Everything intercepts us from ourselves.
(Emerson.)
Heraclitus, «War…»
War is the father of all.
(Heraclitus.)
Oliver Wendell Holmes, «Life is a great bundle…»
Life is a great bundle of little things.
(O. W. Holmes: The Professor at the Breakfast Table.)
Pascal, «How many natures…»
How many natures lie in human nature!
(Pascal: Pensees.)
Pascal, «We take issue…»
We take issue even with perfection.
(Pascal: Pensees.)
Kobayashi Issa, «A world of dew…»
A world of dew:
Yet within the dewdrops – Quarrels.
(Kobayashi Issa.)
Κobayashi Ιssa, «Where there are humans…»
Where there are humans
you’ll find flies,
and Buddhas.
(Κobayashi Ιssa.)
Vauvenargues, «Contempt for human nature…»
Contempt for human nature
is an error of human reason.
(Vauvenargues: Reflections and Maxims.)
William Blake, «The bird a nest…»
The bird a nest,
the spider a web,
man friendship.
(W. Blake: The marriage of Heaven and Hell.)
Mark Twain, «If man had created man…»
If man had created man
he would be ashamed
of his performance.
(Mark Twain: Notebooks.)