Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Giving Quotations

Do not give in too much to feelings. A overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this shaky earth.

What life half gives a man, posterity gives entirely.

Be generous with kindly words, especially about those who are absent.

Whatever liberates our spirit without giving us self-control is disastrous.

Why do we hear such everlasting negative talk! People all imagine they'll be giving something away if they recognize the least bit of merit.

No wonder we are all more or less pleased with mediocrity, since it leaves us at rest, and gives the same comfortable feeling as when one associates with his equals.

My counsel is, to force nothing, and rather to trifle and sleep away all unproductive days and hours, than on such days to compose something that will afterwards give no pleasure.

We accept every person in the world as that for which he gives himself out, only he must give himself out for something. We can put up with the unpleasant more easily than we can endure the insignificant.

If a poet would work politically, he must give himself up to a party; and so soon as he does that, he is lost as a poet.

Let him who believes in immortality enjoy his happiness in silence; he has no reason to give himself airs about it.

Giving is the business of the rich.

Come my little one, and give me your hand.

People are always talking about originality; but what do they mean? As soon as we are born, the world begins to work upon us; and this goes on to the end. And after all, what can we call our own, except energy, strength, and will? If I could give an account of all that I owe to great predecessors and contemporaries, there would be but a small balance in my favor.

I nothing had, and yet enough for youth--Joy in Illusion, ardent thirst for Truth. Give unrestrained, the old emotion, The bliss that touched the verge of pain, The strength of Hate, Love's deep devotion,--O, give me back my youth again!

How to please the public - that's the test, But nowadays I find I'm in a fix; I know they're not accustomed to the best, But they've all read so much they know the tricks. How can we give then something fresh and new That's serious, but entertaining too?

[W]hat counts is that one perceives excellence and dares to give it expression, which sounds little but is in fact a great deal.

For to give is the business of the rich. [Lat., Denn Geben ist Sache des Reichen.]

It is commonly the personal character of a writer which gives him his public significance. It is not imparted by his genius. Napoleon said of Corneille, "Were he living I would make him a king;" but he did not read him. He read Racine, yet he said nothing of the kind of Racine.

This being busied with thoughts of immortality is for the noble classes and especially for women with nothing to do. A solid person, though, someone who already intends to be something worthy here, and who therefore has to strive daily, has to struggle and work, gives the world to come a rest.

If you lay duties upon people and give them no rights, you must pay them well.

Whoever gives himself up to solitude, Ah! he is soon alone.

One glance, one word from you gives more pleasure than all the wisdom of this world.

We are the slaves of objects around us, and appear little or important according as these contract or give us room to expand.

Give me the benefit of your convictions, if you have any; but keep your doubts to yourself, for I have enough of my own.

The realization of the self is only possible if one is productive, if one can give birth to one's own potentialities.

Who longs in solitude to live, Ah! soon his wish will gain: Men hope and love, men get and give, and leave him to his pain.

Nature reacts not only to physical disease, but also to moral weakness; when the danger increases; she gives us greater courage

One would give generous alms if one had the eyes to see the beauty of a cupped receiving hand.

Don't say that you want to give, but go ahead and give! You'll never catch up with a mere hope.

Only law can give us freedom.

People do not mind their faults being spread out before them, but they become impatient if called on to give them up.

Everything that frees our spirit without giving us control of ourselves is ruinous.

Children can scarcely be fashioned to meet with our likes and our purpose. Just as God did us give them, so must we hold them and love them, nurture and teach them to fullness and leave them to be what they are.

Don't give us your doubts, gives us your certainties, for we have doubts enough of our own.

A man does not mind being blamed for his faults, and being punished for them, and he patiently suffers much for them; but he becomes impatient if he is required to give them up.

An absent friend gives us friendly company when we are well assured of his happiness.

Do you want to live happily? Travel with two bags, one for giving, the other for receiving.

New inventions can and will be made; however, nothing new can be thought of that concerns moral man. Everything has already been thought and said which at best we can express in different forms and give new expressions to.

We cannot and must not get rid of nor deny our characteristics. But we can give them shape and direction.

Mastery is proven only in limitation, and law alone can give us freedom.

Whatever liberates our spirit, without also giving us mastery over ourselves, is destructive.

True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.

Give shape, artist! don't talk! Your poem be but a breath.

To me the external existence of my soul is proved from my idea of activity. If I work incessantly until my death, nature will give me another form of existence when the present can no longer sustain my spirit.

Some of our weaknesses are born in us, others are the result of education; it is a question which of the two gives us most trouble.

Human life runs its course in the metamorphosis between receiving and giving.