Thomas à Kempis Quotes

175 Sourced Quotes

Every man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars.

Thomas à Kempis
Praise adds nothing to your holiness, nor does blame take anything from it. You are what you are, and you cannot be said to be better than you are in God's sight.

Thomas à Kempis
To take no account of oneself, but always to think well and highly of others is the highest wisdom and perfection.

Thomas à Kempis
Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience, withdraws from grace.

Thomas à Kempis
Always be thou prepared, and so live that death may never find thee unprepared.

Thomas à Kempis
Let temporal things serve thy use, but the eternal be the object of thy desire.

Thomas à Kempis
Though weary, it is not tired: though pressed it is not straightened; though alarmed, it is not confounded; but as a living flame it forces itself upwards and securely passes through all.

Thomas à Kempis
Do not read to satisfy curiosity or to pass the time, but study such things as move your heart to devotion.

Thomas à Kempis
I have often heard, that it is safer to hear and to take counsel, than to give it.

Thomas à Kempis
Be thankful for the smallest blessing and you will deserve to receive greater. Value the least gifts no less than the greatest, and simple graces as especial favors. If you remember the dignity of the Giver, no gift will seem small or mean.

Thomas à Kempis
The end of all is death and man's life passeth away suddenly as a shadow.

Thomas à Kempis
Without labor there is no rest, nor without fighting can the victory be won.

Thomas à Kempis
Remain tranquil and prepare to bear still greater trials. All is not lost even though you be troubled oftener or tempted more grievously. You are a man, not God. You are flesh, not an angel. How can you possibly expect to remain always in the same state of virtue when the angels in heaven and the first man in paradise failed to do so? I am He who rescues the afflicted and brings to My divinity those who know their own weakness.

Thomas à Kempis
The more the flesh is wasted by affliction, so much more is the Spirit strengthened by inward grace.

Thomas à Kempis
For the multitude of worldly friends profiteth not, nor may strong helpers anything avail, nor wise counselors give profitable counsel, nor the cunning of doctors give consolation, nor riches deliver in time of need, nor a secret place to defend, if Thou, Lord, do not assist, help, comfort, counsel, inform, and defend.

Thomas à Kempis
Now is the time to be doing, now is the time to be stirring, now is the time to amend myself.

Thomas à Kempis
Renounce all things, and thou shalt find all things; give up thy lust, and thou shalt find rest.

Thomas à Kempis
Study, therefore, to withdraw the love of your soul from all things that are visible, and turn it to things that are invisible.

Thomas à Kempis
Why seekest thou rest, since thou art born to labor?
In Latin: Cur quaeris quietem, quam natus sis ad laborem?

Thomas à Kempis
Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.

Thomas à Kempis
Do not try to find a place free from temptations and troubles. Rather, seek a peace that endures even when you are beset by various temptations and tried by much adversity.

Thomas à Kempis
Forasmuch as many people study more to have knowledge than to live well therefore ofttimes they err and bring forth little fruit or none.

Thomas à Kempis
Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused, but like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.

Thomas à Kempis
Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men.

Thomas à Kempis
Love wakes much and sleeps little and, in sleeping, does not sleep. It faints is not weary; it is restricted in its liberty and is great freedom. It sees reasons to fear and does not fear, but, like an ember or a spark of fire, flames always upward, by the fervor of its love, toward God, and through the special help of grace is delivered from all perils and dangers

Thomas à Kempis