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If God were to hold all Truth concealed in his right hand…

“If God were to hold all Truth concealed in his right hand, and in his left only the steady and diligent drive for Truth, albeit with the proviso that I would always and forever err in the process, and to offer me the choice, I would with all humility take the left hand.” quote by Gotthold Lessing
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““If God were to hold all Truth concealed in his right hand, and in his left only the steady and diligent drive for Truth, albeit with the proviso that I would always and forever err in the process, and to offer me the choice, I would with all humility take the left hand.””

Gotthold Lessing

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Choosing humility over certainty, the speaker prefers the left hand of diligent effort despite inevitable error.

In simple terms: Prefer humble effort over false certainty.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humility and continual learning.

Themes

philosophy humility truth effort error

Mood

contemplative inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • personal development
  • academic discourse
  • ethical decision‑making

Key Concepts

epistemology ethical choice self‑awareness

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does humility look like in your daily decisions?
  • How do you balance confidence with the possibility of error?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor may be too abstract for practical guidance.

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