KIERKEGAARD

Truly, eternity does not let itself be mocked; instead it is something that does not even need to use force but, omnipotent, uses a little mockery in order to punish the presumptuous person dreadfully. What is it...that connects the temporal and eternity...but love, w...

To defraud oneself of love is the most terrible, is an eternal loss, for which there is no compensation either in time or in eternity...the one deceived [by humans] is still related to love, and the deception is only that the love was not where it was thought to be, bu...

Love’s hidden life is in the innermost being, unfathomable, and then in turn is in an unfathomable connectedness with all existence. Just as the quiet lake originates deep down in hidden springs no eye has seen, so also does a person’s love originate...more deeply in ...

Yet this hidden life of love is recognizable by its fruits—indeed, to be able to be known by its fruits is a need in love.

True, there is a flower called the flower of eternity, but...there is also a so-called everlasting flower that like perishable flowers blooms only at a certain time of the year—what a mistake to call the latter a flower of eternity! Yet in the moment of blossoming it i...

There are, of course, works that in a particular sense are called works of love. But even giving to charity, visiting the widow, and clothing the naked do not truly demonstrate or make known a person’s love, inasmuch as one can do works of love in an unloving, yes, ev...

It is true that no hypocrite has ever deceived anyone who in fear and trembling before God was afraid of himself. But the one who is busily occupied tracking down hypocrites...had better see to it that this is not also a hypocrisy...But without willing...the person wh...

Where does love come from?...There is a place in a person’s innermost being; from this place flows the life of love, for “from the heart flows life.” But you cannot see this place; however deeply you penetrate, the origin eludes you in remoteness and hiddenness. Even ...

By a strange self-contradiction, the self-deceived person may even think that he is being sympathetic with the unhappy one who has been deceived. But if you carefully take note of his consoling words and therapeutic wisdom, you will recognize love by its fruits: by th...