Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes

Of freedom and of life he only is deserving
Who every day must conquer them anew.

Der thörigste von allen Irrthümern ist, wenn junge gute Köpfe glauben, ihre Originalität zu verlieren, indem sie das Wahre anerkennen, was von andern schon anerkannt worden.

Divide and rule, a sound motto. Unite and lead, a better one.

A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.

Wer nichts wagt, gerwinnt nichts. Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß,
Wer nie die kummervollen Nächte
Auf seinem Bette weinend saß,
Der kennt euch nicht, ihr himmlischen Mächte.

Once I blazed across the sky,
Leaving trails of flame;
I fell to earth, and here I lie -
Who'll help me up again?
-A Shooting Star

I'm gazing at church and palace, ruin and column,
Like a serious man making sensible use of a journey,
But soon it will happen, and all will be one vast temple,
Love's temple, receiving its new initiate.
Though you're a whole world, Rome, still, without Love,
The world isn't the world, and Rome can't be Rome.

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

I see my discourse leaves you cold;
Dear kids, I do not take offense;
Recall: the Devil, he is old,
Grow old yourselves, and he'll make sense!

Nothing venture, nothing gain. Who ne'er his bread in sorrow ate,
Who ne'er the mournful midnight hours
Weeping upon his bed has sate,
He knows you not, ye Heavenly Powers.

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free

Art is long, life short; judgment difficult, opportunity transient.

It is not doing the thing we like to do, but liking the thing we have to do, that makes life blessed.

He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.

Die Welt ist eine Glocke, die einen Riß hat: sie klappert, aber klingt nicht.