Collections on Ethics for All People (1788) - Page 4

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Do not despair, mortals! Sorrow is the

lot here below

Original: "Looß hienieden." A common 18th-century expression referring to human life on Earth as opposed to the "beyond."

But beyond is rest, bliss, and

peace

Original: "Seeligkeit" (modern spelling: Seligkeit). This term carries a heavy spiritual weight, suggesting both profound happiness and eternal salvation.

Life is a stream, the boat quickly hurries

past

At the shore, death sets us free from all

shackles.

The metaphor of life as a journey by water and death as a landing place was a frequent motif in Enlightenment-era poetry, emphasizing that death is a release from earthly suffering.