Courageous, untroubled, mocking and violent-that is what Wisdom wants us to be. Wisdom is a woman, and loves only a warrior.

Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed.

You look up when you wish to be exalted. And I look down because I am exalted.

We are unknown to ourselves, we men of knowledge - and with good reason. We have never sought ourselves - how could it happen that we should ever find ourselves? It has rightly been said: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"; our treasure is where the beehives of our knowledge are.

And let that day be lost to us on which we did not dance once! And let that wisdom be false to us that brought no laughter with it!

The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends.