Whose work is it but your own to open your eyes? But indeed the business of the universe is to make such a fool of you that you will know yourself for one, and so begin to be wise!
 George MacDonald, Lilith (1895). copy citation

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Author George MacDonald
Source Lilith
Topic wisdom self-knowledge awareness
Date 1895
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1640/1640-h/1640-h.htm

Context

“«Could you not teach me to know a prayer-flower when I see it?» I said.
«I could not. But if I could, what better would you be? you would not know it of YOURSELF and ITself! Why know the name of a thing when the thing itself you do not know? Whose work is it but your own to open your eyes? But indeed the business of the universe is to make such a fool of you that you will know yourself for one, and so begin to be wise!»
But I did see that the flower was different from any flower I had ever seen before; therefore I knew that I must be seeing a shadow of the prayer in it; and a great awe came over me to think of the heart listening to the flower.” source

Meaning and analysis

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