Contents: This is what Zarathustra said. Friedrich Nietzsche “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” - quotes from the book

“Thus spoke Zarathustra.

A book for everyone and no one"

Friedrich Nietzsche "Also Sprach Zarathustra"

Part one

Preface by Zarathustra

1

“Great luminary! What would your happiness be reduced to if you didn’t have those for whom you shine!

For ten years you have been ascending to my cave: you would have been fed up with your light and this road if it weren’t for me, my eagle and my snake.

But we waited for you every morning, received your excess from you and blessed you.

Look! I am fed up with my wisdom, like a bee that has collected too much honey; I need hands stretched out to me.

I would like to bestow and bestow until the wise among men again begin to rejoice in their folly, and the poor in their wealth.

To do this, I must go down: as you do every evening, plunging into the sea and bringing your light to the other side of the world, you richest luminary!

I must, like you, roll up, as the people I want to go down to call it.

So bless me, you calm eye, looking without envy even at excessively great happiness!

Bless the cup that is ready to spill, so that golden moisture flows from it and carries everywhere the reflection of your joy!

Look, this cup wants to become empty again, and Zarathustra wants to become a man again.”

– Thus began the decline of Zarathustra.

2

“I am no stranger to this wanderer: several years ago he passed here. He was called Zarathustra; but he has changed.

Then you carried your ashes to the mountain; do you really want to carry your fire into the valleys now? Aren't you afraid of punishment for the arsonist?

Yes, I recognize Zarathustra. His gaze is pure, and there is no disgust on his lips. Isn’t that why he walks as if he’s dancing?

Zarathustra was transformed, Zarathustra became a child, Zarathustra woke up: what do you want among those sleeping?

Like on the sea, you lived alone, and the sea carried you. Alas! do you want to go ashore? Do you want to carry your body by yourself again?”

Zarathustra answered: “I love people.”

“Isn’t that why,” said the saint, “I went into the forest and desert? Isn’t it because I loved people too much?

Now I love God: I don’t love people. Man is too imperfect for me. Loving a man would kill me."

Zarathustra answered: “What did I say about love! I bring a gift to people."

“Don’t give them anything,” said the saint. - It’s better to take something off them and carry it with them - that will be best for them, if only it’s best for you too!

And if you want to give to them, give them no more alms and also make them ask for it from you!”

“No,” answered Zarathustra, “I do not give alms. I'm not poor enough for this."

The saint began to laugh at Zarathustra and said: “Then try to make them accept your treasures! They are distrustful of hermits and do not believe that we come to give.

Our steps through the streets sound too lonely for them. And if at night, in their beds, they hear a man walking long before sunrise, they ask themselves: where is this thief sneaking?

Don't go to people and stay in the forest! Better go to the animals! Why don’t you want to be like me – a bear among bears, a bird among birds?”

“What is a saint doing in the forest?” – asked Zarathustra.

The saint answered: “I compose songs and sing them; and when I compose songs, I laugh, cry and mutter into my beard: this is how I praise God.

By singing, crying, laughing and muttering I praise God, my God. But tell me, what are you bringing us as a gift?”

Hearing these words, Zarathustra bowed to the saint and said: “What could I give you! Let me leave quickly so that I don’t take something from you!” - So they went in different directions, the old man and the man, and each laughed, like children laugh.

But when Zarathustra was left alone, he said in his heart: “Is this possible! This holy old man in his forest had not yet heard that God is dead".

3

Arriving at the nearest city, which lay beyond the forest, Zarathustra found there a multitude of people gathered in the market square: for he was promised a spectacle - a dancer on a rope. And Zarathustra spoke thus to the people:

I teach you about the superman. Man is something that must be transcended. What have you done to surpass him?

All beings hitherto have created something superior to themselves; Do you want to be the ebb of this great wave and return to the state of the beast rather than surpass man?

What is a monkey in relation to humans? A laughing stock or a painful shame. And man must be the same for the superman: a laughing stock or a painful shame.

You have made the journey from worm to man, but much of the worm still remains in you. You were once a monkey, and even now man is more of a monkey than any of the monkeys.

Even the wisest among you is only discord and a cross between a plant and a ghost. But do I tell you to become a ghost or a plant?

