Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes

The hardest people to reach with the love of God are not the bad people. They know they are bad. They have no defense. The hardest ones to win for God are the self-righteous people.

You have decided that other clergy all know nothing and you alone know everything, and have sought to use your knowledge not to build but to destroy so that on these grounds we may believe that St. Gregory, whose name you have claimed for yourself, was prophesying when he said: "The mind of the prelate is often exalted by the abundance of his subjects".

Morality, when formal, devours.

In the flesh rather than the work of the Spirit, it is easy to say we are showing holiness and it only be egotistic pride and hardness.

The rigid saint, by whom no mercy's shown To saints whose lives are better than his own.

There is no passion that steals into the heart more imperceptibly and covers itself under more disguises than pride.

(...) And metaphors like cats behind your smile, Each one wound up to purr, each one a pride, Each one a fine gold beast you've hid inside (...)

Pride eradicates all vices but itself.

Who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed? See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

If we see pride among people who have no idea about Dharma, it is understandable. However, if afflictive emotions and haughtiness are present among Dharma practitioners, it is great disgrace to practice

Any pride or haughtiness, is displeasing to us, merely because it shocks our own pride, and leads us by sympathy into comparison, which causes the disagreeable passion of humility.

If there is one thing I will not abide it is the folly of a willful pride.

There is a patience that cackles. There are a great many virtues that are hen-like. They are virtue, to be sure; but everybody in the neighborhood has to know about them.

Some emotions don't make a lot of noise. It's hard to hear pride. Caring is real faint - like a heartbeat. And pure love - why, some days it's so quiet, you don't even know it's there.

The whole family of pride and ignorance are incestuous, and mutually beget each other

For valuing your own suffering sets on it the gold of a sun of pride. Suffering a lot can originate the illusion of being the Chosen of Pain.

To accept grace is to admit failure, a step we are hesitant to take. We opt to impress God with how good we are rather than confessing how great he is.

Pride is seldom delicate; it will please itself with very mean advantages.

We blame equally him who is too proud to put a proper value on his own merit and him who prizes too highly his spurious worth.

Not only the adoration of images is idolatry, but also trust in one's own righteousness, works and merits, and putting confidence in riches and power. As the latter is the commonest, so it also is the most noxious.

Thy pride is but the prologue of thy shame; where vain-glory commands, there folly counsels; where pride rides, there shame lackeys.

Pride comes before a fall - although in [Henry Kissinger's] case it's more conceit than pride.

Vain men delight in telling what Honours have been done them, what great Company they have kept, and the like; by which they plainly confess, that these Honours were more than their Due, and such as their Friends would not believe if they had not been told: Whereas a Man truly proud, thinks the greatest Honours below his Merit, and consequently scorns to boast. I therefore deliver it as a Maxim that whoever desires the Character of a proud Man, ought to conceal his Vanity.

Every present occasion will catch the senses of the vain man; and with that bridle and saddle you may ride him.

Necessity has a way of obliterating from our conduct various delicate scruples regarding honor and pride.