Buch mit sieben Siegeln

German

Etymology

Literally, “book with seven seals”.

Phrase

Buch mit sieben Siegeln

  1. (Christianity, biblical) the book with seven seals mentioned in Revelation of John, verses 5:1 ff.
  2. (figurative) closed book (something considered very hard to understand)
    Christliche Mythologie ist ein Buch mit sieben Siegeln für mich.
    I don't know anything about Christian mythology.
    (literally, “Christian mythology is a book with seven seals to me.”)
    • 1808, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust: Der Tragödie erster Teil [Faust, Part One]:
      Mein Freund, die Zeiten der Vergangenheit / Sind uns ein Buch mit sieben Siegeln.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Further reading

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