Look, I'm teaching you about the superman!

Superman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will speak: yes it will be superman is the meaning of the earth!

I conjure you, my brothers, stay true to the earth and do not believe those who tell you about supermundane hopes! They are poisoners, whether they know it or not.

They despise life, these dying and self-poisoning ones, from whom the earth is tired: let them disappear!

Previously, blasphemy against God was the greatest blasphemy; but God died, and these blasphemers died with him. Now to blaspheme the earth is the most terrible crime, just as to honor the essence of the incomprehensible higher than the meaning of the earth!

The soul once looked at the body with contempt: and then there was nothing higher than this contempt - it wanted to see the body skinny, disgusting and hungry. So she thought of running away from the body and from the earth.

Oh, this soul itself was still skinny, disgusting and hungry; and cruelty was the lust of this soul!

But now, my brothers, tell me: what does your body say about your soul? Isn’t your soul poverty and filth and miserable self-satisfaction?

Truly, man is a dirty stream. One must be the sea in order to receive the dirty stream and not become unclean.

See, I teach you about the superman: he is the sea where your great contempt can drown.

What is the highest thing that you can experience? This is the hour of great contempt. The hour when your happiness becomes disgusting to you, as does your reason and your virtue.

The hour when you say: “What is my happiness! It is poverty and dirt and pathetic self-satisfaction. My happiness should justify my very existence!”

The hour when you say, “What is my mind! Does he seek knowledge like a lion for his food? He is poverty and filth and pathetic self-satisfaction!”

The hour when you say: “What is my virtue! She hasn't made me go crazy yet. How tired I am of my good and my evil! All this is poverty and dirt and pathetic self-satisfaction!”

The hour when you say: “What is my justice! I don't see that I was flame and coal. And the just is fire and coal!”

The hour when you say: “What is my pity! Isn't pity the cross to which everyone who loves people is nailed? But my pity is not a crucifixion.”

Have you said this before? Have you exclaimed like this before? Oh, if only I had already heard you exclaim like that!

It is not your sin, it is your self-righteousness that cries to heaven; the insignificance of your sins cries to heaven!

But where is the lightning that licks you with its tongue? Where is the madness that needs to be instilled in you?

Look, I teach you about the superman: he is this lightning, he is this madness! -

While Zarathustra was speaking thus, someone shouted from the crowd: “We have already heard enough about the rope dancer; let them show it to us!” And all the people began to laugh at Zarathustra. And the rope dancer, thinking that these words applied to him, set about his work.

4

Zarathustra looked at the people and was surprised. Then he said this:

Man is a rope stretched between an animal and a superman - a rope over an abyss.

Passing is dangerous, being on the road is dangerous, looking backward is dangerous, fear and stopping are dangerous.

What is important in a person is that he is a bridge, not a goal: in a person you can only love what he transition And death.

I love those who do not know how to live except to perish, for they are walking across a bridge.

I love great haters, for they are great admirers and arrows of longing for the other shore.

I love those who do not look beyond the stars for a reason to perish and become a victim - but sacrifice themselves to the earth, so that the earth will one day become the land of the superman.

I love the one who lives for knowledge and who wants to know so that one day a superman may live. Because this is how he wants his death.

I love the one who works and invents to build a dwelling for the superman and prepare the earth, animals and plants for his arrival: for this is how he wants his destruction.

I love the one who loves his virtue: for virtue is the will to destruction and the arrow of melancholy.

I love the one who does not save a drop of spirit for himself, but wants to be entirely the spirit of his virtue: for thus, like a spirit, he passes over a bridge.

I love the one who makes his own gravity and his misfortune out of his virtue: for this is how he wants to live for the sake of his virtue and not live anymore.

I love someone who doesn't want to have too many virtues. One virtue is more virtue than two, for it is to a greater extent the knot on which the attack rests.

I love the one whose soul is wasted, who does not want gratitude and does not repay it: for he constantly gives and does not want to take care of himself.

I love the one who is ashamed when a die falls on his luck, and who then asks: Am I really a cheating player? - because he wants death.

