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vale of tears

A symbolic "valley of tears"; meaning the world and the sorrows felt through life. Similar to the Old Testament Psalm 23's reference to the "valley of the shadow of death", the phrase implies that sadness is part of the physical world (i.e. part of human experience).

Etymology:

  • Loan translation of Latin lacrimārum vallis, from the Salve Regina, where it refers to the world as a whole. The expression is based on Hebrew עמק הבכא, mentioned in Psalm 84:7, originally probably “sear valley”, but interpreted as “valley of weeping”. Vale is a Middle English word meaning a valley or dale.
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Submitted on July 07, 2010

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valle de las lágrimas

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