The work of art which I do not make, none other will ever make. Simone Weil More Quotes by Simone Weil More Quotes From Simone Weil To want friendship is a great fault. Friendship ought to be a gratuitous joy, like the joys afforded by art or life. Simone Weil joy friendship art All the Freudian system is impregnated with the prejudice which it makes it its mission to fight -- the prejudice that everything sexual is vile. Simone Weil missions prejudice fighting The world needs saints who have genius, just as a plague-stricken town needs doctors. Simone Weil doctors saint needs It is impossible that the whole of truth should not be present at every time and every place, available for anyone who desires it. Simone Weil truth impossible desire The need of truth is more sacred than any other need. Simone Weil truth-is sacred needs The destruction of the past is perhaps the greatest of all crimes. Simone Weil crime time past A test of what is real is that it is hard and rough. Joys are found in it, not pleasure. What is pleasant belongs to dreams. Simone Weil real dream joy Friendship is a miracle by which a person consents to view from a certain distance, without coming any nearer, the very being who is as necessary to him as food. Simone Weil distance views friendship When an apprentice gets hurt, or complains of being tired, the workmen and peasants have this fine expression: "It is the trade entering his body." Each time that we have some pain to go through, we can say to ourselves quite truly that it is the universe, the order and beauty of the world, and the obedience of God that are entering our body. Simone Weil tired pain hurt The essential characteristic of the first half of the twentieth century is the growing weakness, and almost the disappearance, of the idea of value. Simone Weil weakness ideas firsts The capacity to give one's attention to a sufferer is a very rare and difficult thing; it is almost a miracle; it is a miracle. Nearly all those who think they have the capacity do not possess it. Simone Weil compassion sympathy thinking The simultaneous existence of opposite virtues in the soul like pincers to catch hold of God. Simone Weil virtue soul opposites The payment of debts is necessary for social order. The non-payment is quite equally necessary for social order. For centuries humanity has oscillated, serenely unaware, between these two contradictory necessities. Simone Weil humanity two order The virtue of hope is an orientation of the soul towards a transformation after which it will be wholly and exclusively love. Simone Weil transformation virtue soul The entire universe is nothing but a great metaphor. Simone Weil philosophical metaphor universe Necessity is God's veil. Simone Weil veils One must always be ready to change sides with justice, that fugitive from the winning camp. Simone Weil winning sides justice Mathematics alone make us feel the limits of our intelligence. For we can always suppose in the case of an experiment that it is inexplicable because we don't happen to have all the data. In mathematics we have all the data, brought together in the full light of demonstration, and yet we don't understand. We always come back to the contemplation of our human wretchedness. What force is in relation to our will, the impenetrable opacity of mathematics is in relation to our intelligence. Simone Weil mathematics data limits The apprehension of necessity is an imitation of creation. Simone Weil apprehension imitation creation Every perfect life is a parable invented by God. Simone Weil parables perfect life
