Saint Basil Quotes

86 quotes in 1568 categories

• A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and…
• Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger.
• Does not the gratitude of the dog put to shame any man who is ungrateful to his benefactors?
• The woman who purposely destroys her unborn child is guilty of murder. With us there is no nice enquiry as to its being formed or…
• Good masters teach good doctrine, but that taught by evil masters is wholly evil.
• There is nothing unpremeditated, nothing neglected by God. His unsleeping eye beholds all things.
• Do not measure your loss by itself; if you do, it will seem intolerable; but if you will take all human affairs into account you…
• Now, if you notice how the swan, putting its neck down into the deep water, brings up food for itself from below, then you will…
• We glorify the Holy Ghost together with the Father and the Son, from the conviction that He is not separated from the Divine Nature; for…
• As we were baptized, so we profess our belief. As we profess our belief, so also we offer praise. As then baptism has been given…
• First and foremost, the monk should own nothing in this world, but he should have as his possessions solitude of the body, modesty of bearing,…
• In truth, to know oneself seems to be the hardest of all things. Not only our eye, which observes external objects, does not use the…
• It is impious to say that evil has its origin from God, because naught contrary is produced by the contrary. Life does not generate death,…
• Just as we would have no need of the farmer's labor and toil if we were living amid the delights of paradise, so also we…
• We must always be on guard lest, under the pretext of keeping one commandment, we be found breaking another.
• If every man took only what was sufficient for his needs, leaving the rest to those in want, there would be no rich and no…
• You can see that a city is prosperous by the wealth of goods for sale in the market. Land too we call prosperous if it…
• We often find comfort in telling what is painful in actual experience.
• Therefore, let God inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the Word of God, in favor of…
• What is there astonishing in the death of a mortal? But we are grieved at his dying before his time. Are we sure that this…

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