Men owe us what we imagine they will give us. We must forgive them this debt. Simone Weil More Quotes by Simone Weil More Quotes From Simone Weil It is only the impossible that is possible for God. He has given over the possible to the mechanics of matter and the autonomy of his creatures. Simone Weil godmatterimpossible Liberty, taking the word in its concrete sense, consists in the ability to choose. Simone Weil 4th-of-julyfreedompeace Christians ought to suspect that affliction is the very essence of creation. To be a created thing is not necessarily to be afflicted, but it is necessarily to be exposed to affliction. ... Affliction is the surest sign that God wishes to be loved by us; it is the most precious evidence of His tenderness. Simone Weil essencesufferingchristian To be a hero or a heroine, one must give an order to oneself. Simone Weil womenheroorder If someone does me injury I must desire that this injury shall not degrade me. I must desire this out of love for him who inflicts it, in order that he may not really have done evil. Simone Weil evildesireorder Death. An instantaneous state, without past or future. Indispensable for entering eternity. Simone Weil enteringeternitypast What hope is there for innocence if it is not recognized? Simone Weil innocenceifs To get power over is to defile. To possess is to defile. Simone Weil power When literature becomes deliberately indifferent to the opposition of good and evil it betrays its function and forfeits all claim to excellence. Simone Weil excellenceliteratureevil The miser deprives himself of his treasure because of his desire for it. Simone Weil miserstreasuredesire One has only the choice between God and idolatry. There is no other possibility. For the faculty of worship is in us, and it is either directed somewhere into this world, or into another. Simone Weil choicesworshipworld The notion of obligations comes before that of rights, which is subordinate and relative to the former. A right is not effectual by itself, but only in relation to the obligation to which it corresponds. Simone Weil dutyrightsrelation Everything which originates from pure love is lit with the radiance of beauty. Simone Weil pure-loveradiancelove-is Justice, truth, and beauty are sisters and comrades. With three such beautiful words we have no need to look for any others. Simone Weil justicebeautifulbeauty Distance is the soul of beauty. Simone Weil distancesoul There can be a true grandeur in any degree of submissiveness, because it springs from loyalty to the laws and to an oath, and not from baseness of soul. Simone Weil loyaltylawspring If Germany, thanks to Hitler and his successors, were to enslave the European nations and destroy most of the treasures of their past, future historians would certainly pronounce that she had civilized Europe. Simone Weil europecivilizationpast Today it is not nearly enough to be a saint, but we must have the saintliness demanded by the present moment, a new saintliness, itself also without precedent. Simone Weil saintlive-in-the-momenttoday The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running. Simone Weil breathinglearningrunning The full expression of personality depends upon its being inflated by social prestige; it is a social privilege. Simone Weil privilegepersonalityexpression
