God Quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
““Your suns and worlds are not within my ken, I merely watch the plaguey state of men. The little god of earth remains the same queer sprite As on the first day, or in primal light. His life would be less difficult, poor thing, Without your gift of heavenly glimmering; He calls it Reason, using light celestial Just to outdo the beasts in being bestial. To me he seems, with deference to Your Grace, One of those crickets, jumping round the place, Who takes his flying leaps, with legs so long, Then falls to grass and chants the same old song; But, not content with grasses to repose in, This one will hunt for muck to stick his nose in.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Unknown (possible literary fragment)
The speaker observes humanity’s folly, comparing divine reason to a trivial cricket, emphasizing the absurdity of lofty aspirations.
In simple terms: Divine reason is trivial compared to human folly
Key Takeaway
Question the grandeur of lofty ideas
Themes
philosophy
human nature
critique
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
satirical
When to use this quote
- Literary analysis
- philosophical debate
- creative writing
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
Existentialism
satire
mythology
Questions to Reflect On
- Do we underestimate the value of higher reasoning?
- How does humor reveal truth about humanity?
A Different Perspective
The comparison may oversimplify complex divine concepts.
