… – das Glück jedoch läßt sich mit keiner Maschinerie der Welt produzieren! Von seiner universellen Herrschaft darf man nur im stillen träumen, zur Dämmerstunde so wie jetzt, darf man seinem idealen Bild im Geiste nachjagen und die Phantasie an süßen Visionen berauschen, das ist aber auch schon alles, mein Freund, ein weiser Mann muß es dabei bewenden lassen!
Stanislaw Lem, Der Weiße Tod, suhrkamp Main 2003, p404
I’ll try a translation … and let google translate translate
… – however, bliss can’t be produced by any machinery of the world! One can only secretly dream of its universal governance, at twilight like now, you may chase after your ideal image only in your mind’s eye and exhilarate your imagination with sweet visions. And that was about it, my friend, a wise man has to leave it at that!
personal translation
… – however, happiness cannot be produced with any machine in the world! You can only dream of his universal dominion in silence, at dusk like now, you can chase your ideal picture in your mind and intoxicate your imagination with sweet visions, but that’s all, my friend, a wise man has to stop there to let!
google translation