El sufrimiento, el desencanto y la melancolía existen no para irritarnos o para despojarnos de nuestra dignidad, sino para madurarnos y transfigurarnos.

لم أكن أحسب نفسي أديباً شاعراً. فما كنت أكتبه من حين إلى آخر كان من قبيل الصحافة المسلية، لا من الأدب. لكني كنت فيما بيني وبين نفسي أحبس أملاً في أن تتاح لي في يوم من الأيام فرصة خلق شيء من الأدب، نشيد عظيم جرئ للحنين والحياة

The law of service. He who wishes to live long must serve, but he who wishes to rule does not live long.

Quien no lleva dentro un lobo no tiene por eso que ser feliz tampoco.

All of a sudden there were things that concerned me again, which I could think of with joy and eagerness. All of a sudden a door was thrown open through which life came in. Perhaps I could live once more and once more be a human being. My soul that had fallen asleep in the cold and nearly frozen breathed once more, and sleepily spread its weak and tiny wings.

Why was it, do you think, I was able to recognise you and understand you?""Why, Hermine? Tell me!""Because it's the same for me as you because I am alone exactly as you are, because I'm as little fond of life and people and myself as you are and can put up with them as little. There are always a few such people who demand the utmost of life and yet cannot come to terms with its stupidity and crudeness.

What for me is bliss and life and ecstasy and exaltation, the world in general seeks at most in imagination; in life it finds it absurd.

La linea essenziale nel nostro destino è fatta di queste esperienze che nessuno vede.

Poche volte nella mia vita il dolore mi ha colpito così duramente, mai ho provato tanta disperazione e un tale senso di schiavitù.