Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes

We amuse ourselves painting our prison-walls with bright figures and brilliant landscapes.

Modern poets put a lot of water into their ink.

I'm sorry for people who make a great to-do about the transitory nature of things and get lost in meditations of earthly nothingness. Surely we are here precisely so as to turn what passes into something that endures; but this is possible only if you can appreciate both.

However often we turn to it [the Qur'an] at first disgusting us each time afresh, it soon attracts, astounds, and in the end enforces our reverence... Its style, in accordance with its contents and aim is stern, grand, terrible — ever and anon truly sublime — Thus this book will go on exercising through all ages a most potent influence.

Reden ist uns ein Bedürfnis, Zuhören ist eine Kunst.

I am not omniscient, but I know a lot.

Ich bin der Geist der stets verneint! Und das mit Recht; denn alles, was entsteht, ist wert, dass es zugrunde geht.

Scientific knowledge helps us mainly because it makes the wonder to which we are called by nature rather more intelligible.

All poetry is supposed to be instructive but in an unnoticeable manner; it is supposed to make us aware of what it would be valuable to instruct ourselves in; we must deduce the lesson on our own, just as with life.

Let us live in as small a circle as we will, we are either debtors or creditors before we have had time to look round.

Everything that liberates our mind without at the same time imparting self-control is pernicious.

Man sagt: „Studire, Künstler, die Natur!” Es ist aber keine Kleinigkeit, aus dem Gemeinen das Edle, aus der Unform das Schöne zu entwickeln.

To be pleased with one's limits is a wretched state.

The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers & cities; but to know someone who thinks & feels with us, & who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.

Gut! Ein Mittel, ohne Geld
Und Arzt und Zauberei zu haben:
Begib dich gleich hinaus aufs Feld,
Fang an zu hacken und zu graben,
Erhalte dich und deinen Sinn
In einem ganz beschraunken Kreise, Ernauhre dich mit ungemischter Speise,
Leb Mit dem Vieh als Vieh, and acht es nicht fur Raub,
Den Acker, den du erntest, selbst zu dungen;
Das ist das beste Mittel, glaub,
Auf achtzig Jahr dich zu verjungenl