Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, 1844-1900, left behind hundreds of philosophical quotations, many of which, despite the sometimes dated language, are as relevant to the world today as they were in 19th century Europe when he thought of them.

Known as a German philosopher he was born in Prussia, as a citizen of one of the states that belonged to the German Confederation in the years before the formation of a German nation state; although when Nietzsche died he was officially "stateless", as he had renounced his Prussian nationality after moving to Basel in Switzerland.


You must have chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star

He who has a "WHY" to live for can bear almost any "HOW"

A pair of powerful spectacles has sometimes sufficed to cure a person in love

That which does not kill us, makes us stronger

A subject for a great poet would be God's boredom after the seventh day of creation

When marrying, ask yourself this question: Do you believe that you will be able to converse well with this person into your old age? Everything else in marriage is transitory

To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself

There is not enough love and goodness in the world to permit giving any of it away to imaginary beings

You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist

Without music, life would be a mistake

We are always in our own company

Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies

At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid

Two great European narcotics, alcohol and Christianity

The "kingdom of Heaven" is a condition of the heart - not something that comes "upon the earth" or "after death".

What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil

The desire to annoy no one, to harm no one, can equally well be the sign of a "just" as of an "anxious" disposition

To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering

The doer alone learneth

Those who cannot understand how to put their thoughts on ice should not enter into the heat of debate

Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself

There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy

Memory says: “I did that”. Pride replies: “I could not have done that.” Eventually memory yields.


Quotations from Friedrich Nietzsche, Philosopher, October 15, 1844 - August 25, 1900