Quotes from book
I and Thou
Ich und Du, usually translated as I and Thou , is a book by Martin Buber, published in 1923, and first translated from German to English in 1937.
Variant translationː All actual life is encounter.
Variant: All real life is meeting.
Source: I and Thou (1923)
“Mundus vult decipi: the world wants to be deceived.”
Source: I and Thou
“An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language.”
I and Thou (1923)
“Persons appear by entering into relation to other persons.”
Person erscheint, indem sie zu andern Personen in Beziehung tritt.
I and Thou (1923)
“Egos appear by setting themselves apart from other egos.”
I and Thou (1923)
I and Thou (1923)
Context: Some would deny any legitimate use of the word God because it has been misused so much. Certainly it is the most burdened of all human words. Precisely for that reason it is the most imperishable and unavoidable. And how much weight has all erroneous talk about God's nature and works (although there never has been nor can be any such talk that is not erroneous) compared with the one truth that all men who have addressed God really meant him? For whoever pronounces the word God and really means Thou, addresses, no matter what his delusion, the true Thou of his life that cannot be restricted by any other and to whom he stands in a relationship that includes all others.
I and Thou (1923)
Context: The world is not divine sport, it is divine destiny. There is divine meaning in the life of the world, of man, of human persons, of you and of me.
Creation happens to us, burns itself into us, recasts us in burning — we tremble and are faint, we submit. We take part in creation, meet the Creator, reach out to Him, helpers and companions. <!-- § 49
I and Thou (1923)
Context: Some would deny any legitimate use of the word God because it has been misused so much. Certainly it is the most burdened of all human words. Precisely for that reason it is the most imperishable and unavoidable. And how much weight has all erroneous talk about God's nature and works (although there never has been nor can be any such talk that is not erroneous) compared with the one truth that all men who have addressed God really meant him? For whoever pronounces the word God and really means Thou, addresses, no matter what his delusion, the true Thou of his life that cannot be restricted by any other and to whom he stands in a relationship that includes all others.
“The Thou encounters me by grace — it cannot be found by seeking.”
I and Thou (1923)
Context: The Thou encounters me by grace — it cannot be found by seeking. But that I speak the basic word to it is a deed of my whole being, is my essential deed.
