War and Warriors

By our best enemies we do not want to be spared, nor by those either whom we love from the very heart. So let me tell you the truth!

We do not want our best enemies to spare us, nor those we love with all our hearts. So let me tell you the truth!

My brethren in war! I love you from the very heart. I am, and was ever, your counterpart. And I am also your best enemy. So let me tell you the truth!

My brothers in war! I love you with all my heart. I am, and always have been, your counterpart. I am also your best enemy. So let me tell you the truth!

I know the hatred and envy of your hearts. Ye are not great enough not to know of hatred and envy. Then be great enough not to be ashamed of them!

I know the hatred and envy in your hearts. You are not great enough to be free of hatred and envy. Then be great enough not to be ashamed of them!

And if ye cannot be saints of knowledge, then, I pray you, be at least its warriors. They are the companions and forerunners of such saintship.

And if you cannot be saints of knowledge, please at least be its warriors. These warriors are the companions and forerunners of such saints.

I see many soldiers; could I but see many warriors! “Uniform” one calleth what they wear; may it not be uniform what they therewith hide!

I see many soldiers. If only I could see many warriors! What they wear is called a “uniform.” May what they hide beneath it not be uniform!

Ye shall be those whose eyes ever seek for an enemy—for YOUR enemy. And with some of you there is hatred at first sight.

You shall always be looking for an enemy, for YOUR enemy. And some of you hate at first sight.

Your enemy shall ye seek; your war shall ye wage, and for the sake of your thoughts! And if your thoughts succumb, your uprightness shall still shout triumph thereby!

Seek your enemy and wage your war for the sake of your thoughts! And if your thoughts are defeated, your integrity will still cry out in triumph!

Ye shall love peace as a means to new wars—and the short peace more than the long.

You shall love peace as a means to new wars, and love a short peace more than a long one.

You I advise not to work, but to fight. You I advise not to peace, but to victory. Let your work be a fight, let your peace be a victory!

I advise you not to work, but to fight. I advise you not to seek peace, but to seek victory. Let your work be a fight, and let your peace be a victory!

One can only be silent and sit peacefully when one hath arrow and bow; otherwise one prateth and quarrelleth. Let your peace be a victory!

You can be silent and sit peacefully only when you have a bow and arrow. Otherwise, you chatter and quarrel. Let your peace be a victory!

Ye say it is the good cause which halloweth even war? I say unto you: it is the good war which halloweth every cause.

You say a good cause makes even war sacred? I say to you: a good war makes every cause sacred.

War and courage have done more great things than charity. Not your sympathy, but your bravery hath hitherto saved the victims.

War and courage have accomplished more great things than charity. Until now, your bravery, not your sympathy, has saved the victims.

“What is good?” ye ask. To be brave is good. Let the little girls say: “To be good is what is pretty, and at the same time touching.”

“What is good?” you ask. Being brave is good. Let the little girls say: “Being good means being pretty and touching at the same time.”

They call you heartless: but your heart is true, and I love the bashfulness of your good-will. Ye are ashamed of your flow, and others are ashamed of their ebb.

They call you heartless, but your heart is true. I love how shy you are about your goodwill. You are ashamed of your flow, while others are ashamed of their ebb.

Ye are ugly? Well then, my brethren, take the sublime about you, the mantle of the ugly!

Are you ugly? Well then, my brothers, wrap yourselves in the sublime, the cloak of the ugly!

And when your soul becometh great, then doth it become haughty, and in your sublimity there is wickedness. I know you.

And when your soul grows great, it becomes proud, and there is wickedness in your grandeur. I know you.

In wickedness the haughty man and the weakling meet. But they misunderstand one another. I know you.

The arrogant man and the weakling meet in wickedness. But they misunderstand each other. I know you.

Ye shall only have enemies to be hated, but not enemies to be despised. Ye must be proud of your enemies; then, the successes of your enemies are also your successes.

You should only have enemies you hate, not enemies you despise. You must be proud of your enemies. Then their successes are also your successes.

Resistance—that is the distinction of the slave. Let your distinction be obedience. Let your commanding itself be obeying!

Resistance is the mark of the slave. Let obedience be your mark. Even when you command, let it be an act of obedience!

To the good warrior soundeth “thou shalt” pleasanter than “I will.” And all that is dear unto you, ye shall first have it commanded unto you.

To a good warrior, “you must” sounds better than “I will.” And everything you hold dear must first be commanded of you.

Let your love to life be love to your highest hope; and let your highest hope be the highest thought of life!

Let your love of life be love for your highest hope. And let your highest hope be the highest thought of life!

Your highest thought, however, ye shall have it commanded unto you by me—and it is this: man is something that is to be surpassed.

But I command you to make this your highest thought: humanity is something to be surpassed.

So live your life of obedience and of war! What matter about long life! What warrior wisheth to be spared!

So live a life of obedience and war! What does a long life matter! What warrior wants to be spared!

I spare you not, I love you from my very heart, my brethren in war!—

I do not spare you. I love you with all my heart, my brothers in war!

Thus spake Zarathustra.

This is what Zarathustra said.