Isak Dinesen Quotes

When hope is gone, time is punishment.

Unwearied, and with springing steps elate, I had conveyed my wealth along the road. The empty sack proved now a heavier load: I was borne down beneath its worthless weight. I stumbled on, and knocked at Death's dark gate. There was no answer. Stung by sorrow's goad I forced my way into that grim abode, And laughed, and flung Life's empty sack to Fate.

Where the mind is past hope, the heart is past shame.

I just looked at her, feeling utterly empty. I didn't know what I was supposed to say to her. My life is in that bed. Please let me stay.

You see, all that I ever held dear has been taken from me," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "And when you've lost everything-" Her facade began to crumble, and her voice broke, but she made herself carry on. "When you've lost everything, you've got nothing to lose.

What hope is there?" I asked. "If even angels fall, what hope is there for the rest of us?

Hope is such a beautiful word, but it often seems very fragile. Life is still being needlessly hurt and destroyed.

The people I am most interested in are the ones on the edge of losing everything and falling into the last bit of despair. I'm trying to write about how people exist on that edge and how they can come back.

For death is not the worst, but when one wants to die and is not able even to have that.

To eat bread without hope is still slowly to starve to death.

How can you beat someone that's already lost everything?

My sweetest hope is to lose hope.

They'll take everything, even your tears.

If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.

I must lose myself in action, lest I wither in despair.

Bad things are not the worst things that can happen to us. Nothing is the worst thing that can happen to us!

Please believe that I do this because I am convinced that my illness cannot be helped for any length of time and I cannot bear to be a burden on anyone any longer.

Hopelessness has surprised me with patience.

For a long time, I have hoped for better days, but alas, today it is necessary for me to lose all hope. My poor wife suffers more and more. I do not think it is possible to be any weaker.

When tragedy strikes, feeling helpless is understandable.

There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair.

It is an appalling thing to feel all one possesses drain away.

You can never tell what people have inside them until you start taking it away, one hope at a time

You should despair and run away.