Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Happy is it, indeed, for me that my heart is capable of feeling the same simple and innocent pleasure as the peasant whose table is covered with food of his own rearing, and who not only enjoys his meal, but remembers with delight the happy days and sunny mornings when he planted it, the soft evenings when he watered it, and the pleasure he experienced in watching its daily growth.”

“So much simplicity with so much understanding — so mild, and yet so resolute — a mind so placid, and a life so active.”

“I mean now to try and see her as soon as I can: or perhaps, on second thoughts, I had better not; it is better I should behold her through the eyes of her lover. To my sight, perhaps, she would not appear as she now stands before me; and why should I destroy so sweet a picture?”

“What I have lately said of painting is equally true with respect to poetry. It is only necessary for us to know what is really excellent, and venture to give it expression; and that is saying much in few words. To-day I have had a scene, which, if literally related, would, make the most beautiful idyl in the world. But why should I talk of poetry and scenes and idyls? Can we never take pleasure in nature without having recourse to art?”

“A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now. When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me, that it might be the mirror of my soul, as my soul is the mirror of the infinite God! O my friend — but it is too much for my strength — I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!”

“An angel! Nonsense! Everybody so describes his mistress; and yet I find it impossible to tell you how perfect she is, or why she is so perfect: suffice it to say she has captivated all my senses.”

“Grau, teurer Freund, ist alle Theorie und grün des Lebens goldner Baum”

“People of uncommon abilities generally fall into eccentricities when their sphere of life is not adequate to their abilities.”

“It's in the anomalies that nature reveals its secrets.”

“There are two things children should get from their parents: roots and wings.”

“Classisch ist das Gesunde, romantisch das Kranke.”

“Gracious Providence, to whom I owe all my powers, why didst thou not withhold some of those blessings I possess, and substitute in their place a feeling of self-confidence and contentment?”

“I was on the point of breaking off the conversation, for nothing puts me so completely out of patience as the utterance of a wretched commonplace when I am talking from my inmost heart.”

“My grandmother used to tell us a story of a mountain of loadstone. When any vessels came near it, they were instantly deprived of their ironwork: the nails flew to the mountain, and the unhappy crew perished amidst the disjointed planks.”

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

“The town itself is disagreeable; but then, all around, you find an inexpressible beauty of nature.”

“There occurs the beautiful feeling that only humanity together is the true human being, and that the individual can be cheerful and happy only if he has the courage to feel himself in the Whole.”

“Fakat, şimdi... Hayaller bana rahat vermiyor...”

“Ey varlığının derinliğine asla eremediğim Yüce Tanrı'm! Ruhum seninle doluyken çoktan beridir neden senden uzak durdum?.. Beni yanına al! Daha fazla bekletme! Katlanılmaz bir özlemle tutuşan ruhumun artık gücü tükendi.”

“Nelere sahibim! Ama onu düşünmem; neyim varsa hepsini çekip atıyor! Nelere sahibim... Ama onsuz, benim için her şey hiçleşiyor!”

“Sabahleyin azaplı bir rüyadan uyanınca yok yere ona doğru kollarımı uzatıyorum...Daha böyle yarı uykulu halde onu yanımda aradıktan sonra iyice uyanıp da yalnızlığımı anladığım zaman kalbimden gözyaşlarımın pınarı taşıyor ve önümde beliren geleceğin karanlıklarına karşı bağırtıyla ağlıyorum.”

“Uzaklar yaklaşınca, özlediğimiz yere ulaşınca görürüz ki hiçbir şey değişmemiştir. Kendimizi yine o yoksulluğumuzun dar çerçevesi içinde buluruz. Bu böyle sürüp gider ve ruhumuz hep elinden kaçan mutluluğun ardından göğüs geçirip durur.”

“Ben ayrımında değilim: Ne zaman gündüz oluyor, ne zaman gece. Evren etrafımdan silindi ve sadece o kaldı.”

