Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
Treat people as if they were what they should be, and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.
Choose well. Your choice is brief, and yet endless.
Behaviour is a mirror in which everyone shows his image.
No one would talk much in society, if he knew how often he misunderstands others.
No one would talk much in society if they knew how often they misunderstood others.
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.]
He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.
The coward only threatens when he is safe. [Ger., Der Fiege droht nur, wo er sicher ist.]
The coward threatens when he is safe.
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.
We are never deceived, we deceive ourselves. [Ger., Man wird betrogen, man betrugt sich selbst.]
Deny yourself! You must deny yourself! That is the song that never ends.
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.]
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.]
Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.
But what is your duty? What the day demands. [Ger., Was aber ist deine Pflicht? Die Forderung des Tages.]
They teach in academies far too many things, and far too much that is useless.
The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man almost nothing.
It is not doing the thing we like to do, but liking the thing we have to do, that makes life blessed.
While man's desires and aspirations stir, He can not choose but err. [Ger., Es irrt der Mensch so lang er strebt.]
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.]
A man's errors are what make him amiable.
Every situation, every momentâis of infinite worth; for it is the representative of a whole eternity.
The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain. [Ger., Den Bosen sind sie los, die Bosen sind geblieben.]