--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Isn't it a riddle . . . and…" description: "\"Isn't it a riddle . . . and awe-inspiring, that everything is so beautiful? Despite the horror. Lately I've noticed something grand and mysterious peer..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/sophie-scholl-21959_able_isn-t-it-a-riddle-and-awe-inspiring-that_654373.jpg" --- # Isn't it a riddle . . . and awe-inspiring, that everything… ![“Isn't it a riddle . . . and awe-inspiring, that everything is so beautiful? Despite the horror. Lately I've noticed something grand and mysterious peering through my sheer joy in all that is beautiful, a sense of its creator . . . Only man can be truly ugly, because he has the free will to…” quote by Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/sophie-scholl-21959_able_isn-t-it-a-riddle-and-awe-inspiring-that_654373.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/sophie-scholl-21959_able_isn-t-it-a-riddle-and-awe-inspiring-that_654373.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/sophie-scholl-21959_able_isn-t-it-a-riddle-and-awe-inspiring-that_654373.jpg) > “Isn't it a riddle . . . and awe-inspiring, that everything is so beautiful? Despite the horror. Lately I've noticed something grand and mysterious peering through my sheer joy in all that is beautiful, a sense of its creator . . . Only man can be truly ugly, because he has the free will to estrange himself from this song of praise. It often seems that he'll manage to drown out this hymn with his cannon thunder, curses and blasphemy. But during this past spring it has dawned upon me that he won't be able to do this. And so I want to try and throw myself on the side of the victor.” [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote juxtaposes awe at beauty and horror of humanity, urging alignment with goodness despite human capacity for cruelty. **In simple terms:** Beauty exists despite evil; choose goodness. Key Takeaway Align with beauty, reject cruelty. Themes beauty human nature free will morality Mood reflective hopeful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - philosophical - inspirational Key Concepts awe horror hope despair Questions to Reflect On - Can you find beauty in daily life? - How do you resist negative impulses? A Different Perspective The challenge is that human free will can still cause harm despite intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awe/) [Awe inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awe-inspiring/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Blasphemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blasphemy/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Free will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-will/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Hymns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hymns/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riddle/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Thunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder/) ## Related quotes > [“All he knew was that she was beautiful...and that, somehow, despite everything he’d done to try to stop it from happening, she’d managed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-andre/all-he-knew-was-that-she-was-beautiful-and-that-somehow-despite/) [Bella Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-andre/) > [Because you and I have the power to impute beauty on anything under the sun. Because you become the labels you give yourself. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-sanchez/because-you-and-i-have-the-power-to-impute-beauty-on-anything-under/) [Bo Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-sanchez/) > [“You are beautiful, despite what you think, despite what they say. It is time you believed it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xq/you-are-beautiful-despite-what-you-think-despite-what-they-say-it-is/) Xq > [Nature is the one song of praise that never stops singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/nature-is-the-one-song-of-praise-that-never-stops-singing/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [The fire has its flame and praises God. The wind blows the flame and praises God. In the voice we hear the word which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hildegard-of-bingen/the-fire-has-its-flame-and-praises-god-the-wind-blows-the-flame-and/) [Hildegard of Bingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hildegard-of-bingen/) > [“She was silent; the great wings almost stopped moving; only a delicate stirring seemed to keep them aloft. "Listen, then," Mrs. Whatsit said. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/she-was-silent-the-great-wings-almost-stopped-moving-only-a-delicate/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [All of creation is a song of praise to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hildegard-of-bingen/all-of-creation-is-a-song-of-praise-to-god/) [Hildegard of Bingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hildegard-of-bingen/) > [“if only i could sing,i'd sing a song that everybody could sing along,a song to praise you oh Lord”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-o-kgosi-tsosani/if-only-i-could-sing-i-d-sing-a-song-that-everybody-could-sing-along/) K.O Kgosi Tsosani > [“Song of praise: Be joyful and count your blessings.There are so many things to be thankful for; the gift of being alive, blessings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/song-of-praise-be-joyful-and-count-your-blessings-there-are-so-many/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [There is no moral to my song, I praise no right, I blame no wrong; I tell of things that I have seen, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-macdonagh/there-is-no-moral-to-my-song-i-praise-no-right-i-blame-no-wrong-i/) Thomas MacDonagh > [“The perseverance of the saints is not primarily a theoretical problem but a confession of faith ... a song of praise to God's faithfulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/the-perseverance-of-the-saints-is-not-primarily-a-theoretical-problem/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“God has prepared for Himself one great song of praise throughout eternity, and those who enter the community of God join in this song.