James Wood, comp. Dictionary of Quotations. 1899.
Geibel
Hältst du Natur getreu im Augenmerk, / Frommt jeder tüchtige Meister dir: / Doch klammerst du dich blos an Menschenwerk, / Wird alles, was du schaffst, Manier—If you keep Nature faithfully in view, the example of every thorough master will be of service to you; but if you merely cling to human work, all that you do will be but mannerism.
Liebe bleibt die goldne Leiter / Darauf das Herz zum Himmel steigt—Love is ever the golden ladder whereby the heart ascends to heaven.
Love breaks in with lightning flash: friendship comes like dawning moonlight. Love will obtain and possess; friendship makes sacrifices but asks nothing.
Schlägt die Zeit dir manche Wunde, / Manche Freude bringt ihr Lauf; / Aber eine sel’ge Stunde / Wiegt ein Jahr von Schmerzen auf—If time inflicts on thee many a wound, many a joy brings it too in its course; and one short hour of bliss outweighs a year of pains.
Tief zu denken und schön zu empfinden ist Vielen gegeben; Dichter ist nur, wer schön sagt was er dacht’ und empfand—To think deeply and to feel beautifully is given to many; only he who expresses beautifully what he has thought and felt is a poet.
To express the most difficult matters clearly, and everything intelligibly, is to strike coins out of pure gold.
Vor Leiden kann nur Gott dich wahren, / Unmuth magst du dir selber sparen—From suffering God alone can guard thee; from ill-humour thou canst guard thyself.
What I for many a day wished, life has not granted me, but it has instead taught me this, that my wish was a foolish one.
Zankt, wenn ihr sitzt beim Weine, / Nicht um Kaisers Bart—Wrangle not over your winecups about trifles (lit. about the Emperor’s beard).