Quotes from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

What dazzles is a Momentary act: What's true is left for posterity, intact.

Wood burns because it has the proper stuff in it; and a man becomes famous because he has the proper stuff in him.

Well-made you are, 'tis not to be denied, The rest a bold address will win you; If you but in yourself confide, At once confide all others in you.

Recibimos con docilidad toda primera impresión, porque el hombre está hecho de tal modo, que llega a persuadirse de que son verdad las cosas más absurdas, pero desde luego se graban en él tan profundamente, que infeliz del que pretenda destruirlas o borrarlas.

When he is by, I could not pray to Heaven.

Ich lebe so glückliche Tage, wie sie Gott seinen Heiligen aufspart; und mit mir mag werden was will, so darf ich nicht sagen, daß ich die Freuden, die reinsten Freuden des Lebens nicht genossen habe.

It used to happen, and still happens, to me to take no pleasure in a work of art at the first sight of it, because it is too much for me; but if I suspect any merit in it, I try to get at it; and then I never fail to make the most gratifying discoveries,to find new qualities in the work itself and new faculties in myself.

Los hombres, como los niños, caminando a tientas sobre la tierra, ignorando de dónde vienen y adónde van, son poco menos que autómatas y, exactamente como los niños, se dejan gobernar con juguetes, confites y azotes.

Sind Götter! Wundersam eigen, Die sich immerfort selbst erzeugen, Und niemals wissen was sie sind.

You need just what you do not know, and what you really know is worthless.

Wenn du fragst, wie die Leute hier sind, muß ich dir sagen: wie überall! Es ist ein einförmiges Ding um das Menschengeschlecht. 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 los zu werden. O Bestimmung des Menschen!

Human nature," I continued, "has its limits. It is able to endure a certain degree of joy, sorrow, and pain, but becomes annihilated as soon as this measure is exceeded. The question, therefore, is, not whether a man is strong or weak, but whether he is able to endure the measure of his sufferings. The suffering may be moral or physical; and in my opinion it is just as absurd to call a man a coward who destroys himself, as to call a man a coward who dies of a malignant fever.

Faust: Nun gut wer bist du denn? Mephistopheles: Ein Theil von jener Kraft, Die stets das Böse will und stets das Gute schafft.

The modest truth I speak to thee. If Man, that microcosmic fool, can see Himself a whole so frequently, Part of the Part am I, once All, in primal Night,— Part of the Darkness which brought forth the Light, The haughty Light, which now disputes the space, And claims of Mother Night her ancient place.

Schämt euch, ihr Nüchternen! Schämt euch, ihr Weisen!

e così, chi sei infine? Io sono una parte di quella forza che eternamente vuole il male e eternamente compie il bene.

It is a great folly to hope that other men will harmonize with us; I have never hoped this. I have always regarded each man as an independent individual, whom I endeavored to understand with all his peculiarities, but from whom I desired no further sympathy. In this way have I been enabled to converse with every man, and thus alone is produced the knowledge of various characters and the dexterity necessary for the conduct of life.

Ah, God! but Art is long, And Life, alas! is fleeting.

You know what's wanted here, We need strong ale to appear: So brew me a barrel right away! Tomorrow won't do what's undone today,

Someday perhaps the inner light will shine forth from us and then we'll need no other light.

Bakat dikembangkan dalam ketenangan, Watak dibentuk dalam kegalauan dunia.

The Lord. Hast nothing for our edification? Still thy old work of accusation? Will things on earth be never right for thee? Mephistopheles. No, Lord! I find them still as bad as bad can be. Poor souls! their miseries seem so much to please 'em, I scarce can find it in my heart to tease 'em. The Lord. Knowest thou Faust?

Men always believe, when they hear words, [2565] There must be thought behind them, too.

Jesus felt pure and calmly thought Only the One God; Who made him to be a god Offends his holy will. And thus the rightness has to shine What Muhammad also achieved; Only by the term of the One He mastered the whole world