I love the one who throws golden words ahead of his deeds and always fulfills even more than he promises: for he wants his own destruction.

I love the one who justifies the people of the future and redeems the people of the past: for he wants destruction from the people of the present.

I love him who punishes his God, as he loves his God: for he must perish from the wrath of his God.

I love the one whose soul is deep even in wounds and who can die at the slightest test: so willingly does he walk across the bridge.

I love him whose soul is overflowing, so that he forgets himself, and all things are contained in him: thus all things become his destruction.

I love the one who is free in spirit and free in heart: so his head is only the womb of his heart, and his heart leads him to destruction.

I love all those who are heavy drops falling one after another from a dark cloud hanging over a person: lightning approaches, they proclaim and perish like heralds.

Look, I am the herald of lightning and a heavy drop from a cloud; but this lightning is called superman.

5

Having uttered these words, Zarathustra again looked at the people and fell silent. “Here they stand,” he said in his heart, “here they laugh: they don’t understand me, my speeches are not for these ears.

Is it really necessary to first tear off their ears so that they learn to listen with their eyes? Is it really necessary to thunder like timpani and like preachers of repentance? Or do they only believe the person who stutters?

They have something that they are proud of. But what do they call what makes them proud? They call it culture, it distinguishes them from goatherds.

Therefore, they do not like to hear the word “contempt” used about themselves. I will speak to their pride.

I will tell them about the most despicable creature, and this is the last man."

And thus spoke Zarathustra to the people:

The time has come for man to set his own goal. The time has come for man to plant the sprout of his highest hope.

Its soil is still rich enough for this. But this soil will someday be poor and barren, and not a single tall tree will grow on it anymore.

Woe! The time is approaching when man will no longer shoot the arrow of his melancholy above man, and the string of his bow will forget how to tremble!

I tell you: you still need to carry chaos within yourself in order to be able to give birth to a dancing star. I tell you: there is still chaos in you.

Woe! The time is approaching when man will no longer give birth to a star. Woe! The time of the most despicable man is approaching, who can no longer despise himself.

Look! I'm showing you last person.

"Thus spoke Zarathustra.
A book for everyone and no one"

Friedrich Nietzsche
"Also Sprach Zarathustra"

* PART ONE *

PREFACE BY ZARATHUSTRA

When Zarathustra was thirty years old, he left his homeland and the lake of his homeland and went to the mountains. Here he enjoyed his spirit and his solitude, and for ten years he did not tire of it. But finally his heart changed - and one morning he rose at dawn, stood before the sun and spoke to him like this:
“Great luminary! What would your happiness be reduced to if you didn’t have those to whom you shine!
For ten years you have been ascending to my cave: you would have been fed up with your light and this road if it weren’t for me, my eagle and my snake.
But we waited for you every morning, received your excess from you and blessed you.
Look! I am fed up with my wisdom, like a bee that has collected too much honey; I need hands stretched out to me.
I would like to bestow and bestow until the wise among people begin to rejoice again in their folly, and the poor in their wealth.
To do this, I must go down: as you do every evening, plunging into the sea and bringing your light to the other side of the world, you richest luminary!
I must, like you, go down, as the people to whom I want to go down call it.
So bless me, you calm eye, looking without envy even at excessively great happiness!
Bless the cup that is ready to spill, so that golden moisture flows from it and carries everywhere the reflection of your joy!
Look, this cup wants to become empty again, and Zarathustra wants to become a man again.”
- Thus began the decline of Zarathustra.

