34 Piet Hein Quotes

Piet Hein quotes

1. Man is the animal that draws lines which he himself then stumbles over. In the whole pattern of civilization there have been two tendencies, one toward straight lines and rectangular patterns and one toward circular lines. There are reasons, mechanical and psychological, for both tendencies. Things made with straight lines fit well together and save space. And we can move easily - physically or mentally - around things made with round lines. But we are in a straitjacket, having to accept one or the other, when often some intermediate form would be better.

2. After all, what is art? Art is the creative process and it goes through all fields. Einstein's theory of relativity - now that is a work of art! Einstein was more of an artist in physics than on his violin. Art is this: art is the solution of a problem which cannot be expressed explicitly until it is solved.

3. To be and not to be, that is the answer.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

4. There is one art, no more, no less: to do all things with art- lessness.

5. Living is a thing you do now or never - which do you?

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

6. Love is like a pineapple, sweet and undefinable.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

7. Naive you are if you believe life favours those who aren't naive.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

8. Somebody said that Reason was dead. Reason said: No, I think not so.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

9. People are self-centered to a nauseous degree. They will keep on about themselves while I'm explaining me.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

10. Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by hitting back.

11. Put up in a place where it's easy to see the cryptic admonishment T.T.T. When you feel how depressingly slowly you climb, it's well to remember that Things Take Time. (Danish: Ting Tager Tid)

12. The road to wisdom? - Well, it's plain and simple to express: Err and err and err again but less and less and less.

13. The way to grow grand is not: to demand. In life's every field you are what you yield.

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

14. Wisdom is the booby prize given when you've been unwise.

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

15. Freedom means you're free to do just whatever pleases you; --if, of course that is to say, what you please is what you may.

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

16. The universe may be as great as they say. But it wouldn't be missed if it didn't exist.

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

17. Whenever you're called on to make up your mind, and you're hampered by not having any, the best way to solve the dilemma, you'll find, is simply by spinning a penny. No - not so that chance shall decide the affair while you're passively standing there moping; but the moment the penny is up in the air, you suddenly know what you're hoping

18. Co-existence or no existence.

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

19. The noble art of losing face may some day save the human race and turn into eternal merit what weaker minds would call disgrace.

1. Nature, our father and mother, gave us all we have got. The state, our elder brother, swipes the lot.

2. “Nobody can be lucky all the time, so when your luck deserts you in some fashion don't think you've been abandoned in your prime, but rather that you're saving up your ration.”

3. “Losing one glove is certainly painful, but nothing compared to the pain, of losing one, throwing away the other, and finding the first one again.”

4. “It isn't enough to exasperate others. You have to remember to gladden yourself!”

5. “MEETING THE EYE You'll probably find that it suits your book to be a bit cleverer than you look. Observe that the easiest method by far is to look a bit stupider than you are.”

6. “A WORD TO THE WISE Let the world pass in its time-ridden race; never get caught in its snare. Remember, the only acceptable case for being in any particular place is having no business there.”

7. “I'd like to know what this whole show is all about before it's out.”

8. “TIMING TOAST Grook on how to char for yourself There's an art of knowing when. Never try to guess. Toast until it smokes and then twenty seconds less.”

9. “It ought to be plain how little you gain by getting excited and vexed. You'll always be late for the previous train, and always on time for the next.”

10. “Knowing what Thou knowest not Is in a sense Omniscience.”

11. “Hvis man regner med belønning for sin godhed, er det ikke godhed, men beregning.”

12. “MAKING AN EFFORT Our so-called limitations, I believe, apply to faculties we don't apply. We don't discover what we can't achieve until we make an effort not to try.”

13. “Art is solving problems that cannot be formulated before they have been solved. The shaping of the question is part of the answer.”

14. “A bit beyond perception's reach I sometimes believe I see that life is two locked boxes each containing the other’s key.”

15. As Eternity has reckoned There's a lifetime in a second