Der Mensch, wo ist er her?
Zu schlecht für einen Gott, zu gut fürs Ungefähr.
As quoted in Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern English and Foreign Sources (1899) by James Wood, p. 61
Variant: Man — who is he? Too bad to be the work of God; Too good for the work of chance!
“Man, whence is he? / Too bad to be the work of a god, too good for the work of chance.”
Doris Lessing (1919–2013) British novelist, poet, playwright, librettist, biographer and short story writer
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, as quoted in Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern English and Foreign Sources (1899) by James Wood, p. 61; usually attributed to Doris Lessing in the form: "Man — who is he? Too bad, to be the work of God: Too good for the work of chance!"
Misattributed
Samuel Butler (1835–1902) novelist
Vice and Virtue, iii
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912), Part II - Elementary Morality
“Nobody is too good or too bad to qualify for God’s grace.”
T. B. Joshua (1963) Nigerian Christian leader
On his poverty-stricken background - "Rare Pictures Of TB Joshua's Early Life Surface" http://zambianeye.com/archives/34213 Zambian Eye (June 25 2015)
Dejan Stojanovic (1959) poet, writer, and businessman
Imperfection http://www.poetrysoup.com/famous/poem/21399/Imperfection <br class="br">From the poems written in English
Marianne Williamson (1952) American writer
Source: A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles" (1992), Ch. 7 : Work, §9 : Sales to Service
“Better too much spade work than too little! This work saves blood.”
Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) German field marshal of World War II
Lieber zuviel als zu wenig Spatengebrauch! Diese Arbeit spart Blut.
Source: Infanterie greift an (1937), p. 28.
“I strain my voice doing bad work, [but] sometimes the impulse is too huge [and] I just have to.”
KatieJane Garside (1968) English singer
On straining her voice when screaming, Delusions of Inadequacy http://www.adequacy.net/2010/06/interview-with-ruby-throat/ (2010)
