Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/126

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92 THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, I

And rather be angry than make him ashamed. And if ye be cursed I would have you not bless. Rather curse a little also !

And if a great wrong be done unto you straightway do five small ones in return ! A horrible sight is he who is oppressed by having done wrong unrevenged.

Know ye that ? Divided wrong is half right. And he who can bear it, is to take the wrong on himself !

A small revenge is more human than no revenge at all. And if punishment be not, at once, a right and an honour of the offender, I like not your punishing.

It is higher to own one's self wrong than to carry the point, especially if one be right. Only one must be rich enough for that.

I like not your cold justice ; from the eye of your judges the executioner and his cold iron ever gaze.

Say, where is justice to be found which is love with seeing eyes ?

Arise ! invent that love which not only beareth all punishment, but all guilt as well !

Arise ! invent that justice which acquitteth everybody except the judge !

Desire ye to hear this also ? In him who wisheth to be just from the heart even a lie becometh a hu- manity.

But how could I be just from the heart? How could I give unto each what is his ? Let this be enough for me : I grive unto each what is mine.

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