"Until now, I thought that the most evil torment of the heart is love desire and sorrow. But in this hour I guessed that there is another, perhaps crueler torment than longing and longing, namely, being loved against our will and unable to defend ourselves against this encroaching passion. To see that someone close to us is in the fire of their longing, and to stand by them helplessly, because we do not have the strength, ability and power to save them from the flames. He who is unhappily in love can sometimes curb his passion, because he is not only the victim but also the cause of trouble; and if a man in love is unable to control his passion, he suffers at least through his own fault. However, the one who is loved is indefensible and cannot return the love, because the extent and limit of this passion no longer depends on him, but is beyond his power, and all will is powerless if another person wants him.
"
Author
Stefan ZweigAll Translations
All Translations
"
Until now, I thought that the most evil torment of the heart is love desire and sorrow. But in this hour I guessed that there is another, perhaps crueler torment than longing and longing, namely, being loved against our will and unable to defend ourselves against this encroaching passion. To see that someone close to us is in the fire of their longing, and to stand by them helplessly, because we do not have the strength, ability and power to save them from the flames. He who is unhappily in love can sometimes curb his passion, because he is not only the victim but also the cause of trouble; and if a man in love is unable to control his passion, he suffers at least through his own fault. However, the one who is loved is indefensible and cannot return the love, because the extent and limit of this passion no longer depends on him, but is beyond his power, and all will is powerless if another person wants him.
""Eddig azt hittem, hogy a szív leggonoszabb gyötrelme a szerelmi vágy és bánat. De ebben az órában megsejtettem, hogy van még egy másik, talán kegyetlenebb gyötrelem, mint vágyódni és vágyakozni, mégpedig az, ha akaratunk ellenére szeretnek bennünket és nem tudunk védekezni e tolakodó szenvedély ellen. Látni, hogy valaki közvetlen közelünkben elég vágyakozásának tüzében, és tehetetlenül állni mellette, mert nincs bennünk erő, képesség és hatalom, hogy kimentsük a lángokból. Aki boldogtalanul szerelmes, az időnként fékezni tudja szenvedélyét, mert nemcsak áldozata, hanem okozója is a bajnak; és ha a szerelmes ember képtelen uralkodni szenvedélyén, akkor legalább a maga hibája miatt szenved. Menthetetlen azonban az, akit szeretnek és nem tudja a szerelmet viszonozni, mert ennek a szenvedélynek a mértéke és határa már nem tőle függ, hanem kívül esik erején, és tehetetlen minden akarás, ha egy másik ember őt akarja."