The Glass Bead Game Quotes

“What you call passion is not a spiritual force, but friction between the soul and the outside world. Where passion dominates, that does not signify the presence of greater desire and ambition, but rather the misdirection of these qualities toward and isolated and false goal, with a consequent tension and sultriness in the atmosphere. Those who direct the maximum force of their desires toward the center, toward true being, toward perfection, seem quieter than the passionate souls because the flame of their fervor cannot always be seen. In argument, for example, they will not shout or wave their arms. But, I assure you, they are nevertheless, burning with subdued fires.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Oh, if only it were possible to find understanding,” Joseph exclaimed. “If only there were a dogma to believe in. Everything is contradictory, everything tangential; there are no certainties anywhere. Everything can be interpreted one way and then again interpreted in the opposite sense. The whole of world history can be explained as development and progress and can also be seen as nothing but decadence and meaninglessness. Isn’t there any truth? Is there no real and valid doctrine?”

The master had never heard him speak so fervently. He walked on in silence for a little, then said: “There is truth, my boy. But the doctrine you desire, absolute, perfect dogma that alone provides wisdom, does not exist. Nor should you long for a perfect doctrine, my friend. Rather, you should long for the perfection of yourself. The deity is within you, not in ideas and books. Truth is lived, not taught. Be prepared for conflicts, Joseph Knecht - I can see that they already have begun.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“A game master or teacher who was primarily concerned with being close enough to the "innermost meaning" would be a very bad teacher. To be candid, I myself, for example, have never in my life said a word to my pupils about the "meaning" of music; if there is one it does not need my explanations. On the other hand I have always made a great point of having my pupils count their eighths and sixteenths nicely. Whatever you become, teacher, scholar, or musician, have respect for the "meaning" but do not imagine that it can be taught.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“There is truth, my boy. But the doctrine you desire, absolute, perfect dogma that alone provides wisdom, does not exist. Nor should you long for a perfect doctrine, my friend. Rather, you should long for the perfection of yourself. The deity is within you, not in ideas and books. Truth is lived, not taught.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Should we be mindful of dreams?" Joseph asked. "Can we interpret them?"

The Master looked into his eyes and said tersely: "We should be mindful of everything, for we can interpret everything.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“The old man slowly raised himself from the piano stool, fixed those cheerful blue eyes piercingly and at the same time with unimaginable friendliness upon him, and said: "Making music together is the best way for two people to become friends. There is none easier. That is a fine thing. I hope you and I shall remain friends. Perhaps you too will learn how to make fugues, Joseph.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Every important cultural gesture comes down to a morality, a model for human behavior concentrated into a gesture.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Those who direct the maximum force of their desires towards the center, toward the true being, toward perfection, seem quieter than the passionate souls because the flame of their fervor cannot always be seen. In argument, for example, they will not shout and wave their arms. But I assure you, they are nevertheless burning with subdued fires.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Each of us is merely one human being, merely an experiment, a way station. But each of us should be on the way toward perfection, should be striving to reach the center, not the periphery.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“People know, or dimly feel, that if thinking is not kept pure and keen, and if respect for the world of mind is no longer operative, ships and automobiles will soon cease to run right, the engineer's slide rule and the computations of banks and stock exchanges will forfeit validity and authority, and chaos will ensue. ”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“What I am in search of is not so much the gratification of a curiosity or a passion for worldly life, but something far less conditional. I do not wish to go out into the world with an insurance policy in my pocket guaranteeing my return in the event of a disappointment, like some cautious traveller who would be content with a brief glimpse of the world. On the contrary, I desire that there should be hazards, difficulties and dangers to face; I am hungry for reality, for tasks and deeds, and also for privation and suffering.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“كل واحد منا إنسان , بشر, أي أنه مجرد محاولة, مجرد شئ في منتصف الطريق. و علي الإنسان أن يكون في منتصف الطريق المؤدي إلي الكمال و أن يسعي لبلوغ المركز لا الحافة.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Tegularius was a willful, moody person who refused to fit into his society. Every so often he would display the liveliness of his intellect. When highly stimulated he could be entrancing; his mordant wit sparkled and he overwhelmed everyone with the audacity and richness of his sometimes somber inspirations. But basically he was incurable, for he did not want to be cured; he cared nothing for co-ordination and a place in the scheme of things. He loved nothing but his freedom, his perpetual student status, and preferred spending his whole life as the unpredictable and obstinate loner, the gifted fool and nihilist, to following the path of subordination to the hierarchy and thus attaining peace. He cared nothing for peace, had no regard for the hierarchy, hardly minded reproof and isolation. Certainly he was a most inconvenient and indigestible component in a community whose idea was harmony and orderliness. But because of this very troublesomeness and indigestibility he was, in the midst of such a limpid and prearranged little world, a constant source of vital unrest, a reproach, an admonition and warning, a spur to new, bold, forbidden, intrepid ideas, an unruly, stubborn sheep in the herd.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“His way had therefore come full circle, or rather had taken the form of an ellipse or a spiral, following as ever no straight unbroken line, for the rectilinear belongs only to Geometry and not to Nature and Life.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Stages



