It is not true that good can follow only from good and evil only from evil, but that often the opposite is true.[Es nicht wahr ist: daß aus Gutem nur Gutes, aus Bösem nur Böses kommen könne, sondern oft das Gegenteil.]
It is best to avoid the beginnings of evil.
It is a mistake always to contemplate the good and ignore the evil, because by making people neglectful it lets in disaster. There is a dangerous optimism of ignorance and indifference.
If you do – evil will come… Yes, very surely evil will come… It will enter in and make its home within you, and after a little while it will no longer be possible to drive it out.
If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse.
If Men are so wicked as we now see them with Religion what would they be if without it?
If evils come not, then our fears are vain: And if they do, Fear but augments the pain.
If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.
I wanted pure love: ridiculous nonsense. To love anyone is to hate the same enemy; therefore I will adopt your hates. I wanted to do Good: foolishness. On this earth at present Good and Evil are inseparable. I agree to be bad in order to become good.[Je voulais l’amour pur : niaiserie; s’aimer, c’est haïr le même ennemi : j’épouserai donc votre haine. Je voulais le Bien : sottise; sur cette terre et dans ce temps, le Bien et le Mauvaissont inséparables : j’accepte d’être mauvais pour devenir bon.]
I could not help feeling that they were evil things — mountains of madness whose farther slopes looked out over some accursed ultimate abyss.
I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are good people and bad people. You’re wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.
How much evil may be averted by openness![Сколько зла можно устранить откровенностью!]
