Quote

A major difficulty in translation is that a word in one language seldom has a precise equivalent in another one.

Arthur Schopenhauer

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Arthur Schopenhauer
Age: 72 †
Born: 1788
Born: February 22
Died: 1860
Died: September 21
Musicologist
Philosopher
Translator
University Teacher
Writer
Danzig
Language
Translations
Another
Equivalent
Precise
Seldom
Majors
Major
Difficulty
Word
Translation

More quotes by Arthur Schopenhauer

Image
Genius and madness have something in common: both live in a world that is different from that which exists for everyone else.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of the resurrection.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Every state of welfare, every feeling of satisfaction, is negative in its character that is to say, it consists in freedom from pain, which is the positive element of existence.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
The first rule for a good style is to have something to say in fact, this in itself is almost enough.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Just as the largest library, badly arranged, is not so useful as a very moderate one that is well arranged, so the greatest amount of knowledge, if not elaborated by our own thoughts, is worth much less than a far smaller volume that has been abundantly and repeatedly thought over.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which are hard to satisfy that their satisfaction achieves nothing but a painless condition in which he is only given over to boredom . . .
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
There are, first of all, two kinds of authors: those who write for the subject's sake, and those who write for writing's sake. The first kind have had thoughts or experiences which seem to them worth communicating, while the second kind need money and consequently write for money.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
A sense of humour is the only divine quality of man
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Were an Asiatic to ask me for a definition of Europe, I should be forced to answer him: It is that part of the world which is haunted by the incredible delusion that man was created out of nothing, and that his present birth is his first entrance into life.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Whatever torch we kindle, and whatever space it may illuminate, our horizon will always remain encircled by the depth of night.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Thus also every keen pleasure is an error and an illusion, for no attained wish can give lasting satisfaction.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
A man's delight in looking forward to and hoping for some particular satisfaction is a part of the pleasure flowing out of it, enjoyed in advance. But this is afterward deducted, for the more we look forward to anything the less we enjoy it when it comes.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them in: but as a rule the purchase of books is mistaken for the appropriation of their contents.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
There are 80,000 prostitutes in London alone and what are they, if not bloody sacrifices on the altar of monogamy?
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
I am often surprised by the cleverness, and now and again by the stupidity, of my dog and I have similar experiences with mankind.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Vulgar people take huge delight in the faults and follies of great men.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
You must treat a work of art like a great man: stand before it and wait patiently till it deigns to speak.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Authors may be divided into falling stars, planets, and fixed stars: the first have a momentary effect the second have a much longer duration but the third are unchangeable, possess their own light, and work for all time.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
The life of every individual is really always a tragedy, but gone through in detail, it has the character of a comedy.
Arthur Schopenhauer