved one will always
Be as close as a memory,
And the God of all comfort
Will always be as
Close as a prayer.
Author Unknown

The sorrow of the faithful
Is not that of permanent loss,
But the tender sense of sadness
That comes in saying good-bye for now
To someone we love.
May today's sorrow give way
To the peace and
Comfort of God's love.
Author Unknown

May knowing you're
In the hearts and thoughts of others
Help you and yours
Through this time of sorrow.
Author Unknown

Quotes From the Bible to Use as Sympathy Poems

Quotes from the Bible make excellent sympathy poems if the person is religious. Some that are especially beautiful and meaningful at such a time are:

  • Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. - Mathew 5:4
  • The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. – Psalm 9:9
  • Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28
  • You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. - Psalm 18:28
  • Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. - Peter 5:7 
  • Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die. Isaiah 57:1-2
  • The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:18
  • Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.- Galatians 6:2 
  • Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7 
  • Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. - Psalm 119:50

Quotes by Famous People

Quotes by famous people can also be used as sympathy poems. Some are:

  • “Surely God would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality.” Abraham Lincoln
  • “I look upon death to be as necessary to our constitution as sleep. We shall rise refreshed in the morning.” Benjamin Franklin
  • “All that live must die, passing through nature to eternity.” William Shakespeare
  • “When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him, lies on the paths of men.” William Wadsworth Longfellow
  • “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” Marcus Tulius Cicero
  • "He spoke well who said that graves are the footprints of angels." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  • “For the sword outwears its sheath, and the soul wears out the breast. And the heart must pause to breathe, and love itself have rest.” Lord Byron
  • “The grave itself is but a covered bridge, leading from light to light, through a brief darkness.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  • "Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.” - Rabindranath Tagore
  • “While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil.” - John Taylor
  • "Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed remains." - Kahlil Gibran
  • Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.- Rossiter Worthington Raymond
  • "As you comprehend this profound loss, let yourself cry knowing each tear is a note of love rising to the heavens." - Author Unknown

Personal Notes You Can Add to Sympathy Verses

Include one of the following thoughtful notes with your sympathy poems to make them more personal.

  • You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
  • Never forget how much we love you.
  • Please know that I am thinking of you and your loved ones at this time
  • I have a heavy heart as I think of your loss.
  • May you and your family take comfort in the love you have for each other in the days ahead.
  • I pray that God will give you the strength you need during this difficult time.
  • Please accept my deepest sympathies for your loss.
  • My sincerest condolences; May God give you comfort and the strength to cope
  • Our condolences to you at tragic time.
  • Words cannot express my sorrow for your loss.

Common Misspellings to Avoid

Makes sure you avoid these common spelling mistakes if adding a personal note to sympathy poems:

  • Sympaty
  • Simapthy
  • Simpathy
  • Simpathie
  • Condolense
  • Condolesens
  • Condolesense