Thomas à Kempis Quotes

What is all flesh in Thy sight? For how shall the clay boast against Him that fashioned it?

It is easier not to speak a word at all than to speak more words than we should.

So long as it is hard to thee to suffer and thou desirest to escape, so long it will not be well with thee, and tribulations will follow thee everywhere.

My Son, patience and humility in adversities are more pleasing to Me than much comfort and devotion in prosperity.

If to-day thou art not ready, how shalt thou be ready to-morrow? To-morrow is an uncertain day; and how knowest thou that thou shalt have a to-morrow?

As iron cast into the fire loseth rust and is made altogether glowing, so the man who turneth himself altogether unto God is freed from slothfulness and changed into a new man.

Peace is ever with the humble man, but in the heart of the proud there is envy and continual wrath.

Be not lifted up because of thy strength or beauty of body, for with only a slight sickness it will fail and wither away. Be not vain of thy skilfulness or ability, lest thou displease God, from whom cometh every good gift which we have.

And because many seek knowledge rather than good living, therefore they go astray, and bear little or no fruit.

First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others.

For a perfect contempt of the world, a fervent desire to excel in virtue, the love of discipline, the painfulness of repentance, readiness to obey, denial of self, submission to any adversity for love of Christ; these are the things which shall give great confidence of a happy death. Whilst thou art in health thou hast many opportunities of good works; but when thou art in sickness I know not how much thou wilt be able to do.

For if he who resolveth bravely oftentimes falleth short, how shall it be with him who resolveth rarely or feebly?

. . . speak Thou, O Lord, who didst inspire and illuminate all the prophets;

If thou bear it unwillingly, thou makest a burden for thyself and greatly increaseth thy load, and yet thou must bear it. If thou cast away one cross, without doubt thou shalt find another and perchance a heavier.

For a little reward men make a long journey; for eternal life many will scarce lift a foot once from the ground.