Maxims and Missiles

Idleness is the parent of all psychology. What? Is psychology then a—vice?

Idleness is the parent of all psychology. What? Is psychology a vice, then?

Even the pluckiest among us has but seldom the courage of what he really knows.

Even the bravest among us rarely has the courage to act on what he really knows.

Aristotle says that in order to live alone, a man must be either an animal or a god. The third alternative is lacking: a man must be both—a philosopher.

Aristotle says that to live alone, a man must be either an animal or a god. He leaves out a third possibility: a man must be both, a philosopher.

“All truth is simple.”—Is not this a double lie?

“All truth is simple.” Isn't that a double lie?

Once for all I wish to be blind to many things.—Wisdom sets bounds even to knowledge.

Once and for all, I want to be blind to many things. Wisdom sets limits even on knowledge.

A man recovers best from his exceptional nature—his intellectuality—by giving his animal instincts a chance.

A man best recovers from his exceptional nature, his intellect, by letting his animal instincts have their way.

Which is it? Is man only a blunder of God? Or is God only a blunder of man?

Which is it? Is man just a mistake made by God? Or is God just a mistake made by man?

From the military school of life.—That which does not kill me, makes me stronger.

From the military school of life. What does not kill me makes me stronger.

Help thyself, then everyone will help thee. A principle of neighbour-love.

Help yourself, and everyone will help you. A principle of love for your neighbor.

A man should not play the coward to his deeds. He should not repudiate them once he has performed them. Pangs of conscience are indecent.

A man should not be a coward about his actions. He should not disown them after he has done them. A guilty conscience is indecent.

Can a donkey be tragic?—To perish beneath a load that one can neither bear nor throw off? This is the case of the Philosopher.

Can a donkey be tragic? Can it die under a load it can neither carry nor throw off? That is the philosopher’s plight.

If a man knows the wherefore of his existence, then the manner of it can take care of itself. Man does not aspire to happiness; only the Englishman does that.

If a man knows why he exists, how he lives will take care of itself. Man does not strive for happiness. Only the Englishman does that.

Man created woman—out of what? Out of a rib of his god,—of his “ideal.”

Man created woman. Out of what? Out of a rib of his god, his “ideal.”

What? Art thou looking for something? Thou wouldst fain multiply thyself tenfold, a hundredfold? Thou seekest followers? Seek ciphers!

What? Are you looking for something? Do you want to multiply yourself tenfold, a hundredfold? Are you looking for followers? Look for zeros!

Posthumous men, like myself, are not so well understood as men who reflect their age, but they are heard with more respect. In plain English: we are never understood—hence our authority.

Men like me, who are understood only after their death, are less well understood than men who reflect their own age. But we are listened to with more respect. In plain English: we are never understood. That is why we have authority.

Among women.—“Truth? Oh, you do not know truth! Is it not an outrage on all our pudeurs?”—

Among women. “Truth? Oh, you don't know truth! Isn't it an outrage against all our modesty?”

There is an artist after my own heart, modest in his needs: he really wants only two things, his bread and his art—panem et Circem.

Here is an artist after my own heart, with modest needs. He really wants only two things: his bread and his art, panem et Circem.

He who knows not how to plant his will in things, at least endows them with some meaning: that is to say, he believes that a will is already present in them. (A principle of faith.)

Anyone who cannot put their will into things at least gives them some meaning. That is, they believe a will is already present in them. (A principle of faith.)

What? Ye chose virtue and the heaving breast, and at the same time ye squint covetously at the advantages of the unscrupulous.—But with virtue ye renounce all “advantages” ... (to be nailed to an Antisemite’s door).

What? You chose virtue and a heaving chest, yet you eye the advantages of the unscrupulous with envy. But by choosing virtue, you give up all “advantages” ... (to be nailed to an Antisemite’s door).

The perfect woman perpetrates literature as if it were a petty vice: as an experiment, en passant, and looking about her all the while to see whether anybody is noticing her, hoping that somebody is noticing her.

The perfect woman writes as if it were a petty vice: as an experiment, in passing. All the while, she looks around to see whether anyone is noticing her, hoping that someone is noticing her.

One should adopt only those situations in which one is in no need of sham virtues, but rather, like the tight-rope dancer on his tight rope, in which one must either fall or stand—or escape.

Choose only situations where you have no need for fake virtues. Instead, be like a tightrope walker, who must either fall, stand, or escape.

“Evil men have no songs.”¹—How is it that the Russians have songs?

“Evil men have no songs.”¹ Then why do the Russians have songs?

“German intellect”; for eighteen years this has been a contradictio in adjecto.

“German intellect”: for eighteen years, this has been a contradiction in terms.

By seeking the beginnings of things, a man becomes a crab. The historian looks backwards: in the end he also believes backwards.

By looking for the beginnings of things, a person becomes a crab. The historian looks backward. In the end, he also believes backward.

