Nur der verdient sich Freiheit wie das Leben
Der täglich sie erobern muß." - Meaning and context.">
Of freedom and of life he only is deserving
Who every day must conquer them anew.
• Variant translations:
 • Freedom and life are earned by those alone
Who conquer them each day anew.
  • trans. Walter Kaufmann
 • He only earns his freedom and existence,
Who daily conquers them anew.
  • trans. Bayard Taylor
• Act V, Court of the Palace

Nur der verdient sich Freiheit wie das Leben
Der täglich sie erobern muß.

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Nur der verdient sich Freiheit wie das Leben
Der täglich sie erobern muß.
" in the context of "Of freedom and of life he only is deserving
Who every day must conquer them anew.
• Variant translations:
 • Freedom and life are earned by those alone
Who conquer them each day anew.
  • trans. Walter Kaufmann
 • He only earns his freedom and existence,
Who daily conquers them anew.
  • trans. Bayard Taylor
• Act V, Court of the Palace" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" (Quotes, Faust, Part 2 (1832)) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

About Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

What you can do, or dream you can, begin it,