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/god-has-prepared-for-himself-one-great-song-of-praise-throughout/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david/the-lord-is-my-strength-and-my-shield-my-heart-trusted-in-him-and-i/) [David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david/) > [True joy doth need no song to praise it, silence for love's delight is best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-geibel/true-joy-doth-need-no-song-to-praise-it-silence-for-love-s-delight-is/) Emanuel Geibel > [“I heard all these birds singing and singing so loud and so cheerful. Little birds were chirping and chirping. Big birds were making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-heard-all-these-birds-singing-and-singing-so-loud-and-so-cheerful/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) ## More by Sophie Scholl > [I've been thinking of a story from the Old Testament: Moses stood all day and all night with outstretched arms, praying to God for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/i-ve-been-thinking-of-a-story-from-the-old-testament-moses-stood-all/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [When I was able to get home it first hit me that you had left and I couldn't do anything about it. Every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/when-i-was-able-to-get-home-it-first-hit-me-that-you-had-left-and-i/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [I shall cling to the rope God has thrown me in Jesus Christ, even if my numb hands can no longer feel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/i-shall-cling-to-the-rope-god-has-thrown-me-in-jesus-christ-even-if/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [Who would have thought it possible that a tiny flower could preoccupy a person so completely that there simply wasn't room for any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/who-would-have-thought-it-possible-that-a-tiny-flower-could-preoccupy/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause. Such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/how-can-we-expect-righteousness-to-prevail-when-there-is-hardly/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [How can we expect fate to let a righteous cause prevail when there is hardly anyone who will give himself up undividedly to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/how-can-we-expect-fate-to-let-a-righteous-cause-prevail-when-there-is/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [Stand up for what you believe in even if you are standing alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/stand-up-for-what-you-believe-in-even-if-you-are-standing-alone-2/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [An end in terror is preferable to terror without end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/an-end-in-terror-is-preferable-to-terror-without-end/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [The more they lack material things, the more they indulge themselves when they can, but the less is their satisfaction with this world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/the-more-they-lack-material-things-the-more-they-indulge-themselves/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [Laws change. Conscience doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/laws-change-conscience-doesn-t/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [One must have a tough mind, and a soft heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/one-must-have-a-tough-mind-and-a-soft-heart/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [It was a sunny day, I was carrying a child in a white dress to be christened. The path to the church led up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/it-was-a-sunny-day-i-was-carrying-a-child-in-a-white-dress-to-be/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [I know that life is a doorway to eternity, and yet my heart so often gets lost in petty anxieties. It forgets the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/i-know-that-life-is-a-doorway-to-eternity-and-yet-my-heart-so-often/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [Many people think of our times as being the last before the end of the world. The evidence of horror all around us makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/many-people-think-of-our-times-as-being-the-last-before-the-end-of/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [“Just as I can't see a clear brook without at least stopping to dangle my feet in it, I can't see a meadow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/just-as-i-can-t-see-a-clear-brook-without-at-least-stopping-to-dangle/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) [Explore all 27 Sophie Scholl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Isn't it a riddle . . . and awe-inspiring, that everything is so beautiful? Despite the horror. Lately I've noticed something grand and mysterious peering through my sheer joy in all that is beautiful, a sense of its creator . . . Only man can be truly ugly, because he has the free will to estrange himself from this song of praise. It often seems that he'll manage to drown out this hymn with his cannon thunder, curses and blasphemy. But during this past spring it has dawned upon me that he won't be able to do this. 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