Franz Kafka Quotes on Truth

16 quotes

  1. The true way is along a rope that is not spanned high in the air, but only just above the ground. It seems intended more to cause stumbling than to be walked upon.

  2. One must not cheat anyone, not even the world of its victory.

  3. One tells as few lies as possible only by telling as few lies as possible, and not by having the least possible opportunity to do so.

  4. Sensual love deceives one as to the nature of heavenly love; it could not do so alone, but since it unconsciously has the element of heavenly love within it, it can do so.

  5. Truth is indivisible, hence it cannot recognize itself; anyone who wants to recognize it has to be a lie.

  6. The whole visible world is perhaps nothing more than than the rationalization of a man who wants to find peace for a moment. An attempt to falsify the actuality of knowledge, to regard knowledge as a goal still to be reached.

  7. The whole visible world is perhaps nothing other than a motivation of man's wish to rest for a moment - an attempt to falsify the fact of knowledge, to try to turn the knowledge into the goal.

  8. A belief is like a guillotine, just as heavy, just as light.

  9. The right understanding of any matter and a misunderstanding of the same matter do not wholly exclude each other.

  10. Life's splendor forever lies in wait about each one of us in all its fullness, but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come.

  11. 'Everything you say is boring and incomprehensible,' she said, 'but that alone doesn't make it true.'

  12. So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.

  13. In this love you are like a knife, with which I explore myself.

  14. My guiding principle is this: Guilt is never to be doubted.

  15. The dream reveals the reality which conception lags behind. That is the horror of life - the terror of art.

  16. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked.

All Franz Kafka quotes