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A fiery chariot, borne on buoyant pinions,
Sweeps near me now! I soon shall ready be
To pierce the ther's high, unknown dominions,
To reach new spheres of pure activity!
Topic: Action
Source: Faust (bk. I, sc. 1)
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Age does not make us childish, as some say; it finds us true children.
Topic: Age
Source: None
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One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them.
Topic: Agreement
Source: None
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Architecture is frozen music.
[Ger., Die Backunst ist eine erstarrte Musik.]
Topic: Architecture
Source: Conversation with Eckermann
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As all Nature's thousands changes
But one changeless God proclaim;
So in Art's wide kingdom ranges
One sole meaning still the same:
This is Truth, eternal Reason,
Which from Beauty takes its dress,
And serene through time and season
Stands aye in loveliness.
Topic: Art
Source: Wilhelm Meister's Travels (ch. XIV)
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Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.
Topic: Change
Source: None
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The church alone beyond all question
Has for ill-gotten goods the right digestion.
[Ger., Die Kirch' allein, meine lieben Frauen,
Kann ungerechtes Gut verdauen.]
Topic: Churches
Source: Faust (I, 9, 35)
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No one would talk much in society, if he knew how often he misunderstands others.
Topic: Communication
Source: None
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No one would talk much in society if they knew how often they misunderstood others.
Topic: Communication
Source: None
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Two souls, alas! reside within my breast, and each withdraws
from and repels its brother.
[Ger., Zwei Seelen wohnen, ach! in meiner Brust,
Die eine will sich von der andern trennen.]
Topic: Conscience
Source: Faust (I, 2, 307)
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The coward only threatens when he is safe.
[Ger., Der Fiege droht nur, wo er sicher ist.]
Topic: Cowards
Source: Torquato Tasso (II, 3, 207)
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The coward threatens when he is safe.
Topic: Cowards
Source: None
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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.
Topic: Cunning
Source: None
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We are never deceived, we deceive ourselves.
[Ger., Man wird betrogen, man betrugt sich selbst.]
Topic: Deceit
Source: Spruche in Prosa (III)
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Deny yourself! You must deny yourself! That is the song that never ends.
Topic: Denial
Source: None
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No, no! The devil is an egotist,
And is not apt, without why or wherefore,
"For God's sake," others to assist.
[Ger., Nein, nein! Der Teufel ist ein Egoist
Und thut nicht leicht um Gottes Willen,
Was einem Andern nutzlich ist.]
Topic: Devil
Source: Faust (I, 4, 124)
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Culture which smooth the whole world licks,
Also unto the devil sticks.
[Ger., Auch die Kultur, die alle Welt beleckt,
Hat auf den Teufel sich erstreckt.]
Topic: Devil
Source: Faust (I, 6, 160)
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Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.
Topic: Dreams
Source: None
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But what is your duty? What the day demands.
[Ger., Was aber ist deine Pflicht? Die Forderung des Tages.]
Topic: Duty
Source: Spruche in Prosa (III, 151)
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They teach in academies far too many things, and far too much that is useless.
Topic: Education
Source: None
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The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man almost nothing.
Topic: Education
Source: None
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It is not doing the thing we like to do, but liking the thing we have to do, that makes life blessed.
Topic: Enjoyment
Source: None
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While man's desires and aspirations stir,
He can not choose but err.
[Ger., Es irrt der Mensch so lang er strebt.]
Topic: Errors
Source: Faust--Prolog im Himmel--Der Herr (l. 77)
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There are men who never err, because they never propose anything
rational.
[Ger., Est giebt Menschen die gar nicht irren, weil sie sich
nichts Vernunftiges vorsetzen.]
Topic: Errors
Source: Spruche in Prosa (III)
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A man's errors are what make him amiable.
Topic: Errors
Source: None
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Every situation, every moment -- is of infinite worth; for it is the representative of a whole eternity.
Topic: Eternity
Source: None
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The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.
[Ger., Den Bosen sind sie los, die Bosen sind geblieben.]
Topic: Evil
Source: Faust (I, 6, 174)
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Your messages I hear, but faith has not been given;
The dearest child of Faith is Miracle
[Ger., Die Botschaft hor' ich wohl, allein mir fehlt der Glaube;
Das Wunder ist des Glaubens liebstes Kind.]
