---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It certainly was not my intention to make…"
description: "\"“It certainly was not my intention to make you suffer, yet i have done so; obviously it never will be my intention to make you suffer, yet I shall alwa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/franz-kafka-214_quote_it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-mak_990099.jpg"
---

#  It certainly was not my intention to make you suffer, yet…

![“It certainly was not my intention to make you suffer, yet i have done so; obviously it never will be my intention to make you suffer, yet I shall always do so.” quote by Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/franz-kafka-214_quote_it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-mak_990099.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/franz-kafka-214_quote_it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-mak_990099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/franz-kafka-214_quote_it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-mak_990099.jpg)

> ““It certainly was not my intention to make you suffer, yet i have done so; obviously it never will be my intention to make you suffer, yet I shall always do so.””

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He acknowledges causing suffering unintentionally yet repeats the act, highlighting a paradox of intent and action.

**In simple terms:** He causes pain despite claiming no intention.

Key Takeaway

Reflect on unintended harm.

Themes

morality intent suffering

Mood

somber introspective

Type

ethical psychological

When to use this quote

- relationships
- leadership decisions
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

Ethical paradox personal responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives repeated harmful actions despite intent?
- How can you break this cycle?

A Different Perspective

May rationalize harmful behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Certainly Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-intention-1249413/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Obviously Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obviously-intention-2021703/) [Suffer Obviously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer-obviously-2021704/) [Suffer Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer-shall-2021705/)

## Related quotes

> [I certainly had no intention of playing a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-shaw/i-certainly-had-no-intention-of-playing-a-man/)

[Fiona Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-shaw/)

> [We must, therefore, coolly and objectively adopt the standpoint that it can certainly not be the intention of Heaven to give one people fifty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-must-therefore-coolly-and-objectively-adopt-the-standpoint-that-it/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [Might I be ridiculous? Might my career in music be laughable? Yeah, that's possible, but that's certainly not my intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/might-i-be-ridiculous-might-my-career-in-music-be-laughable-yeah-that/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [“Because I couldn't bear my burden and have come to throw it on another: you suffer too, and I shall feel better! And can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/because-i-couldn-t-bear-my-burden-and-have-come-to-throw-it-on/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“Dear Eloisa (said I) there’s no occasion for your crying so much about such a trifle. (for I was willing to make light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/dear-eloisa-said-i-there-s-no-occasion-for-your-crying-so-much-about/)

[Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/)

> [There are but two future verbs which man may appropriate confidently and without pride: "I shall suffer," and "I shall die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/there-are-but-two-future-verbs-which-man-may-appropriate-confidently/)

[Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/)

> [We are all sure of two things, at least; we shall suffer and we shall all die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/we-are-all-sure-of-two-things-at-least-we-shall-suffer-and-we-shall/)

[Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/)

> [My intention is to knock out Andy Ruiz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-ortiz/my-intention-is-to-knock-out-andy-ruiz/)

[Luis Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-ortiz/)

> [If you are not conscious of all of the different parts of yourself, the part of yourself that is the strongest will win out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/if-you-are-not-conscious-of-all-of-the-different-parts-of-yourself/)

[Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/)

> [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/)

[John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/)

> [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/)

[Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/)

> [Whenever any person in the creative field does a film, they think it is going to be of good quality or this is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshaye-khanna/whenever-any-person-in-the-creative-field-does-a-film-they-think-it/)

[Akshaye Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshaye-khanna/)

> [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/)

[Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/)

> [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/)

[Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/)

> [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/)

[Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/)

