laugh and the world laughs with you

An alteration of the sentiment expressed by [Horace Ars Poetica 101] ut ridentibus arrident, ita flentibus adsunt humani voltus, men's faces laugh on those who laugh, and correspondingly weep on those who weep; cf. romans xii. 15 (AV) Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone. For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, But has trouble enough of its own.
[1883 E. W. Wilcox in Sun (New York) 25 Feb. 3]

Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and they give you the laugh.
[1907 ‘O. Henry’ Trimmed Lamp 211]

The proverb ‘Weep and you weep alone,’ broke down as badly on application as most of its kind.
[1912 ‘Saki’ Chronicle of Clovis 127]

Laugh, said the little clown, and the world laughs with you. Cry but don't let anyone catch you at it!
[1997 Oldie Aug. 27]

‘Right joker, this Wordman, ain't he? What's it they say? Laugh and the world laughs with you.’
[2001 R. Hill Dialogues of Dead xviii. 153]

Related to: merriment

Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.

Keep your sense of humor and people will sympathize with you, as in She's always cheerful and has dozens of friends; laugh and the world laughs with you. This expression actually is part of an ancient Latin saying that concludes, weep and the world weeps with you. The current version, with the ending weep and you weep alone (meaning "you'll get no sympathy in your sorrow"), first appeared in 1883 in Ella Wilcox's poem "Solitude." O. Henry used a slightly different version: "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and they give you the laugh" ( The Count and the Wedding Guest, 1907).