Topic: Faith
Source: Faust (I, 1, 413)
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You'll never attain it unless you know the feeling.
[Ger., Wenn ihr's nicht fuhlt ihr werdet's nicht erjagen.]
Topic: Feeling
Source: Faust (I, 1, 182)
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It is the fortunate who should extol fortune.
[Ger., Das Gluck erhebe billig der Begluckte.]
Topic: Fortune
Source: Torquato Tasso (II, 3, 115)
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The day of fortune is like a harvest day,
We must be busy when the corn is ripe.
[Ger., Ein tag der Gunst ist wie ein Tag der Ernte,
Man muss geschaftig sein sobald sie reift.]
Topic: Fortune
Source: Torquato Tasso (IV, 4, 62)
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Fortune rarely accompanies anyone to the door.
Topic: Fortune
Source: Torquato Tasso (IV, 4, 62)
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Yes! to this thought I hold with firm persistence;
The last result of wisdom stamps it true;
He only earns his freedom and existence
Who daily conquers them anew.
Topic: Freedom
Source: Faust (act V, sc. 6)
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The first and last thing required of genius is the love of truth.
[Ger., Das erste und letzte, was vom Genie gefordert wird, ist
Wahreits-Liebe.]
Topic: Genius
Source: Spruche in Prosa (III)
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Presents at once? That's good. He is sure to succeed.
[Ger., Gleich schenken? das ist brav. Da wird er reussieren.]
Topic: Gifts
Source: Faust (I, 7, 73)
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Gifts come from above in their own peculiar forms.
[Ger., Die Gaben
Kommen von oben herab, in ihren eignen Gestalten.]
Topic: Gifts
Source: Hermann und Dorothea (canto V, l. 69)
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For to give is the business of the rich.
[Lat., Denn Geben ist Sache des Reichen.]
Topic: Gifts
Source: Hermann und Dorothea (I, 15)
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I make presents to the mother, but think of the daughter.
[Ger., Der Mutter schenk' ich,
Die Tochter denk' ich.]
Topic: Gifts
Source: Spruche in Reimen (III)
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A good man, through obscurest aspirations
Has still an instinct of the one true way.
[Ger., Ein guter Mensch, in seinem dunkeln Drange,
Ist sich des rechten Weges sohl bewusst.]
Topic: Goodness
Source: Faust--Prolog in Himmel--Der Herr (l. 88)
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Which government is best? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.
Topic: Government
Source: None
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Someday perhaps the inner light will shine forth from us, and then we'll need no other light.
Topic: Guidance
Source: None
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Beware of her fair hair, for she excels
All women in the magic of her locks;
And when she winds them round a young man's neck,
She will not ever set him free again.
Topic: Hair
Source: Scenes from Faust (sc. The Hartz Mountain, l. 335), (Shelley's translation)
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Who is the happiest of men? He who values the merits of others,
And in their pleasure takes joy, even as though t'were his own.
Topic: Happiness
Source: Distichs
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The highest happiness, the purest joys of life, wear out at last.
[Ger., Das beste Gluck, des Lebens schonste Kraft
Ermattet endlich.]
Topic: Happiness
Source: Iphigenia auf Tauris (IV, 5, 9)
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Hatred is active, and envy passive dislike; there is but one step from envy to hate.
Topic: Hatred
Source: None
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Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.
Topic: Health
Source: None
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My peace is gone, my heart is heavy.
[Ger., Meine Ruh ist hin,
Mein Herz ist schwer.]
Topic: Heart
Source: Faust (I, 15)
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Only the heart without a stain knows perfect ease.
[Ger., Ganz unbefleckt geniesst sich nur das Herz.]
Topic: Heart
Source: Iphigenia anf Tauris (IV, 4, 123)
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A wounded heart can with difficulty be cured.
[Ger., Doch ein gekranktes Herz erholt sich schwer.]
Topic: Heart
Source: Torquato Tasso (IV, 4, 24)
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To a valet no man is a hero.
[Ger., Es gibt fur den Kammerdiener keiner Helden.]
Topic: Heroes
Source: Wahlverwandtschaften (II, 5, Aus Ottilien's Tagebuche)
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