As every flower fades and as all youth
Departs, so life at every stage,
So every virtue, so our grasp of truth,
Blooms in its day and may not last forever.
Since life may summon us at every age
Be ready, heart, for parting, new endeavor,
Be ready bravely and without remorse
To find new light that old ties cannot give.
In all beginnings dwells a magic force
For guarding us and helping us to live.

Serenely let us move to distant places
And let no sentiments of home detain us.
The Cosmic Spirit seeks not to restrain us
But lifts us stage by stage to wider spaces.
If we accept a home of our own making,
Familiar habit makes for indolence.
We must prepare for parting and leave-taking
Or else remain the slaves of permanence.

Even the hour of our death may send
Us speeding on to fresh and newer spaces,
And life may summon us to newer races.
So be it, heart: bid farewell without end.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Times of terror and the deepest misery may arrive, but if there is to be any happiness in this misery it can only be a spiritual happiness, related to the past in the rescue of the culture of early ages and to the future in a serene and indefatigable championship of the spirit in a time which would otherwise completely swallow up the material.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“الفترة الأخيرة من كل مرحلة من مراحل الحياة تحمل لونا خفيفا من الذبول و الرغبة في الموت ذاتها يقودها إلي مكان جديد,إلي اليقظة,إلي بداية جديدة”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“The scholar who knowingly speaks, writes, or teaches falsehood, who knowingly supports lies and deceptions, not only violates organic principles. He also, no matter how things may seem at the given moment, does his people a grave disservice. He corrupts its air and soil, its food and drink; he poisons its thinking and its laws, and he gives aid and comfort to all the hostile, evil forces that threaten the nation with annihilation.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“كلما زاد ما نتطلبه من أنفسنا أو كلما زاد ما يتطلبه واجبنا منا زادت ضرورة التجائنا إلي التأمل مصدر قوة و إلي التوافق بين الفكر و الروح,
كلما زاد تملك مهمة من المهمات لنا, فأثارتنا و سمت بنا تارة, و تارة أتعبتنا وأرهقتنا , أصبح إهمالنا لمصدر القوة هذا أيسر علينا و أسهل حدوثا لنا, بالظبط كما يحدث لنا عندما ننهمك في عمل فكري انهماكا شديدا و يسهل علينا إهمال الجسم و التغاضي عن العناية به. و عظماء الرجال كانوا إما علي معرفة بالتأمل و ممارسته, أو كانوا في الطريق الموصل إلي التأمل دون علم منهم, فمن لم تتح له واحدة من هذه, حتي و لو كان عظيم الموهبة شديد البأس, فقد انتهي به الأمر إلي الفشل و الانحدار, لأن مهمته التي سعي إلي تأديتها قد تملكته حتي أفقدته القدرة علي التحلل من حين لحين من الأحداث المحيطة و الابتعاد عنها.
