| Wisdom is having | |
| seen and having faced that lives -- | |
| are repetitions. | |
| Wijsheid is gezien | Ich hab gesehen |
| en ingezien hebben, dat -- | und eingesehen, dass sich -- |
| alles zich herhaalt. | alles wiederholt. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-24
Reflection (Bob Dylan) - 2026
Bob Dylan published a reflection on life as an eighty-year-old in the New York Times on June 14th, 2026, at the request of that newspaper
Collection: Great Flow
Tribute to: Dylan, Bob
| Merlin is wise: he | |
| is his own master, that is -- | |
| his magic power. | |
| Merlijn is wijs: hij | Merlin ist weise: |
| is zijn eigen meester, dat -- | sein eigener Herr, das ist -- |
| is zijn toverkracht. | seine Zauberkraft. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-17
Possession, A Romance (A.S. Byatt) - 1990
Novel, chapter 19
Collection: SoulSenseSun
Tribute to: Byatt, A.S.
| Everyone likes to | |
| read life lessons, bits of pure -- | |
| wisdom, if they breathe. | |
| Levenswijsheden | Jeder liest gerne |
| wil iedereen wel lezen -- | Lebensweisheiten, aber -- |
| als ze ademen. | nur wenn sie atmen. |
Amsterdam, 2025-12-28
A breath of wind is enough (Franco Faggiani) - 2024
Novel "Basta un filo di vento" - A didactic biographical story
Collection: WriteWiser signage
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| She says little, some- | |
| times something mysterious -- | |
| like a thoughtful sphinx. | |
| Zij zegt zelden iets, | Sie sagt wenig, manch- |
| soms iets onbegrijpelijks -- | mal etwas Rätselhaftes -- |
| als een wijze sfinx. | wie die weise Sphinx. |
Amsterdam, 2025-07-25
Diary 1962-1963 (Frida Vogels) - 2007
"Dagboek 1962-1963" - June 26th, 1963, Bologna (About herzelf as a character in the autobiographical novel "Bij nader inzien" ["On closer inspection"] by Han Voskuil)
Collection: Beyond the Cape
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| Wisdom is knowing | |
| what is important and how -- | |
| you intend to live. | |
| Wijsheid is weten | Weisheit ist: Wissen, |
| wat belangrijk is en hoe -- | was wichtig ist und wie du -- |
| je zelf wilt leven. | selbst leben möchtest. |
Amsterdam, 2025-04-24
Memoir of a Snail (Adam Elliot) - 2024
With a photo from the animated film "Memoir of a Snail" - Pinky
Collection: The climbing house
Tribute to: Elliot, Adam
Dedicated to: Lotte W
| The shaman welcomes | |
| the spirits, their wisdom is -- | |
| sweating from his pores. | |
| De sjamaan begroet | Der Schamane grüßt |
| de geesten, hun wijsheid zweet -- | die Geister, ihre Weisheit -- |
| uit zijn poriën. | schwitzt von seiner Haut. |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-07
Resolve (Arnold Dreyblatt) - 2025
Part 1 of the composition "Resolve" (renewal of the microtonal composition "Nodal Excitation" from 1982), performed in the Organpark by Arnold Dreyblatt (excited string bass), Joachim Schutz (electric guitar) and Joerg Hille (percussion and computer-controlled electric guitar) on February 7th, 2025
Collection: org anp ARK
Composer: Dreyblatt, Arnold
| Would it be wisdom | |
| that we often have to laugh -- | |
| at our behaviour? | |
| Zou het wijsheid zijn | Wäre es Weisheit, |
| dat we vaak moeten lachen -- | dass wir oft lachen müssen -- |
| om elkaars gedrag? | über einander? |
Amsterdam, 2024-08-23
The Black Prince (Iris Murdoch) - 1973
Comical novel, A Celebration of Love, part One - Thinking of gurus and dalai lamas
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris
|
Paying attention to as little |
Amsterdam, 2024-03-25
Collection: Webgarden
| Discussing who did | |
| what and why is what I like -- | |
| most about wisdom. | |
| Bespreken wie wat | Darüber reden, |
| waarom gedaan heeft is het -- | Wer Was Warum, gefällt mir -- |
| leukste aan wijsheid. | sehr an der Weisheit. |
Amsterdam, 2024-02-28
The big event (Belcampo) - 1946
Story "Het grote gebeuren" (collection "Nieuwe verhalen")
Collection: Appearances
Tribute to: Belcampo
| Sell your cleverness | |
| for the messy confusion -- | |
| of wisdom of life. | |
| Durf je schranderheid | Tausche bloß deine |
| te ruilen voor de warboel -- | Klugheit für die Verwirrung -- |
| van levenswijsheid. | der Lebensweisheit. |
Amsterdam, 2024-02-14
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment (Muhammad Rumi) - 1250
Doubled verse, from: Masnavi (Doubled verses), book IV, story 2
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Tribute to: Rumi, Mohamed
| Older and wiser | |
| I understand more, and more -- | |
| topics puzzle me. | |
| Ouder en wijzer | Älter und weiser |
| begrijp ik meer, is er meer -- | versteh ich mehr, gibt es mehr -- |
| onbegrijpelijk. | Unverständliches. |
Amsterdam, 2023-07-27
Collection: Life line
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk
| Older: I know more, | |
| and I know I like it less -- | |
