The Mind
Five Things
Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring (1853) · From West-Eastern Divan
The Mind
WHAT makes time short to me?
Activity!
What makes it long and spiritless?
'Tis idleness!
What brings us to debt?
To delay and forget!
What makes us succeed?
Decision with speed
How to fame to ascend?
Oneself to defend!
Cite this poem
MLA
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. “Five Things.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/goethe/331/.
Chicago
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. “Five Things.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/goethe/331/.
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