هذه هي الحقيقة المرة, و لا يعلم مرارتها إلا من ضل الطريق مرة”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“إنما هو شئ مؤسف أليم أن يموت إنسان في مثل هذا اليأس .إن الله لا يرسل إلينا اليأس ليقتلنا,بل يرسله إلينا ليوقظ فينا حياة جديدة”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“قد تأتي عصور من الإرهاب و البؤس الشديد,فإذا كان من المقدر أن يكون من البؤس سعد,فلا يمكن إلا أن يكون ذلك السعد فكريا,يتجه إلي الوراء لإنقاذ ثقافة العصور القديمة ,و يتجه إلي الأمام ليمثل في صفاء و رضا.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“Nismo slepi prema činjenici da taj pokušaj donekle protivureči ili izgleda da protivureči zakonima i običajima koji vladaju u duhovnom životu. Jer jedno od vrhovnih načela našeg vrhovnog života je upravo gašenje individualnoga, po mogućstvu potpuno svrstavanje pojedinaca u hijerarhiju vaspitne vlasti i nauka."
"Savršena muzika ima svoje uzroke. Ona postaje iz ravnoteže. Ravnoteža postaje iz pravoga, pravo postaje iz smisla sveta. Otuda se o muzici može govoriti samo sa čovekom koji je spoznao smisao sveta.
Muzika počiva na harmoniji između neba i zemlje, na saglasnosti tmine i svetlosti."
"VERUJEM DA JOŠ NIKADA NISAM VIDEO KOLIKO JE LEP. AH, DA, TO MOŽDA DOLAZI OTUDA ŠTO GA PRVI PUT VIDIM KAO NEŠTO ŠTO MORAM NAPUSTITI I OD ČEGA SE MORAM OPROSTITI."
"Svaki od nas je samo čovek, samo pokušaj, uzgrednik. Ali on treba da bude na putu ka savršenom, treba da teži ka središtu, ne ka periferiji. Zapamti: čovek može da bude strogi logičar ili gramatičar, a pritom pun fantazije i muzike. Može se biti muzičar ili igrač staklenih perli, a pri tom sav odan zakonu i poretku. Čovek kakvog mi zamišljamo i želimo, kakav treba da postane prema našem cilju, mogao bi svakog dana svoju nauku ili umetnost zameniti svakom drugom. Iz njega bi u igri staklenih perli obasjavala najkristalnija logika, a u gramatici najstvaralačkija fantazija."
"Onaj ko se više penje i dobija veće zadatke, ne biva slobodniji - on je uvek samo odgovorniji."
"Odricanje od sadašnjice i sutrašnjice u korist savršenog, ali prošlog, to je bila uzvišena vrsta bekstva."
"Nikada nemoj ostavljati utisak kao da radiš, imaj vremena za svakoga ko želi s tobom da razgovara."
"TAKO TO BIVA KAD ČOVEK SVOJU SPOSOBNOST DA VOLI SAKUPI NA JEDAN JEDINI PREDMET. S NJEGOVIM GUBITKOM RUŠI SE SVE, A ČOVEK OSTAJE SAM U RUŠEVINAMA.”
― Hermann Hesse, Igra staklenih perli 1-2