Zarathustra descended alone from the mountain, and no one met him. But when he entered the forest, an old man suddenly appeared before him, leaving his sacred hut to look for roots in the forest. And this is what the elder said to Zarathustra:
“I am no stranger to this wanderer: several years ago he passed here. He was called Zarathustra; but he has changed.
Then you carried your ashes to the mountain; do you really want to carry your fire into the valleys now? Aren't you afraid of punishment for the arsonist?
Yes, I recognize Zarathustra. His gaze is pure, and there is no disgust on his lips. Isn’t that why he walks as if he’s dancing?
Zarathustra was transformed, Zarathustra became a child, Zarathustra woke up: what do you want among those sleeping?
Like on the sea, you lived alone, and the sea carried you. Alas! do you want to go ashore? Do you want to carry your body by yourself again?”
Zarathustra answered: “I love people.”
“Isn’t that why,” said the saint, “I went into the forest and desert? Isn’t it because I loved people too much?
Now I love God: I don’t love people. Man is too imperfect for me. Loving a man would kill me.”
Zarathustra answered: “What did I say about love! I bring a gift to people."
“Don’t give them anything,” said the saint. - It’s better to take something off them and carry it with them - it will be best for them, if only it’s best for you too!
And if you want to give to them, give them no more alms and also make them ask you for it!”
“No,” answered Zarathustra, “I do not give alms. I'm not poor enough for this."
The saint began to laugh at Zarathustra and said: “Then try to get them to accept your treasures! They are distrustful of hermits and do not believe that we come to give.
Our steps through the streets sound too lonely for them. And if at night, in their beds, they hear a man walking long before sunrise, they ask themselves: where is this thief sneaking?
Don't go to people and stay in the forest! Better go to the animals! Why don’t you want to be like me - a bear among bears, a bird among birds?”
“What is a saint doing in the forest?” - asked Zarathustra.

None of the founders of modern Western thought caused as much controversy and misunderstanding as Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). Superman, Will to Power, Revaluation of Values (with the light hand of Nietzsche this expression became a catchphrase), the statement that “God is dead”, the concept of Eternal Return - almost everything from the ideological heritage of the philosopher has been repeatedly subjected to a wide variety of interpretations and interpretations, often distorting the very essence of his views.

We hope that familiarity with the philosophical poem “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” (the book was last published in an old translation in 1915) will allow the reader to objectively and impartially evaluate the outstanding work of one of the most original thinkers, whose spiritual experience influenced the formation of views and creativity L. Shestov, B. Shaw, T. Mann, G. Hesse, A. Camus, J. P. Sartre and many other cultural figures.

Part one 1

Part two 13

Part three 25

Part four and final 40

From the translator 57

List of accepted abbreviations 57

Notes 57

Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus spoke Zarathustra
A book for everyone and no one

Part one

Preface by Zarathustra

About the Superman and the Last Man

When Zarathustra was thirty years old, he left his fatherland and his native lake and retired to the mountains. Here he enjoyed his spirit and solitude and did not tire of this happiness for ten whole years. But finally his heart was transformed, and one morning, rising at dawn, he stood before the sun and addressed it thus:

“Great luminary! What would be your happiness if you did not have those for whom you shine?

For ten years you rose above my cave: you would have been fed up with the light and your ascent, if it were not for me, my eagle and my snake.

But every morning we waited for you, accepted your generosity and blessed you.

Look! I am fed up with my wisdom, like a bee that has collected too much honey; and now I need hands stretched out to me.

I want to bestow and bestow until the wisest of men rejoice again in their madness, and the poor in their wealth.

And therefore I must come down, like you, when every evening you plunge into the depths of the sea, bringing your light to the lower world, you, the richest of luminaries!

Like you, I must roll up, - that’s what the people I want to go to call it.

So bless me, O calm eye, looking without envy at the greatest happiness!

Bless the cup that is ready to spill, so that precious moisture flows from it, spreading everywhere the reflection of your bliss!

Look! This cup is ready to be empty again, and Zarathustra wants to become a man again."

Thus began the decline of Zarathustra.

Zarathustra descended from the mountain without meeting anyone on his way. But when he entered the forest, an old man unexpectedly appeared before him, leaving his sacred hut to look for roots in the forest. And the old man turned to Zarathustra with these words:

“I know this wanderer: several years ago he passed here. His name was Zarathustra; but he was transformed.

Then you carried your ashes to the mountains: do you really want to carry your fire to the valleys now? Aren't you afraid of the punishment that threatens the arsonist?

Yes, I recognize Zarathustra. His gaze is clear, and there is no disgust on his face. Isn’t that why he walks as if he’s dancing?

Zarathustra changed, Zarathustra became a child and awoke from sleep. What do you want from those who are sleeping?

As if in the sea, you plunged into loneliness, and the sea carried you. Alas! Do you want to go ashore again? And again carry your mortal body yourself?”