Contentment preserves one even from catching cold. Has a woman who knew that she was well-dressed ever caught cold?—No, not even when she had scarcely a rag to her back.

Being content can even keep you from catching a cold. Has a woman who knew she was well-dressed ever caught a cold? No, not even when she had hardly any clothes on.

I distrust all systematisers, and avoid them. The will to a system, shows a lack of honesty.

I distrust all people who build systems, and I avoid them. The desire to build a system shows a lack of honesty.

Man thinks woman profound—why? Because he can never fathom her depths. Woman is not even shallow.

Man thinks woman is deep. Why? Because he can never see how deep she is. Woman is not even shallow.

When woman possesses masculine virtues, she is enough to make you run away. When she possesses no masculine virtues, she herself runs away.

When a woman has masculine virtues, she makes you want to run away. When she has no masculine virtues, she runs away herself.

“How often conscience had to bite in times gone by! What good teeth it must have had! And to-day, what is amiss?”—A dentist’s question.

“How often conscience must have bitten in the past! What good teeth it must have had! And today, what’s wrong?” A dentist’s question.

Errors of haste are seldom committed singly. The first time a man always docs too much. And precisely on that account he commits a second error, and then he does too little.

Mistakes made in haste rarely come alone. A man always does too much the first time. And precisely because of that, he makes a second mistake and does too little.

The trodden worm curls up. This testifies to its caution. It thus reduces its chances of being trodden upon again. In the language of morality: Humility.—

A worm curls up when it is stepped on. This shows its caution. By curling up, it reduces its chances of being stepped on again. In the language of morality: Humility.

There is such a thing as a hatred of lies and dissimulation, which is the outcome of a delicate sense of humour; there is also the selfsame hatred but as the result of cowardice, in so far as falsehood is forbidden by Divine law. Too cowardly to lie....

Some people hate lies and deception because they have a delicate sense of humor. Others have the same hatred out of cowardice, insofar as divine law forbids lying. Too cowardly to lie....

What trifles constitute happiness! The sound of a bagpipe. Without music life would be a mistake. The German imagines even God as a songster.

What little things make us happy! The sound of a bagpipe. Without music, life would be a mistake. The German imagines even God as a singer.

On ne peut penser et écrire qu’assis (G. Flaubert). Here I have got you, you nihilist! A sedentary life is the real sin against the Holy Spirit. Only those thoughts that come by walking have any value.

You can only think and write while sitting down (G. Flaubert). Now I have caught you, you nihilist! Sitting still is the real sin against the Holy Spirit. Only thoughts that come while walking have any value.

There are times when we psychologists are like horses, and grow fretful. We see our own shadow rise and fall before us. The psychologist must look away from himself if he wishes to see anything at all.

Sometimes we psychologists are like horses and become restless. We see our own shadow rising and falling before us. A psychologist must look away from himself if he wants to see anything at all.

Do we immoralists injure virtue in any way? Just as little as the anarchists injure royalty. Only since they have been shot at do princes sit firmly on their thrones once more. Moral: morality must be shot at.

Do we immoralists do any harm to virtue? No more than anarchists harm royalty. Princes have only been secure on their thrones again since people started shooting at them. Moral: morality must be shot at.

Thou runnest ahead?—Dost thou do so as a shepherd or as an exception? A third alternative would be the fugitive.... First question of conscience.

You run ahead? Do you do so as a shepherd or as an exception? A third possibility is that you are a fugitive.... First question of conscience.

Art thou genuine or art thou only an actor? Art thou a representative or the thing represented, itself? Finally, art thou perhaps simply a copy of an actor?... Second question of conscience.

Are you genuine, or are you only an actor? Are you a representative, or are you the thing represented? Finally, are you perhaps simply a copy of an actor?... Second question of conscience.

The disappointed man speaks:—I sought for great men, but all I found were the apes of their ideal.

The disappointed man speaks: I looked for great men, but all I found were apes of their ideal.

Art thou one who looks on, or one who puts his own shoulder to the wheel?—Or art thou one who looks away, or who turns aside?... Third question of conscience.

Are you someone who watches, or someone who pitches in? Or are you someone who looks away or turns aside? ... Third question of conscience.

Wilt thou go in company, or lead, or go by thyself?... A man should know what he desires, and that he desires something.—Fourth question of conscience.

Will you go with others, lead, or go alone?... A man should know what he wants, and that he wants something. Fourth question of conscience.

They were but rungs in my ladder, on them I made my ascent:—to that end I had to go beyond them. But they imagined that I wanted to lay myself to rest upon them.

They were only rungs on my ladder. I climbed up on them, and to do that I had to go beyond them. But they imagined I wanted to rest on them.

What matters it whether I am acknowledged to be right! I am much too right. And he who laughs best to-day, will also laugh last.

What does it matter whether people admit I am right? I am far too right. And whoever laughs best today will also laugh last.

The formula of my happiness: a Yea, a Nay, a straight line, goal....

The formula for my happiness: a Yes, a No, a straight line, goal....