And he who ever "threshes straw," why should he be allowed to rail at threshing! Such a fool one would have to muzzle!
Such persons sit down to the table and bring nothing with them, not even good hunger:- and then do they rail: "All is vain!"
But to eat and drink well, my brothers, is verily no vain art! Break up, break up for me the law-tablets of the never-joyous ones!
14.
"To the clean are all things clean"- thus say the people. I, however, say to you: To the swine all things become swinish!
Therefore preach the visionaries and bowed-heads (whose hearts are also bowed down): "The world itself is a filthy monster."
For these are all unclean spirits; especially those, however, who have no peace or rest, unless they see the world from the backside- the afterworldly!
To those do I say it to the face, although it sound unpleasantly: the world resembles man, in that it has a backside,- so much is true!
There is in the world much filth: so much is true! But the world itself is not therefore a filthy monster!
There is wisdom in the fact that much in the world smells badly: loathing itself creates wings, and fountain-divining powers!
In the best there is still something to loathe; and the best is still something that must be overcome!-
O my brothers, there is much wisdom in the fact that much filth is in the world!-
