He cometido el peor de los pecados que un hombre puede cometer… — Jorge Luis Borges | Printable Wall Art

“He cometido el peor de los pecados que un hombre puede cometer. No he sido feliz.”
“I have committed the worst sin a man can commit. I have not been happy.”

Words by Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) — Writer and poet.

About this quote

This quote reframes unhappiness as a moral failure rather than mere bad luck. Borges suggests that life is a gift, and failing to experience joy or pursue fulfilment is the ultimate misuse of existence. It is a sobering reflection on personal responsibility, urging us to view happiness as an essential duty owed to ourselves rather than an accidental state of mind.

This line opens the poem El remordimiento (Remorse), published in 1976. Borges wrote it shortly after his mother died, reflecting on his quiet literary life and expressing sorrow for having failed to embrace simple human joy.

People often hang this print in a bedroom or study as a daily reminder to choose joy.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.