--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Understand this clearly: if you know how…" description: "\"Understand this clearly: if you know how to give, you must know how to pay back. . .\" — John Vianney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/john-vianney-12062_alms_understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how_1980652.jpg" --- # Understand this clearly: if you know how to give, you must… ![“Understand this clearly: if you know how to give, you must know how to pay back. . .” quote by John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/john-vianney-12062_alms_understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how_1980652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/john-vianney-12062_alms_understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how_1980652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/john-vianney-12062_alms_understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how_1980652.jpg) > “Understand this clearly: if you know how to give, you must know how to pay back. . .” [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Giving requires the ability to receive repayment, highlighting reciprocal responsibility in generosity. **In simple terms:** Give and be able to receive back. Key Takeaway Balance giving with readiness to receive. Themes generosity reciprocity responsibility Mood grateful reflective Type moral philosophical When to use this quote - charitable donations - business transactions - personal relationships Key Concepts ethical duty social contract Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure fairness in giving? - What if the other party cannot repay? A Different Perspective Reciprocity may not always be immediate or equal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alms/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ## Related quotes > [When you negotiate a deal, you clearly know a lot about the other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/when-you-negotiate-a-deal-you-clearly-know-a-lot-about-the-other/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [That awkward moment when someone tries to correct you on something you clearly know more about!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soveryawkward/that-awkward-moment-when-someone-tries-to-correct-you-on-something/) [SoVeryAwkward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soveryawkward/) > [You know it is not my interest to pay the principal, or my principal to pay the interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/you-know-it-is-not-my-interest-to-pay-the-principal-or-my-principal/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [Know what is behind you, and pay particular attention to anything out of place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/know-what-is-behind-you-and-pay-particular-attention-to-anything-out/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [A common man, even like myself, I don't know how to pay my taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/a-common-man-even-like-myself-i-don-t-know-how-to-pay-my-taxes/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [The difference between education and know-how is that one you pay for, the other you charge for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/the-difference-between-education-and-know-how-is-that-one-you-pay-for/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I believe that one of the benefits of having traveled the world and having known different cultures is that you really understand and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/i-believe-that-one-of-the-benefits-of-having-traveled-the-world-and/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [I want you to understand clearly, I am not a journalist - be very clear on that. I am an opinion maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-want-you-to-understand-clearly-i-am-not-a-journalist-be-very-clear/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [If a person desires to understand clearly the sacred books and scriptural texts of India, to imbibe their message, he must learn the Sanskrit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sathya-sai-baba/if-a-person-desires-to-understand-clearly-the-sacred-books-and/) [Sri Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sathya-sai-baba/) > [Obviously, I am a member of Congress, and things that I say are elevated on a national level, and I understand that very clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-tlaib/obviously-i-am-a-member-of-congress-and-things-that-i-say-are/) [Rashida Tlaib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-tlaib/) > [ “\[I\]t seems to be just as foolish to say, 'I imagine, in order to understand more clearly what I am,' as to say, 'I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/descartes-ren-ren/i-t-seems-to-be-just-as-foolish-to-say-i-imagine-in-order-to/) Descartes Ren Ren > [Now we understand much more clearly. why people from all over the world want to come to New York and to America. It's called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/now-we-understand-much-more-clearly-why-people-from-all-over-the/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [I now understand more clearly than I ever had before why you won in November 1980 and I lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-now-understand-more-clearly-than-i-ever-had-before-why-you-won-in/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Yes, my dear children, everything is good and precious in God's sight when we act from the motives of religion and of charity because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/yes-my-dear-children-everything-is-good-and-precious-in-god-s-sight/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [Others will give away large alms in order to be considered charitable people. Should they not give these out of their own wages, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/others-will-give-away-large-alms-in-order-to-be-considered-charitable/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) ## More by John Vianney > [Our Guardian Angels are our most faithful friends, because they are with us day and night, always and everywhere. We ought often to invoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/our-guardian-angels-are-our-most-faithful-friends-because-they-are/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [Envy, my children, follows pride; whoever is envious is proud. See, envy comes to us from Hell; the devils having sinned through pride, sinned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/envy-my-children-follows-pride-whoever-is-envious-is-proud-see-envy/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [The pure soul is a beautiful rose, and the Three Divine Persons descend from Heaven to inhale its fragrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/the-pure-soul-is-a-beautiful-rose-and-the-three-divine-persons/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [How sweet it is to die if one has lived on the Cross!