Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes

While Man's desires and aspirations stir, He cannot choose but err.

nothing puts me so completely out of patience
as the utterance of a wretched commonplace
when I am talking from my inmost heart.

If we examine every stage of our lives, we find that from our first breath to our last we are under the constraint of circumstances. And yet we still possess the greatest of all freedoms, the power of developing our innermost selves in harmony with the moral order of the universe, and so winning peace of heart whatever obstacles we meet.

Divide and rule, the politician cries;
Unite and lead, is watchword of the wise.

How many kings are governed by their ministers, how many ministers by their secretaries? Who, in such cases, is really the chief?

Nothing is more disgusting than the majority: because it consists of a few powerful predecessors, of rogues who adapt themselves, of weak who assimilate themselves, and the masses who imitate without knowing at all what they want.

Just trust yourself and you'll learn the art of living.

Talent develops in tranquility, character in the full current of human life.

If ever I to the moment shall say:
Beautiful moment, do not pass away!
Then you may forge your chains to bind me,
Then I will put my life behind me,
Then let them hear my death-knell toll,
Then from your labours you'll be free,
The clock may stop, the clock-hands fall,
And time come to an end for me!

Colors are the deeds/ and sufferings of light.

If the whole world I once could see
On free soil stand, with the people free
Then to the moment might I say,
Linger awhile. . .so fair thou art.

"If you inquire what the people are like here, I must answer, "The same as everywhere." The human race is but a monotonous affair. Most of them labour the greater part of their time for mere subsistence; and the scanty portion of freedom which remains to them so troubles them that they use every exertion to get rid of it. Oh, the destiny of man!"

Is it not enough that we cannot make one another happy, must we also rob one another of the pleasures that any heart may permit itself now and then? And name me a person who in a bad mood will be decent enough to hide it, to bear it alone, without destroying the joy around him. Is it not rather an inner dissatisfaction with our own unworthiness, a dislike of ourselves that is always associated with envy aggravated by foolish conceit? We see people happy and not made happy by us, and that is unbearable.

إننى وحيد تماما. وأجد الحياة ممتعة جدا فى هذه البقعة التى انشئت للأرواح المشابهة لروحى. إننى سعيد جدا ومستغرق فى الإحساس بالوجود الهادئ.

They abandon themselves credulously to every fanatic scoundrel who speaks to their baser qualities, confirms them in their vices, teaches them nationality means barbarism and isolation.