"Everything is fraud: if we strive for the minimum in deception, if we follow the average, if we try for the maximum. In the first case, we take the good for granted, because this would make it much easier for us to achieve it; and evil too, because we impose too unfavorable fighting conditions for him. In the second case, we get the good stuff; because in this way we do not even strive for it during our earthly life. In the third case, we take the good for granted, because we distance ourselves from it as far as we can; evil too, because we trust that if we increase it to the extreme, we can take its power. According to this, we should choose the middle way, because we always deceive the good, but in this case, at least apparently, not the evil.
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Author
Franz KafkaAll Translations
All Translations
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Everything is fraud: if we strive for the minimum in deception, if we follow the average, if we try for the maximum. In the first case, we take the good for granted, because this would make it much easier for us to achieve it; and evil too, because we impose too unfavorable fighting conditions for him. In the second case, we get the good stuff; because in this way we do not even strive for it during our earthly life. In the third case, we take the good for granted, because we distance ourselves from it as far as we can; evil too, because we trust that if we increase it to the extreme, we can take its power. According to this, we should choose the middle way, because we always deceive the good, but in this case, at least apparently, not the evil.
""Csalás minden: ha a megtévesztésben a minimumra törekszünk, ha az átlagot követjük, ha a maximummal próbálkozunk. Az első esetben rászedjük a jót, mert elérését így nagyon megkönnyítenénk magunknak; és a gonoszt is, mert neki meg túlságosan kedvezőtlen harci feltételeket szabunk. A második esetben rászedjük a jót; mert így a földi életünk során még csak nem is törekszünk rá. A harmadik esetben rászedjük a jót, mert olyan messzire távolodunk tőle, amennyire csak bírunk; a gonoszt is, mert abban bízunk, hogy ha a végletekig fokozzuk, azzal erejét vehetjük. Eszerint a középutat kellene választanunk, a jót ugyanis mindig csaljuk, ám a gonoszt ez esetben, legalábbis látszólag, nem."