The Imitation of Christ
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Attributed (authorship debated)
- Condition of the text:
- No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
- Extent:
- ~64,800 words · 308 passages
Cite this work
- APAThomas a Kempis. (n.d.). The Imitation of Christ. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/thomas-a-kempis/the-imitation-of-christ
- MLAThomas a Kempis. The Imitation of Christ. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/thomas-a-kempis/the-imitation-of-christ.
- ChicagoThomas a Kempis. The Imitation of Christ. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/thomas-a-kempis/the-imitation-of-christ.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
The Imitation of Christ (c. 1420).
Context and history
After the Bible, the most printed Christian book in history. Four short treatises of the devotio moderna: the interior life, distrust of learning that does not make one better, and the eucharist. The attribution to Thomas à Kempis is the most accepted but not unanimous. It was read by Ignatius of Loyola, Thomas More and, centuries later, by wholly undevout people.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
3. The greater and more complete thy knowledge, the more severely shalt thou be judged, unless thou hast lived holily. Therefore be not lifted up by any skill or knowledge that thou hast; but rather fear concerning the knowledge which is given to thee. If it seemeth to thee that thou knowest many things, and understandest them well, know also that there are many more things which thou knowest not. Be not high-minded, but rather confess thine ignorance. Why desirest thou to lift thyself above another, when there are found many more learned and more skilled in the Scripture than thou? If thou wilt know and learn anything with profit, love to be thyself unknown and to be counted for nothing. 4. That is the highest and most profitable lesson, when a man truly knoweth and judgeth lowly of himself. To account nothing of one’s self, and to think always kindly and highly of others, this is great and perfect wisdom. Even shouldest thou see thy neighbor sin openly or grievously, yet thou oughtest not to reckon thyself better than he, for thou knowest not how long thou shalt keep thine integrity. All of us are weak and frail; hold thou no man more frail than thyself. CHAPTER III Of the knowledge of truth CHAPTER III Of the knowledge of truth Happy is the man whom Truth by itself doth teach, not by figures and transient words, but as it is in itself.(1) Our own judgment and feelings often deceive us, and we discern but little of the truth. What doth it profit to argue about hidden and dark things, concerning which we shall not be even reproved in the judgment, because we knew them not? Oh, grievous folly, to neglect the things which are profitable and necessary, and to give our minds to things which are curious and hurtful! Having eyes, we see not. 2. And what have we to do with talk about genus and species! He to whom the Eternal Word speaketh is free from multiplied questionings.…
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