Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

There is nothing more frightful than an active ignorance.
[Ger., Es ist nichts schrecklicher als eine thatige
Unwissenheit.]

There is nothing more frightful than an active ignorance.
[Ger., Es ist nichts schrecklicher als eine thatige
Unwissenheit.]

The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man almost nothing.

The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man almost nothing.

Yet he who grasps the moment's gift,
He is the proper man.
[Ger., Der den Augenblick ergreift,
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Yet he who grasps the moment's gift,
He is the proper man.
[Ger., Der den Augenblick ergreift,
Das ist der rechte Mann.]

God could cause us considerable embarrassment by revealing all the secrets of nature to us: we should not know what read more

God could cause us considerable embarrassment by revealing all the secrets of nature to us: we should not know what to do for sheer apathy and boredom.

I wish the crowd to feel itself well treated,
Especially since it lives and lets me live.
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I wish the crowd to feel itself well treated,
Especially since it lives and lets me live.
[Ger., Ich wunschte sehr, der Menge zu behagen,
Besonders weil sie lebt und leben lasst.]