Top 250 Thomas à Kempis Quotes (2025 Update)
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201. “Caution is crediting, and reserve in speaking, and in revealing one’s self to but very few, are the best securities both of a good understanding with the world, and of the inward peace of our own minds.”

— Thomas à Kempis

202. “Our own opinion of ourselves should be lower than that formed by others, for we have a better chance at our imperfections.”

— Thomas à Kempis

203. “If thou may not continually gather thyself together, do it sometime at least once a day, morning or evening.”

— Thomas à Kempis

204. “In Jesus and for Him, enemies and friends alike are to be loved.”

— Thomas à Kempis

205. “In the morning fix thy good purpose; and at night examine thyself what thou hast done, how thou hast behaved thyself in word, deed, and thought.”

— Thomas à Kempis

206. “Sweet shall be your rest if your heart does not reproach you.”

— Thomas à Kempis

207. “The better you understand yourself the less cause you will find to love yourself.”

— Thomas à Kempis

208. “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

209. “The only safe ruler is he who has learned to obey willingly.”

— Thomas à Kempis

210. “Confidence is the illusion born of accidental success.”

— Thomas à Kempis

211. “Love makes everything that is heavy light.”

— Thomas à Kempis

212. “If you cannot mould yourself entirely as you would wish, how can you expect other people to be entirely to your liking?”

— Thomas à Kempis

213. “Love feels no burden, regards not labors, strives toward more than it attains, argues not of impossibility, since it believes that it may and can do all things.”

— Thomas à Kempis

214. “How sweet it is to love, and to be dissolved, and as it were to bathe myself in thy love.”

— Thomas à Kempis

215. “Of what use is a long life, if we amend so little? Alas, a long life often adds to our sins rather than to our virtue!”

— Thomas à Kempis

216. “Thou wilt always rejoice in the evening if thou has spent the day profitably.”

— Thomas à Kempis

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

— Thomas à Kempis

218. “It thou seek rest in this life, how wilt thou then attain to the everlasting rest? Dispose not thyself for much rest, but for great patience. Seek true peace – not in earth, but in heaven; not in men, nor in any other creature, but in God alone.”

— Thomas à Kempis

219. “What canst thou see elsewhere which thou canst not see here? Behold the heaven and the earth and all the elements; for of these are all things created.”

— Thomas à Kempis

220. “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

221. “Whatsoever is done in charity, however small and of no reputation it be, bringeth forth good fruit.”

— Thomas à Kempis

222. “A man is hindered and distracted in proportion as he draws outward things to himself.”

— Thomas à Kempis

223. “He that loveth, flieth, runneth, and rejoiceth. He is free, and cannot be held in. He giveth all for all, and hath all in all, because he resteth in one highest above all things, from whom all that is good flows and proceeds.”

— Thomas à Kempis

224. “All His glory and beauty come from within, and there He delights to dwell, His visits there are frequent, His conversation sweet, His comforts refreshing; and His peace passing all understanding.”

— Thomas à Kempis

225. “Gladly we desire to make other men perfect, but we will not amend our own fault.”

— Thomas à Kempis

226. “Old custom is hard to break and scarce any man will be led otherwise than seemeth good unto himself.”

— Thomas à Kempis

227. “It is thy duty often times to do what thou wouldst not; thy duty too, to leave undone that thou wouldst do.”

— Thomas à Kempis

228. “There is no man in this world without some manner of tribulation or anguish, though he be king or pope.”

— Thomas à Kempis

229. “What most of all hinders heavenly consolation is that you are too slow in turning yourself to prayer.”

— Thomas à Kempis

230. “Whatever you do, do it with intelligence, and keep the end in view.”

— Thomas à Kempis

231. “Seek not to know who said this or that, but take note of what has been said.”

— Thomas à Kempis

232. “He who loveth God with all his heart feareth not death, nor punishment, nor judgment, nor hell, because perfect love giveth sure access to God. But he who still delighteth in sin, no marvel if he is afraid of death and judgment.”

— Thomas à Kempis

233. “Remember, your prerogative is to govern, and not to serve the things of this world.”

— Thomas à Kempis

234. “He has great tranquillity of heart who cares neither for the praises nor the fault-finding of men. He will easily be content and pacified, whose conscience is pure. You are not holier if you are praised, nor the more worthless if you are found fault with. What you are, that you are; neither by word can you be made greater than what you are in the sight of God.”

— Thomas à Kempis

235. “Study to do another’s will rather than thine own. Choose ever to have less rather than more. Seek ever the lower place and to be subject to all; ever wish and pray that the will of God may be perfectly done in thee and in all. Behold such a man enters the bounds of peace and calm.”

— Thomas à Kempis

236. “Would to God that we might spend a single day really well!”

— Thomas à Kempis

237. “When comfort is withdrawn, do not be cast down, but humbly and patiently await the visitation of God. He is able and powerful to give you more grace and more spiritual comfort than you first had.”

— Thomas à Kempis

238. “It is better to be affected with a true penitent sorrow for sin than to be able to resolve the most difficult cases about it.”

— Thomas à Kempis

239. “If you cast away one cross, you will certainly find another, and perhaps a heavier.”

— Thomas à Kempis

240. “The intention which is fixed on God as its only end will keep people steady in their purposes, and deliver them from being the joke and scorn of fortune.”

— Thomas à Kempis

241. “Anyone who thinks hard work will never hurt you has never had to pay to have it done. Jesus now has many lovers of his Heavenly Kingdom, but few bearers of his cross.”

— Thomas à Kempis

242. “Carefully avoid in yourself those things which distrub you in others.”

— Thomas à Kempis

243. “It is futile to wish for a long life, and then to give so little care to living well.”

— Thomas à Kempis

244. “Many deceive themselves, imagining they’ll find happiness in change.”

— Thomas à Kempis

245. “If you bear the cross unwillingly, you make it a burden, and load yourself more heavily; but you must bear it.”

— Thomas à Kempis

246. “Let nothing disturb thee, Let nothing affright thee; All passeth away: God only shall stay. Patience wins all: Who hath God, needeth nothing; For God is his All.”

— Thomas à Kempis

247. “Set not thyself to attain much rest, but much patience.”

— Thomas à Kempis

248. “The glory of the good is in their consciences, and not in the tongues of men.”

— Thomas à Kempis

249. “Permit no hour to go by without it due improvement.”

— Thomas à Kempis

250. “Whoever puts his confidence in men or in any creature is very foolish.”

— Thomas à Kempis