
“He not busy being born is busy dying.”
Song lyrics, Bringing It All Back Home (1965), It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
“He not busy being born is busy dying.”
“4537. The Fool is busy in everyone's Business but his own.”
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)
Source: The Stars My Destination (1956), Chapter 1 (p. 19).
“If you're not busy living, you're dying.”
Source: American Assassin
“It always comes down to just two choices. Get busy living, or get busy dying.”
Different Seasons (1982), Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
Variant: Either get busy living or get busy dying
Source: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: A Story from Different Seasons