Quotes from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

It is such an agreeable feeling to be busy with something one is only half-competent to do that nobody should criticize the dilettante for taking up an art he will never learn, or blame the artist who leaves the territory of his own art for the pleasure of trying himself in a neighbouring one.

Todo nos hace falta cuando nos faltamos a nosotros mismos

God knows, I often lie down to sleep with the desire, even sometimes the hope, not to wake up again.

Die meisten verarbeiten den größten Teil der Zeit, um zu leben, und das bißchen, das ihnen von Freiheit übrig bleibt, ängstigt sie so, daß sie alle Mittel aufsuchen, um es loszuwerden...

The Godhead is effective in the living and not in the dead, in the becoming and the changing, not in the become and the set-fast; and therefore, similarly, the reason is concerned only to strive towards the divine through the becoming and the living, and the understanding only to make use of the become and the set-fast.

Often do I strive to allay the burning fever of my blood; and you have never witnessed anything so unsteady, so uncertain, as my heart. But need I confess this to you, my dear friend, who have so often endured the anguish of witnessing my sudden transitions from sorrow to immoderate joy, and from sweet melancholy to violent passions? I treat my poor heart like a sick child, and gratify its every fancy. Do not mention this again: there are people who would censure me for it.

do they know when we are well and happy? do they know when we recall their memories with the fondest love? In the silent hour of evening the shade of my mother hovers around me; when seated in the midst of my children, I see them assembled near me, as they used to assemble near her; and then I raise my anxious eyes to heaven, and wish she could look down upon us, and witness how I fulfil the promise I made to her in her last moments, to be a mother to her children.

Each one's no longer conscious Of the high wall, or the rest: Since the one enduring fortress, Is the soldier's iron breast. If you'd live unconquered, Quickly arm, and fight the real foe: Every wife an Amazon bred, And every child a hero.

So divinely is the world organized that every one of us, in our place and time, is in balance with everything else.

The day dawns smiling, rational and bright, We're tangled in a net of dreams at night. From green fields we come home contentedly, 11770 A bird croaks: meaning what?—catastrophe! Bedeviled by superstitions, we imagine The least thing is a sign, a portent, omen. And so we tremble, feeling lost, alone. The door creaks and we stiffen—there's no one.

Faust: What cheerful light breaks on my gloomy fancies, As in the midnight woods when moonlight floods the skies?

The greatest happiness for the thinking person is to have explored the explorable and to venerate in equanimity that which cannot be explored.

As usual, I shall tell my story badly; and you, as usual, will think me extravagant.

Today I raised your letter hastily to my lips, and it set my teeth on edge.

What's left undone to-day, To-morrow will not do. Waste not a day in vain digression: With resolute, courageous trust Seize every possible impression, And make it firmly your possession; You'll then work on, because you must.

Let many things unfold before their eyes, Let the crowd stare and be amazed, for then You'll win their hearts, and that's to win the prize;

From youth, I have been accustomed to direct the eyes of my spirit inwards rather than outwards; and hence it is very natural, that, to a certain extent, I should be acquainted with man, while of men I have not the smallest knowledge.

This is the highest wisdom that I own; freedom and life are earned by those alone who conquer them each day anew.

Because everyone uses language to talk, everyone thinks they can talk about language.

To have your every wish, desire, Wake, regard the glorious light! What holds you bound is a mild power, Sleep's a shell, break out of it! Up, no lagging, boldly does it; Though the crowd doubts and delays, All's possible to a brave spirit 4830 Who sees, and seeing's quick to seize.

MARGARETE. Yes, out of sight is out of mind. It's second nature with you, gallantry; But you have friends of every kind, Cleverer by far, oh much, than me. FAUST. Dear girl, believe me, what's called cleverness Is mostly shallowness and vanity.

What chance gathers she easily scatters. A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together.

Life is not light, but refracted colour.

To tremble before anticipated evils is to bemoan what thou hast never lost.