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/how-sweet-it-is-to-die-if-one-has-lived-on-the-cross/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [All that we do without offering it to God is wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/all-that-we-do-without-offering-it-to-god-is-wasted/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: If you set it on fire it makes a lot of little flames. But gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/private-prayer-is-like-straw-scattered-here-and-there-if-you-set-it/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [Others will give away large alms in order to be considered charitable people. Should they not give these out of their own wages, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/others-will-give-away-large-alms-in-order-to-be-considered-charitable/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/only-after-the-last-judgment-will-mary-get-any-rest-from-now-until/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/prayer-is-the-inner-bath-of-love-into-which-the-soul-plunges-itself/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [We put pride into everything like salt. We like to see that our good works are known. If our virtues are seen, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/we-put-pride-into-everything-like-salt-we-like-to-see-that-our-good/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [You either belong wholly to the world or wholly to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/you-either-belong-wholly-to-the-world-or-wholly-to-god/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [I thought a time would come when people would rout me out of Ars with sticks, when the Bishop would suspend me, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/i-thought-a-time-would-come-when-people-would-rout-me-out-of-ars-with/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [How happy is that guardian angel who accompanies a soul to Holy Mass!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/how-happy-is-that-guardian-angel-who-accompanies-a-soul-to-holy-mass/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [The saints had no hatred, no bitterness; they forgive everything and think they deserve much more for their offenses against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/the-saints-had-no-hatred-no-bitterness-they-forgive-everything-and/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [God commands you to pray, but forbids you to worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/god-commands-you-to-pray-but-forbids-you-to-worry/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) [Explore all 56 John Vianney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) ## More Alms quotes > [If you are to go to Christ, do not put on your good doings and feelings, or you will get nothing. Go in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-are-to-go-to-christ-do-not-put-on-your-good-doings-and/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [In giving alms, let us rather look at the needs of the poor than his claim to your charity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/in-giving-alms-let-us-rather-look-at-the-needs-of-the-poor-than-his/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [Those good men who take such pleasure in relieving the miserable for Christ's sake, would not have been less forward to minister onto Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-atterbury/those-good-men-who-take-such-pleasure-in-relieving-the-miserable-for/) [Francis Atterbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-atterbury/) > [Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/work-is-love-made-visible-and-if-you-cannot-work-with-love-but-only/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Alms (is) for the purity of your soul, and flourishment and expansion of your sustenence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatima-bint-muhammad/alms-is-for-the-purity-of-your-soul-and-flourishment-and-expansion-of/) [Fatima bint Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatima-bint-muhammad/) > [All religions have honored the beggar. For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-religions-have-honored-the-beggar-for-he-proves-that-in-a-matter/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-setting-sun-is-reflected-from-the-windows-of-the-alms-house-as/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I know that a man who shows me his wealth is like the beggar who shows me his poverty; they are both looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/i-know-that-a-man-who-shows-me-his-wealth-is-like-the-beggar-who/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [“Pesa itolewe kwa masharti au bila masharti chukua, kwani huyo aliyeitoa si yake. Benki, kwa mfano, ikitaka kukupa mkopo itakuwa na masharti yake; chukua,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/pesa-itolewe-kwa-masharti-au-bila-masharti-chukua-kwani-huyo/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [The best remedy for dryness of spirit, is to picture ourselves as beggars in the presence of God and the Saints, and like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-neri/the-best-remedy-for-dryness-of-spirit-is-to-picture-ourselves-as/) [Philip Neri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-neri/) > [Walking does good to the fat and giving alms does good to the sinners; these both make one feel lighter!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/walking-does-good-to-the-fat-and-giving-alms-does-good-to-the-sinners/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Give a drink of water as alms to the birds which go forth at morning, and deem that they have a better right than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ma-arri/give-a-drink-of-water-as-alms-to-the-birds-which-go-forth-at-morning/) [Al-Maʿarri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ma-arri/) > [Where there is plenty, charity is a duty, not a courtesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-feltham/where-there-is-plenty-charity-is-a-duty-not-a-courtesy/) [Owen Feltham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-feltham/) > [Are we not to pity and supply the poor, though they have no relation to us? No relation? That cannot be. The Gospel styles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sprat/are-we-not-to-pity-and-supply-the-poor-though-they-have-no-relation/) [Thomas Sprat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sprat/) > [But what if I should discover that the least amongst them all, the poorest of all beggars, the most impudent of all offenders, yea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/but-what-if-i-should-discover-that-the-least-amongst-them-all-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 124 Alms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Understand this clearly: if you know how to give, you must know how to pay back. . .", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Vianney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how-to-give-you-must-know-how-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how-to-give-you-must-know-how-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/john-vianney-12062_alms_understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how_1980652.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/john-vianney-12062_alms_understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how_1980652.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/john-vianney-12062_alms_understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how_1980652.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Understand this clearly: if you know how to give, you must know how to pay back. . .” — John Vianney", "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": "John Vianney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Understand this clearly: if you know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how-to-give-you-must-know-how-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/understand-this-clearly-if-you-know-how-to-give-you-must-know-how-to/#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 } } ] } ```