And Zarathustra answered: “I love people.”

“But wasn’t it because,” said the saint, “I went into the forest and desert, moving away from everyone, because I loved people too much?

Now I love God: I don’t love people. Man is too imperfect for me. Loving him would kill me."

Zarathustra answered: “Did I say anything about love? I bring people a gift.”

“Don’t give them anything,” said the saint, “it’s better to take part of their burden from them and carry it with them - it will be best for them, if only it suits your own taste!”

And if you want to give to them, give no more alms, and even make them ask for it!”

“No,” answered Zarathustra, “I do not give alms. I am not poor enough for this.”

The saint laughed at Zarathustra and said: “Then try to make them accept your treasures! They do not trust hermits and do not believe that we come to them in order to give.

Our steps sound too lonely along their streets. And if at night, lying in their beds, long before sunrise, they hear a man walking, then they ask themselves: “Where is this thief sneaking?”

So don’t go to people, stay in the forest! Better go to the animals! Why don’t you want to be like me - a bear among bears, a bird among birds?”

“What is the saint doing in the forest?” - asked Zarathustra.

And he answered: “I compose songs and sing them; composing songs, I laugh, cry and hum: this is how I glorify God.

By singing, crying and laughing I glorify God, my Lord. What are you bringing us as a gift?"

Hearing these words, Zarathustra bowed to the saint and said: “What can I give you! Better let me leave here as quickly as possible, so as not to take anything away from you!” And so they parted from each other, the old man and the husband, laughing like two children.

But when Zarathustra was left alone, he said in his heart: “Is this possible? This holy old man in his forest has not yet heard anything about what God is dead!" .

Arriving at the nearest city, which was located behind the forest, Zarathustra saw a crowd of people gathered in the market square, for they had been promised a spectacle - a rope dancer. And Zarathustra addressed the people with these words:

"I teach you about the Superman. Man is something that O must be overcome. What did you do to overcome it?

Until now, all beings have created something that is higher than themselves; Do you want to become the ebb of this great wave and return to the beasts rather than overcome man?

What is a monkey compared to a man? A laughing stock or a painful shame. And man should be the same for the Superman - a laughing stock or a painful shame.

You have made the journey from a worm to a human, but much still in you is from a worm. Once upon a time you were monkeys, and even now man is more of a monkey than any other of the monkeys.

Even the wisest of you is something ambiguous and vaguely bisexual, something between something that grows from the earth and a deceptive ghost. But do I tell you to be this or that?

Listen, I teach you about the Superman!

Superman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will also say: Yes it will be Superman with the meaning of the earth!

I conjure you, my brothers, stay true to the earth and do not believe those who tell you about unearthly hopes! They are poisoners; it doesn't matter whether they themselves know about it.

They despise life; These are the dying and those who have poisoned themselves, these are the ones from whom the earth is tired: let them perish!

Previously, the greatest crime was blasphemy against God, but God died, and these crimes died with him. Now the most terrible crime is to blaspheme the earth and honor the incomprehensible above the meaning of the earth!

Once upon a time the soul looked at the body with contempt: and then this contempt was considered something higher. The soul longed to see the body skinny, disgusting and hungry - so it hoped to be freed from it and from the earth.

Oh, that soul itself was thin, disgusting and hungry, and cruelty was its highest pleasure.

But tell me, my brothers, what does your body say about your soul? Isn't your soul poverty, and dirt, and pathetic self-satisfaction?

Truly, man is a dirty stream. You have to be the sea in order to accept it into yourself and not become unclean.

And so - I teach you about the Superman: he is the sea where your great contempt will drown.

What is something high that you can experience? It's an hour great contempt: the hour when your happiness becomes as disgusting to you as your reason and virtue.

The hour when you say: “What is my happiness? It is poverty, and dirt, and pathetic complacency. But it must be such as to serve as a justification for existence itself!”

The hour when you say: “What is my mind? Does it seek knowledge like a lion for its food? My mind is poverty, and dirt, and miserable complacency!”

The hour when you say: “What is my virtue? It has not yet made me go crazy. How tired I am of my good and evil! All this is poverty, and dirt, and pathetic complacency!”