## More by Franz Kafka

> [ “The tremendous world I have inside my head. But how \[to\] free myself and free it without being torn to pieces. And a thousand… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-tremendous-world-i-have-inside-my-head-but-how-to-free-myself-and/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [What I write is different from what I say, what I say is different from what I think, what I think is different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/what-i-write-is-different-from-what-i-say-what-i-say-is-different/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [“Ali svi se slažu u tome da se ne podižu lakomislene optužbe i da se sud, kad jedanput nekog optuži i kad je uvjeren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/ali-svi-se-sla-u-u-tome-da-se-ne-podi-u-lakomislene-optu-be-i-da-se/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [My job is unbearable to me because it conflicts with my only desire and my only calling, which is literature. Since I am nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/my-job-is-unbearable-to-me-because-it-conflicts-with-my-only-desire/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [Faith, like a guillotine. As heavy, as light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/faith-like-a-guillotine-as-heavy-as-light/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [You need not even listen, just wait...the world will offer itself freely to you, unmasking itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/you-need-not-even-listen-just-wait-the-world-will-offer-itself-freely/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [“I will cross hundreds of seas and oceans without sinking to reach you, see your eyes and sink completely into their depths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/i-will-cross-hundreds-of-seas-and-oceans-without-sinking-to-reach-you/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [I have no memory for things I have learned, nor things I have read, nor things experienced or heard, neither for people nor events;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/i-have-no-memory-for-things-i-have-learned-nor-things-i-have-read-nor/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [“This sounds crazy, but it is so. Nor is it perhaps really love when I say that for me you are the most beloved;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/this-sounds-crazy-but-it-is-so-nor-is-it-perhaps-really-love-when-i/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [The more horses you yoke the quicker everything will go - not the rending of the block from its foundation, which is impossible, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-more-horses-you-yoke-the-quicker-everything-will-go-not-the/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [Martyrs do not underrate the body, they allow it to be elevated on the cross. In this they are at one with their antagonists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/martyrs-do-not-underrate-the-body-they-allow-it-to-be-elevated-on-the/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [The true way goes over a line that, rather than spanning heights, is hardly above the ground. It appears more decidedly to make one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-true-way-goes-over-a-line-that-rather-than-spanning-heights-is/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [Every new discovery is assumed at once into the sum total of knowledge, and with that ceases in a sense to be a discovery;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/every-new-discovery-is-assumed-at-once-into-the-sum-total-of/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [“Sou de pedra. Sou a minha própria pedra tumular, sem nenhum interstício para a dúvida ou para a fé, para o amor ou para…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/sou-de-pedra-sou-a-minha-pr-pria-pedra-tumular-sem-nenhum-interst-cio/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

[Explore all 741 Franz Kafka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

## More Intention quotes

> [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/)

[Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/)

> [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/)

[Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/)

> [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/)

[Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/)

> [Whenever any person in the creative field does a film, they think it is going to be of good quality or this is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshaye-khanna/whenever-any-person-in-the-creative-field-does-a-film-they-think-it/)

[Akshaye Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshaye-khanna/)

> [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/)

[Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/)

> [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/)

[John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/)

> [If you are not conscious of all of the different parts of yourself, the part of yourself that is the strongest will win out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/if-you-are-not-conscious-of-all-of-the-different-parts-of-yourself/)

[Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/)

> [My intention is to knock out Andy Ruiz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-ortiz/my-intention-is-to-knock-out-andy-ruiz/)

[Luis Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-ortiz/)

> [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [Even a moderniser like Alexander II - who emancipated the serfs in 1861 - had no intention of devolving real power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/even-a-moderniser-like-alexander-ii-who-emancipated-the-serfs-in-1861/)

[Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/)

> [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/)

[Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/)

> [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [I had no intention of becoming an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-hammond/i-had-no-intention-of-becoming-an-actor/)

[Nicholas Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-hammond/)

> [I went back to graduate school with the clear intention that what I wanted to do with my life was to improve societies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-went-back-to-graduate-school-with-the-clear-intention-that-what-i/)

[Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/)

> [To transform the world, we must begin with ourselves; and what is important in beginning with ourselves is the intention. The intention must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-transform-the-world-we-must-begin-with-ourselves-and-what-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 2,822 Intention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It certainly was not my intention to make you suffer, yet i have done so; obviously it never will be my intention to make you suffer, yet I shall always do so.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Franz Kafka"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-make-you-suffer-yet-i-have-done/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Intention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-make-you-suffer-yet-i-have-done/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/franz-kafka-214_quote_it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-mak_990099.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/franz-kafka-214_quote_it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-mak_990099.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/franz-kafka-214_quote_it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-mak_990099.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It certainly was not my intention to make you suffer, yet i have done so; obviously it never will be my…” — Franz Kafka",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Franz Kafka",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It certainly was not my intention...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-make-you-suffer-yet-i-have-done/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/it-certainly-was-not-my-intention-to-make-you-suffer-yet-i-have-done/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
