Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes
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The one who acts is always without conscience; nobody has a conscience but the contemplative person.
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Man can find no better retreat from the world than art, and man can find no stronger link with the world than art.
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Rejoice that you have still have a long time to live, before the thought comes to you that there is nothing more in the world to see.
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The modern age has a false sense of superiority, because of the great mass of data at its disposal. But the valid criterion of distinction is rather the extent to which man knows how to form and master the material at his command.
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He who wishes to exert a useful influence must be careful to insult nothing. Let him not be troubled by what seems absurd, but concentrate his energies to the creation of what is good. He must not demolish, but build. He must raise temples where mankind may come and partake of the purest pleasure.
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Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.
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Let him who believes in immortality enjoy his happiness in silence; he has no reason to give himself airs about it.
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Poor fool! in whose petty estimation all things are little.
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Experience is only half of experience.
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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.
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We can really respect a man only if he doesn't always look out for himself.
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Let your trouble be Light will follow dark Though the heaven falls You may hear the lark.
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Give me those days with heart in riot, The depths of bliss that touched on pain, The force of hate, and love's disquiet- Ah, give me back my youth again!
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Beware of dissipating your powers; strive constantly to concentrate them.
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Confronted by outstanding merit, there is no way of saving one's ego except by love.
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The thinking person has the strange characteristic to like to create a fantasy in the place of the unsolved problem, a fantasy that stays with the person even when the problem has been solved and truth made its appearance.
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The bed of flowers Loosens amain, The beauteous snowdrops Droop o'er the plain. The crocus opens Its glowing bud, Like emeralds others, Others, like blood. With saucy gesture Primroses flare, And roguish violets, Hidden with care; And whatsoever There stirs and strives, The Spring's contented, If works and thrives.
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There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.
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Certain flaws are necessary for the whole. It would seem strange if old friends lacked certain quirks.
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Happy contractedness of youth, nay, of mankind in general, that they think neither of the high nor the deep, of the true nor the false, but only of what is suited to their own conceptions.
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We don't get to know people when they come to us; we must go to them to find out what they are like.
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Do you want to live happily? Travel with two bags, one for giving, the other for receiving.
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It seems to never occur to fools that merit and good fortune are closely united.
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Whatever Nature undertakes, she can only accomplish it in a sequence. She never makes a leap.