I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wishes. The greater part of all mischief in
the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims. They
have undertaken to build a tower, and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be
necessary to erect a hut.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A useless life is an early death.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
This is the true measure of love: when we believe that we alone can love, that no one could
ever have loved so before us and that no one will ever love in the same way after us.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There are two things children should get from their parents: roots and wings.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Age does not make us childish, as they say. It only finds us true children still.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A correct answer is like an affectionate kiss.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Life teaches us to be less harsh with ourselves and with others.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I love those who yearn for the impossible.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
First and last, what is demanded of genius is love of truth.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A teacher who can arouse a feeling for one single good action, for one single good poem,
accomplishes more than he who fills our memory with rows on rows of natural objects,
classified with name and form.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using
it.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Nothing is more terrible than ignorance in action.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
All the intelligent thoughts have already been thought. What is necessary is only to try to
think them again.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Without haste, but without rest.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Who strives always to the utmost, for him there is salvation.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
To know of someone here and there whom we accord with, who is living on with us, even in
silence – this makes our earthly ball a peopled garden.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
No one would talk much in society, if he knew how often he misunderstands others.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The greatest happiness for the thinking man is to have fathomed the fathomable, and to
quietly revere the unfathomable.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
One must be something to be able to do something.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Give me the benefit of your convictions, if you have any; but keep your doubts to yourself,
for I have enough of my own.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A talent is formed in stillness, a character in the world’s torrent.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Noble be man, helpful and good. For that alone sets him apart from every other creature
on earth.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture,
and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The only means to gain one’s ends with people are force and cunning. Love also, they say;
but that is to wait for sunshine, and life needs every moment.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Beware of dissipating your powers; strive constantly to concentrate them. Genius thinks it
can do whatever it sees others doing, but it is sure to repent of every ill-judged outlay.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Of all peoples the Greeks have dreamt the dream of life best.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they think is laughable.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It is in self-limitation that a master first shows himself.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
When ideas fail, words come in very handy.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The sum which two married people owe to one another defies calculation. It is an infinite
debt, which can only be discharged through all eternity.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The deed is everything, the glory nothing.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
He who does not know foreign languages does not know anything about his own.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Art is long; life short; judgement difficult; opportunity transient.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A true German can’t stand the French, yet willingly he drinks their wines.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
What you have inherited from your fathers, earn over again for yourselves, or it will not be
yours.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Generosity always wins favor, particularly when accompanied by modesty.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches
would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Correction does much, but encouragement does more.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
He who is plenteously provided for from within, needs but little from without.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Nature is beneficent. I praise her and all her works. She is silent and wise. She is cunning, but
for good ends. She has brought me here and will also lead me away. She may scold me, but
she will not hate her work. I trust her.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for
him.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A noble person attracts noble people, and knows how to hold on to them.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Of freedom and of life he only is deserving who every day must conquer them anew.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I call architecture frozen music.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
One never goes so far as when one doesn’t know where one is going.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The artist may be well advised to keep his work to himself till it is completed, because
no one can readily help him or advise him with it… but the scientist is wiser not to
withhold a single finding or a single conjecture from publicity.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
My peace is gone, my heart is heavy.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Individuality of expression is the beginning and end of all art.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
If I work incessantly to the last, nature owes me another form of existence when the
present one collapses.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Pleasure and love are the pinions of great deeds.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
If children grew up according to early indications, we should have nothing but geniuses.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Since time is not a person we can overtake when he is past, let us honor him with mirth and
cheerfulness of heart while he is passing.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Nothing is worse than active ignorance.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe