Quotes from Hermann Hesse

Knowledge can be communicated but not wisdom.

Love must not entreat,' she added, 'or demand. Love must have the strength to become certain within itself. Then it ceases merely to be attracted and begins to attract.

Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.

Without words, without writing and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity.

The truth is lived, not taught.

Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, be fortified by it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.

It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to love the world, not to despise it, not for us to hate each other, but to be able to regard the world and ourselves and all beings with love, admiration and respect.

As a body everyone is single, as a soul never.

Solitude is independence. It had been my wish and with the years I had attained it. It was cold. Oh, cold enough! But it was also still, wonderfully still and vast like the cold stillness of space in which the stars revolve.

Those who are too lazy and comfortable to think for themselves and be their own judges obey the laws. Others sense their own laws within them.

What constitutes a real, live human being is more of a mystery than ever these days, and men each one of whom is a valuable, unique experiment on the part of nature are shot down wholesale.

It is not our purpose to become each other it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is.

Words do not express thoughts very well. They always become a little different immediately after they are expressed, a little distorted, a little foolish.

People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest.

There is no reality except the one contained within us. That is why so many people live such an unreal life. They take the images outside of them for reality and never allow the world within to assert itself.

At the first kiss I felt Something melt inside me That hurt in an exquisite way All my longings, all my dreams and sweet anguish, All the secrets that slept deep within me came awake, Everything was transformed and enchanted And made sense.

That is where my dearest and brightest dreams have ranged — to hear for the duration of a heartbeat the universe and the totality of life in its mysterious, innate harmony.

To study history means submitting to chaos and nevertheless retaining faith in order and meaning.

Bob is just my name, Bobby is my job.

Eternity is a mere moment, just long enough for a joke.

Every age, every culture, every custom and tradition has its own character, its own weakness and its own strength, its beauties and cruelties; it accepts certain sufferings as matters of course, puts up patiently with certain evils. Human life is reduced to real suffering, to hell, only when two ages, two cultures and religions overlap.

Every man is more than just himself he also represents the unique, the very special and always significant and remarkable point at which the world's phenomena intersect, only once in this way and never again.

Happiness is a how, not a what: a talent, not an object

Love is stronger than violence.