Different languages Quote by James Joyce
““What was after the universe? Nothing. But was there anything round the universe to show where it stopped before the nothing place began? It could not be a wall; but there could be a thin thin line there all round everything. It was very big to think about everything and everywhere. Only God could do that. He tried to think what a big thought that must be; but he could only think of God. God was God's name just as his name was Stephen. Dieu was the French for God and that was God's name too; and when anyone prayed to God and said Dieu then God knew at once that it was a French person that was praying. But, though there were different names for God in all the different languages in the world and God understood what all the people who prayed said in their different languages, still God remained always the same God and God's real name was God.””
About This Quote
The passage muses on the universe’s boundaries, the concept of God’s name across languages, and the idea that God remains the same despite linguistic differences.
In simple terms: Contemplates universe’s edge and God’s universal identity.
Key Takeaway
Recognize unity beyond linguistic differences.
Themes
theology
philosophy
cosmology
Mood
contemplative
spiritual
Type
philosophical
theological
When to use this quote
- spiritual reflection
- scientific inquiry
- interfaith dialogue
- personal meditation
Key Concepts
language
identity
infinity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does language shape your perception of the divine?
- What does “nothing” mean in a cosmological context?
A Different Perspective
The metaphorical language may limit literal interpretation.
![“What was after the universe? Nothing. But was there anything round the universe to show where it stopped before the nothing place began? It could not be a wall; but there could be a thin line there all round everything. [...] It pained him that he did not know well what politics meant and that he…” quote by James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f1a/james-joyce-281_end_what-was-after-the-universe-nothing-but_929532.jpg)