| than fantasising. | |
| Ouder: ik weet meer, | Älter: ich weiß mehr, |
| en het bevalt me minder -- | und ich mag es weniger -- |
| dan fantaseren. | als Fantasien. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-19
Collection: Local traffic
| Philosophy does | |
| not help you to become learned -- | |
| but to be virtuous. | |
| Filosofie helpt | Philosophie hilft |
| je niet aan geleerdheden -- | nicht gelehrt zu sein, sondern -- |
| maar aan deugdzaamheid. | tugendhaft zu sein. |
Amsterdam, 2021-01-20
Meditations 5:9 (Marcus Aurelius) - 180
Collection "Ta eis heauton" - 5:9 ("Things to one's self" / "Meditations")
Collection: Known
Tribute to: Aurelius, Marcus
| I am not as wise | |
| as the best, but I'm better -- | |
| than stupid people. | |
| Ik ben niet zo wijs | Ich bin nicht weise |
| als de besten, maar beter -- | wie die Besten, nur besser -- |
| dan domme mensen. | als dumme Leute. |
Amsterdam, 2021-01-19
On the happy life (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) - 58
Dialogue "De vita beata"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Tribute to: Seneca, Lucius Annaeus
| My knowledge: worthless | |
| nobody does pay for it -- | |
| I would need power. | |
| Mijn kennis is niets | Mein Wissen ist nichts |
| waard, niemand betaalt ervoor -- | wert, niemand bezahlt dafür -- |
| want ik heb geen macht. | ich hab' keine Macht. |
Train Roermond-Eindhoven, 2020-01-12
The story of Ali Baba, the forty robbers and slave girl Mardjana (Jean Varsy) - 1850
Story "Hik?yat 'al? b?b? ma'a al-lu?u? al-'arba'?n wa al-dj?r?yyah mardj?nah"
Collection: May the Might
Tribute to: Varsy, Jean
| Vessels of Deep Thoughts | |
| run aground on a Sand Bank -- | |
| Simplicity sails. | |
| Diepe Gedachten | Tiefe Gedanken |
| lopen vast op een Zandbank -- | stranden auf einer Sandbank -- |
| de Eenvoud vaart nog. | die Einfalt segelt. |
Amsterdam, 2019-11-21
If wrecked upon the Shoal of Thought (Emily Dickinson) - 1879
Poem, published in 1945
Collection: Known
Tribute to: Dickinson, Emily
|
I am as I used to be |
Amsterdam, 2018-09-07
Collection: Changing Times
| A lot of wisdom, | |
| as the harvest of my life? | |
| Nah, I know better. | |
| Veel wijsheid, als oogst | Weisheit, als Ernte |
| van heel mijn lange leven? | all meiner Lebensjahre? |
| Ik weet wel beter. | Ich weiß schon besser. |
Amsterdam, 2017-12-23
Interview with Renate Dorrestein - 2017
Interview by Carolina Lo Galbo with Renate Dorrestein in the tv-program "VPRO Boeken" (December 17th, 2017)
Collection: Changing Times
Tribute to: Dorrestein, Renate
| Life experience: | |
| stones and boulders in the streams -- | |
| within your body. | |
| Levenservaring: | Lebenserfahrung: |
| de stenen in de stromen -- | die Steine in den Strömen -- |
| binnen je lichaam. | in deinem Körper. |
Amsterdam, 2017-12-20
Diary 1972-1973 (Frida Vogels) - 2012
"Dagboek 1972-1973" - November 10th, 1973, Bologna
Collection: Overwritten
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| Wildly wild is the | |
| hair of youth, and wisely wild -- | |
| the hair of old age. | |
| Wild wild is het haar | Wild wild ist das Haar |
| van de jeugd, wijs wild het haar -- | der Jugend, und weise wild -- |
| van de ouderdom. | das Haar des Alters. |
Amsterdam, 2017-01-16
Tom Puss and The Pipeliner (Marten Toonder) - 1971
Comic strip #135 - "Tom Poes en De Pijpleider", tier 7215
Collection: Puss & Lord
Tribute to: Toonder, Marten
| Yes, I thought so then, | |
| and yes, I still think so now -- | |
| Is that my wisdom? | |
| Ja, dat vond ik toen, | Ja, das dachte ich |
| en dat vind ik nu nog steeds -- | damals, und auch heute noch -- |
| Is dat mijn wijsheid? | Soll das Weisheit sein? |
Amsterdam, 2016-10-15
Collection: The King
| A frugal half light | |
| is sufficient for wise words -- | |
| since they shine themselves. | |
| Een zuinig halflicht | Sparsames Halblicht |
| voldoet voor wijze woorden -- | reicht aus für weise Worte -- |
| want die stralen zelf. | weil sie selbst strahlen. |
Amsterdam, 2014-03-06
LXIV - On full and half light (Petrus de Génestet) - 1860
Poem LXIV - "Op heel en half licht" (collection "Leekedichtjens")
Collection: Finethreads
Tribute to: De Génestet, Petrus
| Sphinx in the desert, | |
| knowing the riddles -- I too | |
| can keep my mouth shut. | |
| Sfinx in de woestijn, | Sphinx in der Wüste, |
| die de raadsels kent -- ook ik | die die Rätsel kennt -- auch ich |
| kan mijn mond houden. | kann den Mund halten. |
Amsterdam, 2012-01-25
Collection: Life line
|
Om Om |
Amsterdam, 2010-12-19
Gayatri (the song of Sarashvati, the mother goddess)
Collection: WoofWoof
 |  |
| Brownies | |
| are old and experienced | |
 | |
| I too respond sensibly to others | |
| I am wise : | |
| I have an eye for the context | |
| I am thoughtful | |
| I highlight aspects that give food for thought | |
| (Huis- en Bosgeesten) | |