“When I composed those verses I was preoccupied less with music than with an experience—an experience in which that beautiful musical allegory had shown its moral side, had become an awakening and a summons to a life vocation. The imperative form of the poem which specially displeases you is not the expression of a command and a will to teach but a command and warning directed towards myself. Even if you were not fully aware of this, my friend, you could have read it in the closing lines. I experienced an insight, you see, a realization and an inner vision, and wished to impress and hammer the moral of this vision into myself. That is the reason why this poem has remained in my memory. Whether the verses are good or bad they have achieved their aim, for the warning has lived on within me and has not been forgotten. It rings anew for me again to-day, and that is a wonderful little experience which your scorn cannot take away from me.”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“كان قد أحس بعملية الإلهام التي يصح للإنسان أن يسميها بحق سرا قدسيا, لقد ظهر العالم المثالي له و فتح أبوابه له في دعوة إلي الدخول,ذلك العالم المثالي الذي كانت نفسه الغريرة حتي ذلك الحين لا تعرفه إلا مما يحكي لها عنها و يصل إلي أسماعها أو مما يخالجها من أحلام متأججة لم يعد هذا العالم المثالي بالنسبة له عالما موجودا في مكان ما علي بعد سحيق,لا, لقد أصبح موجودا هنا,أصبح نشيطا فعالا,يرسل الإشعاعات و يبعث المبعوثين و الرسل و السفراء”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“أصبحت هذه الحياة كلها في النهاية عذابا عظيما و كابوسا لا يكاد حمله يطاق ,و ألما أليما, فقد تخلي عنه كل شئ, دون أن يعرف يقينا ما إذا كان هو الذي تخلي عن كل شئ و ما إذا كان هذا الموات و الاغتراب بين جنبات عالمه المألوف قد حدث نتيجة لإثم ارتكبه هو بطموحه و تكبره , و لاشك أن هذه الآلام التي تصاحب الإلهام الصادق هي اشد الآلام مرارة. إن من يتلقي إلهاما لا يتلقي عطية و أمرا فقط, بل يحمل أيضا إصرا”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“إن التضحية بحب الحقيقة، وبالأمانة الفكرية، وبالإخلاص لقوانين ومناهج الفكر من أجل مصلحة أخرى مهما كانت، حتى مصلحة الوطن نفسه، خيانة. فإذا حدث في صراع المصالح والشعارات أن تعرضت الحقيقة لخطر فقدان القيمة والتخريف والاغتصاب، كما يتعرض الفرد له، وكما تتعرض له اللغة والفنون وكل كائن عضوي، وكل ما استنبط ونما نماءُ فنيًا جميلًا، فإن واجبنا الوحيد يتلخص آنئذ في المقاومة، وفي إنقاذ الحقيقة أعني إنقاذ السعي وراء الحقيقة. باعتباره أسمى ما في إيماننا. والعالم - سواء كان خطيبًا أو كاتبًا أو معلمًا - الذي يقول الخطأ، وهو يعلم أنه الخطأ، أو يساند الأكاذيب والتحريفات وهو يعلم أنها كذلك، لا يسلك فحسب مسلكًا مضادًا للقوانين الحيوية الأساسية، بل يصيب شعبه، رغم ما قد يظهر غير ذلك من نجاح وقتي، بالأذى الشديد، لأنه يفسد الهواء والأرض، والطعام والشراب، ويسمم التفكير والحق ويعين كل شر وكل عدو يهدد الشعب بالإبادة.”
― هرمان هيسه, The Glass Bead Game

“[...] ne aflam in cu totul alte raporturi fata de muzica clasica decat oamenii din epocile care au creat-o; veneratia spiritualizata si nu intotdeauna suficient eliberata de sub stapanirea unei melancolii resemnate, nutrita de noi fata de adevarata muzica, este cu totul altceva decat senina placere naiva iscata de muzica in vremurile in care a aparut [...]”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“أين هو المكان الذي يمكن لقواه أن تخدم فيه علي أحسن وجه و تثمر أحسن ثمرة؟؟”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“ربما لم يكن أولئك الذين تجذبهم الدنيا البعيدة هم الضعفاء الناقصين حتما, و لم يكن ما يلوح للمرء نكسة أصابتهم, لا نكسة ولا إصابة, بل قفزة و عملا, و ربما كنا نحن الذين بقينا في اشهولتس الضعاف الجبناء”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game

“نجاح عن طريق شئ بسيط,و في الثبات خلاص الجوّال”
― Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game