Romain Rolland Quotes

A man who suffers can lessen his anguish by knowing whence it comes. By thought he can locate it in a certain portion of his body which can be cured, or, if necessary, torn away. He fixes the bounds of it, and separates it from himself. A child has no such illusive resource. His first encounter with suffering is more tragic and more true. Like his own being, it seems infinite. He feels that it is seated in his bosom, housed in his heart, and is mistress of his flesh. And it is so. It will not leave his body until it has eaten it away.

Il faut savoir allier le pessimisme de l´intelligence à l´optimisme de la volonté.

...a hero is a man who does what he can. The others do not do it.

Le Théâtre du peuple (1903)

مردم آن‌چه هستیم می‌بینند، اما آن‌چه را که امکان داشت بشویم نمی‌بینند.

Be reverent before the dawning day. Do not think of what will be in a year, or in ten years. Think of to-day. Leave your theories. All theories, you see, even those of virtue, are bad, foolish, mischievous. Do not abuse life. Live in to-day. Be reverent towards each day. Love it, respect it, do not sully it, do not hinder it from coming to flower. Love it even when it is gray and sad like to-day. Do not be anxious. See. It is winter now. Everything is asleep. The good earth will awake again. You have only to be good and patient like the earth. Be reverent. Wait. If you are good, all will go well. If you are not, if you are weak, if you do not succeed, well, you must be happy in that. No doubt it is the best you can do. So, then, why will? Why be angry because of what you cannot do? We all have to do what we can. . . . Als ich kann."

It is not peace that I seek, but life.

آه! خاطرات شیرین و تصاویر لذت بخش، که در سراسر زندگی مانند پرواز هماهنگ مرغان وجود انسان را پر می‌کند!...سفرهای بعدی انسان، شهرهای بزرگ، دریاهای خروشان، مناظر رویایی، چهره‌های محبوب، هیچ کدام به خوبی و وضوح این گردش‌های دوران کودکی، یا گوشه‌ی ساده‌ی باغی که همه روزه از پشت پنجره، از میان پرده‌ی‌ تاری که بخار دهان کوچک کودکی بی کار روی شیشه به جا می‌گذارد می‌توان دید، در روح انسان نقش نمی‌بندد...

Մարդկային ամբողջ լեզուն, մարդկային բովանդակ իմաստությունը միայն ավտոմատ տիկնիկային թատրոնի խաղ է իրականության մահասարսուռ լույսի տակ, շլացում՝ ցեխից և արյունից շինված այդ թշվառ արարածների, որոնք անօգուտ ճգնում են պահպանել այն կյանքը, որը ժամ առ ժամ նեխվում է:

در مقابل روزی که بر می‌آید پرهیزگار باش. به آن‌چه در یک سال یا ده سال دیگر پیش خواهد آمد فکر نکن. در فکر امروز باش. اصول نظری خود را کنار بگذار. می‌بینی - همه ی اصول نظری، حتی اصول فضیلت، بد است، احمقانه است، زیان‌بخش است. بر زندگی زور روا مدار. همین امروز را زندگی کن. در مقابل هر روز پرهیزگار باش. دوستش بدار، احترامش را نگه‌دار، به‌خصوص پژمرده‌اش نساز، مانع شکفتن آن نشو. حتی اگر مثل امروز تیره‌رنگ و غم‌آلود باشد، دوستش بدار.

Let us be bold and proclaim the truth to the elders of these young men, to their moral guides, to their religious and secular leaders, to the Churches, the great thinkers, the leaders of socialism; these living riches, these treasures of heroism you held in your hands; for what are you squandering them? What ideal have you held up to the devotion of these youths so eager to sacrifice themselves? Their mutual slaughter!

No one ever reads a book. He reads himself through books, either to discover or to control himself.

All these young millionaires were anarchists, of course: when a man possesses everything it is the supreme luxury for him to deny society: for in that way he can evade his responsibilities

Theatre supposes lives that are poor and agitated, a people searching in dreams for a refuge from thought. If we were happier and freer we should not feel hungry for theatre. ... A people that is happy and free has need of festivities more than of theatres; it will always see in itself the finest spectacle.

Everything is music for the born musician.