"We are sinful not only because we have eaten of the Tree of Knowledge, but also because we have not yet eaten of the Tree of Life. The state in which we are is sinful, irrespective of guilt"

In this quote, Kafka is recommending that people are inherently wicked, not just because of the initial sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge, however likewise since we have actually not yet achieved the Tree of Life. He believes that our present state of existence is wicked, no matter whether or not we are guilty of specific actions. This might be translated as a commentary on the human condition, where we are constantly striving for something more, but are eventually flawed and imperfect beings. Kafka's words likewise hint at the concept that our desire for understanding and immortality may be what ultimately causes our downfall.