“Ah, gençliğimin mabedi o sevgili nerelerde! Kaybolacak idiyse onu ne diye tanıdım ben?.. Kendi kendime: Çılgınsın! diyorum, artık bulunması olanaksız bir şey arıyorsun!Ama ben ona, o sevgiliye bir zamanlar sarılmıştım. Kalbinin atışlarını duymuştum. Yüce yaradılışı önünde kendimi benliküstüne yükselmiş gibi görürüm. Çünkü onun yanında ne kadar olabileceksem o kadar sezgili olurdum.Hey Tanrım! O zaman ruhumun hiçbir yeteneği boşa çıkar mıydı? Yüreğimin tüm evreni kucaklamadaki şaşılacak gücü onun önünde bütünüyle kendini ortaya koymaz mıydı? Yüreğin derinliklerinden yükselen ürpermeler, iki ruhun yüz yüze şimşeklenmesi aramızda her günün, bir alışverişine benzemez miydi? Ah, onunla her sohbetimiz ve iğneli şakalarımız dahil, her sözümüz inci gibi inceltilmişti, ben bunu bilirim...Asla unutamayacağım, onun ruhunun duruluğunu, sağlamlığını, onun o göksel yumuşaklığını asla unutamayacağım...”

“Ich bin in einer prächtigen Wohnung sogleich faul und untätig. Geringe Wohnung dagegen, wie dieses schlechte Zimmer, worin wir sind, ein wenig unordentlich ordentlich, ein wenig zigeunerhaft, ist für mich das Rechte; es lässt meiner inneren Natur volle Freiheit, tätig zu sein und aus mir selbst zu schaffen.”

“Fools and wise-folk are alike harmless. It is the half-wise, and the half-foolish, who are the most dangerous.”

“Allein wer andre wohl zu leiten strebt muß fähig sein viel zu entbehren”

“Man sollte alle Tage wenigstens ein kleines Lied hören, ein gutes Gedicht lesen, ein treffliches Gemälde sehen und, wenn es möglich zu machen wäre, einige vernünftige Worte sprechen.”

“What chance gathers she easily scatters. A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together.”

“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.”

“We must note the curious fact that people are not content with what is simple to understand, but go straight for the more complex problems which they will perhaps never grasp. What is simple to grasp is quite usable and useful, and can keep us occupied for a whole lifetime if it satisfies and stimulates us.”

“Duas almas, oh! moram dentro do meu peito,E aí lutam por um indivisível reino;Uma aspira pela terra, com vontade apaixonadaÀs íntimas entranhas ainda está ligada.Acima das névoas, a outro aspira, de certeza,Com ardor sagrado por esferas onde reine a pureza”

“That which disturbs your soul, you must not suffer”

“Behaviour is a mirror in which every one displays his own image.”

“Father! Whom I do not know! Father! who filled all my soul and who has now turned His countenance away from me! Call me to You! Be silent no longer! Your silence will not stay this thirsting soul—and could a person, a father, be angry whose son, unexpectedly returning, threw himself on his neck and cried: Father! I have come back! Don’t be angry that I am breaking off the travels that you meant for me to endure longer. The world is everywhere the same, in effort and work, reward and joy, but what is that to me? I am only happy where you are, and it is before your countenance that I want to suffer and enjoy.—And You, dear heavenly Father, would turn him away from You?”

“Mnoga se srca gube u opštem, samo se najplemenitije posvećuje jednome.”

“Ljubav odoleva vremenu koje sve otima.”

“Nema sunca bez svetlosti, ni čoveka bez ljubavi.”

“It would be a lowly art that allowed itself to be understood all at once.”

“Did I not feel charmed at those truly genuine expressions of nature, which, though but little mirthful in reality, so often amused us?”

“Was it my fault, that, whilst the peculiar charms of her sister afforded me an agreeable entertainment, a passion for me was engendered in her feeble heart?”

“To tremble before anticipated evils is to bemoan what thou hast never lost.”

“‎It has ever been my fate to give pain to those whose happiness I should have promoted.”

“Where the light is brightest, the shadows are deepest.”

“All things transient are but a parable.”

“The most foolish of all errors is for clever young men to believe that they forfeit their originality in recognising a truth which has already been recognised by others.”

“ Într-adevăr ştiu multe, dar aş vrea să ştiu totul. ”

“Since you know me and my destiny only too well, you probably also know what attracts me to all unfortunate people.”

“I wish someone would dare reproach me about the whole thing so that I could run a dagger through his heart. If only I could see blood. I know I would feel better. Oh, I have picked up a knife a hundred times with the intention of plunging it into my own heart! I have heard tell of a noble breed of stallions who when they are overheated and run wild, instinctively bite open one of their veins to relieve themselves. I feel like that often. I would like to open the vein that would give me eternal freedom.”

“They should be ashamed of themselves, all these sober people!”