--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: he called out to the open sky, where God…" description: "\"“he called out to the open sky, where God could be seen smiling, Men, forgive Him, for He knows not what He has done.”\" — José Saramago" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/jos-saramago-208_forgive_he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god_2445858.png" --- # he called out to the open sky, where God could be seen… ![“he called out to the open sky, where God could be seen smiling, Men, forgive Him, for He knows not what He has done.” quote by José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/jos-saramago-208_forgive_he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god_2445858.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/jos-saramago-208_forgive_he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god_2445858.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/jos-saramago-208_forgive_he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god_2445858.png) > ““he called out to the open sky, where God could be seen smiling, Men, forgive Him, for He knows not what He has done.”” [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The plea acknowledges human fallibility and asks for mercy, recognizing that even divine actions can be misguided. **In simple terms:** Ask for mercy for mistakes. Key Takeaway Recognize and forgive errors. Themes humility forgiveness divine fallibility Mood reflective somber Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual counseling - ethical decision making Key Concepts theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance reverence with accountability? - When should we forgive unintentional harm? A Different Perspective Even divine intentions can cause harm; humility is essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-knows-527014/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-seen/) [Men Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-forgive-527013/) [Open Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-sky-471856/) ## Related quotes > [Men who do not forgive women their little faults will never enjoy their great virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/men-who-do-not-forgive-women-their-little-faults-will-never-enjoy/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Men never forgive those in whom there is nothing to pardon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/men-never-forgive-those-in-whom-there-is-nothing-to-pardon/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the full value of time and will not suffer it to pass away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rambler/a-wise-man-will-make-haste-to-forgive-because-he-knows-the-full-value/) [Rambler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rambler/) > [“Forgive him- he knows not what he does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/forgive-him-he-knows-not-what-he-does/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“What, the priest? I don't want him. You haven't got a rouble to spare. I have no sins. God must forgive me without that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/what-the-priest-i-don-t-want-him-you-haven-t-got-a-rouble-to-spare-i/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-wise-man-will-make-haste-to-forgive-because-he-knows-the-true-value/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Men are more compassionate/(nobler)/magnanimous/generous than God; for men forgive their dead, but God does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/men-are-more-compassionate-nobler-magnanimous-generous-than-god-for/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [These are the things which might conceivably and truly make men forgive their enemies. 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In between the two is family.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/in-afghanistan-not-much-is-for-certain-other-than-an-open-sky-and/) [Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/) > [“In the open sky above the hushed streets, the moon was a porcelain plate on a black table as I walked home. A breeze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cotto/in-the-open-sky-above-the-hushed-streets-the-moon-was-a-porcelain/) [Andrew Cotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cotto/) ## More by José Saramago > [“We are born, and at that moment, it is as if we had signed a pact for the rest of our life, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-are-born-and-at-that-moment-it-is-as-if-we-had-signed-a-pact-for/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [One can show no greater respect than to weep for a stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/one-can-show-no-greater-respect-than-to-weep-for-a-stranger/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I am not a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-am-not-a-prophet/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [With the passage of time, as well as the social evolution and genetic exchange, we ended up putting our conscience in the color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/with-the-passage-of-time-as-well-as-the-social-evolution-and-genetic/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Al día siguiente no murió nadie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/al-d-a-siguiente-no-muri-nadie/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“E se as histórias para crianças passassem a ser de leitura obrigatória para os adultos? Seriam eles capazes de aprender realmente o que há…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/e-se-as-hist-rias-para-crian-as-passassem-a-ser-de-leitura-obrigat/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [In a king, modesty would be a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/in-a-king-modesty-would-be-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“the inmates of the second ward in the right wing have decided, at long last, to bury their dead, at least we shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-inmates-of-the-second-ward-in-the-right-wing-have-decided-at-long/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Stretching one arm behind him, the man passed his hand over the horse's coat, his own skin transformed, or skin which had transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/stretching-one-arm-behind-him-the-man-passed-his-hand-over-the-horse/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I think we are blind. Blind people who can see, but do not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-think-we-are-blind-blind-people-who-can-see-but-do-not-see/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [...you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourselves, Unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/you-have-to-leave-the-island-in-order-to-see-the-island-that-we-can-t/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [anyone who gets up early by inclination or has been forced to rise early out of necessity finds it intolerable that others should go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/anyone-who-gets-up-early-by-inclination-or-has-been-forced-to-rise/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Society has to change, but the political powers we have at the moment are not enough to effect this change. The whole democratic system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/society-has-to-change-but-the-political-powers-we-have-at-the-moment/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“... aborrece os odores nocturnos, aquelas expansões do corpo a que nem poetas escapam".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/aborrece-os-odores-nocturnos-aquelas-expans-es-do-corpo-a-que-nem/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) [Explore all 487 José Saramago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## More Forgive quotes > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [Im so sorry,i screwed up again.i didnt meant hurting you.please,forgive me,again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redeyeen/im-so-sorry-i-screwed-up-again-i-didnt-meant-hurting-you-please/) [Redeyeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redeyeen/) > [“He fell back. He had cried out so loud that even if there had been no breach in the wall, I should have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/he-fell-back-he-had-cried-out-so-loud-that-even-if-there-had-been-no/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Ive learned¦ that no matter how good a friend is, theyre going to hurt you every once in a while, and you must forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ive-learned-that-no-matter-how-good-a-friend-is-theyre-going-to-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [I feel people relate with your entire journey and forgive your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-feel-people-relate-with-your-entire-journey-and-forgive-your/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“By choosing to forgive, you are choosing to love. By choosing to operate in love, you are choosing to operate in an unconditional state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-watterson/by-choosing-to-forgive-you-are-choosing-to-love-by-choosing-to/) [Eric Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-watterson/) > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) [Browse all 3,381 Forgive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“he called out to the open sky, where God could be seen smiling, Men, forgive Him, for He knows not what He has done.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "José Saramago" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god-could-be-seen-smiling-men/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god-could-be-seen-smiling-men/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/jos-saramago-208_forgive_he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god_2445858.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/jos-saramago-208_forgive_he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god_2445858.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/jos-saramago-208_forgive_he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god_2445858.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“he called out to the open sky, where God could be seen smiling, Men, forgive Him, for He knows not what He…” — José Saramago", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "José Saramago", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“he called out to the open...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god-could-be-seen-smiling-men/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/he-called-out-to-the-open-sky-where-god-could-be-seen-smiling-men/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```