--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou…" description: "\"“whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good.”\" — Marcus Aurelius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f5/marcus-aurelius-139_thou_whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayes_2872273.jpg" --- # whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good. ![“whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good.” quote by Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f5/marcus-aurelius-139_thou_whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayes_2872273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f5/marcus-aurelius-139_thou_whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayes_2872273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f5/marcus-aurelius-139_thou_whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayes_2872273.jpg) > ““whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good.”” [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. While alive, strive to be good; make the most of your time. **In simple terms:** Be good while you live. Key Takeaway Live virtuously now. Themes virtue mortality ethics Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - life - daily actions - legacy Key Concepts stoicism time management personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What does being good mean to you? - How do you act virtuously under pressure? A Different Perspective Goodness may be constrained by circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Livest Whilst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/livest-whilst-3935973/) [Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou/) [Thou Livest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-livest-363356/) [Thou Mayest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-mayest-667149/) [Whilst Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whilst-thou-3935972/) ## Related quotes > [“Wear none of thine own Chains; but keep free, whilst thou art free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/wear-none-of-thine-own-chains-but-keep-free-whilst-thou-art-free/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [While thou livest keep a good tongue in thy head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/while-thou-livest-keep-a-good-tongue-in-thy-head/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou livest, Live well; how long, or short, permit to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/nor-love-thy-life-nor-hate-but-what-thou-livest-live-well-how-long-or/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Be useful where thou livest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/be-useful-where-thou-livest/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Be not as one that hath ten thousand years to live; death is nigh at hand: while thou livest, while thou hast time, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/be-not-as-one-that-hath-ten-thousand-years-to-live-death-is-nigh-at/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Thou mayest rule over sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/thou-mayest-rule-over-sin/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Regarding "thou mayest": And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/regarding-thou-mayest-and-this-i-believe-that-the-free-exploring-mind/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’— that gives a choice. 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I can name you a dozen who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/thou-mayest-rule-over-sin-lee-that-s-it-i-do-not-believe-all-men-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“O, believe, as thou livest, that every sound that is spoken over the round world, which thou oughtest to hear, will vibrate on thine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/o-believe-as-thou-livest-that-every-sound-that-is-spoken-over-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [ Thou oughtest to know, since thou livest near the gods. \[Lat., Scire, deos quoniam propius contingis, oportet.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/thou-oughtest-to-know-since-thou-livest-near-the-gods-lat-scire-deos/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) ## More by Marcus Aurelius > [A man should be upright, not kept upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-man-should-be-upright-not-kept-upright/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Everything is mere opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/everything-is-mere-opinion/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-any-man-has-done-wrong-the-harm-is-his-own-but-perhaps-he-has-not/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“We should remark the grace and fascination that there is even in the incidentals of Nature's processes.. When a loaf of bread,. for instance,.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-should-remark-the-grace-and-fascination-that-there-is-even-in-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [My true Self is free. I cannot be contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/my-true-self-is-free-i-cannot-be-contained/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/the-best-revenge-is-to-be-unlike-him-who-performed-the-injury/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Nothing befalls any man which he is not fitted to endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/nothing-befalls-any-man-which-he-is-not-fitted-to-endure/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Adorn thyself with simplicity and with indifference towards the things which lie between virtue and vice. Love mankind. Follow God. The poet says that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/adorn-thyself-with-simplicity-and-with-indifference-towards-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/let-it-be-your-constant-method-to-look-into-the-design-of-people-s/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/our-life-is-a-warfare-and-a-mere-pilgrimage/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“If therefore it be a thing external that causes thy grief, know, that it is not that properly that doth cause it, but thine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-therefore-it-be-a-thing-external-that-causes-thy-grief-know-that/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Frightened of change? But what can exist without it? What's closer to nature's heart? Can you take a hot bath and leave the firewood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/frightened-of-change-but-what-can-exist-without-it-what-s-closer-to/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-are-too-much-accustomed-to-attribute-to-a-single-cause-that-which/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself, "I have to go to work - as a human being. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/at-dawn-when-you-have-trouble-getting-out-of-bed-tell-yourself-i-have/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) [Explore all 1,138 Marcus Aurelius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## More Thou quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/o-thou-that-pinest-in-the-imprisonment-of-the-actual-and-criest/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Sum up at night what thou hast done by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/sum-up-at-night-what-thou-hast-done-by-day/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Thou shouldst not decide until thou hast heard what both have to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/thou-shouldst-not-decide-until-thou-hast-heard-what-both-have-to-say/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [Why has no religion this command before all others: Thou shalt work?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berthold-auerbach/why-has-no-religion-this-command-before-all-others-thou-shalt-work/) [Berthold Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berthold-auerbach/) > [Be substantially great in thyself, and more than thou appearest unto others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/be-substantially-great-in-thyself-and-more-than-thou-appearest-unto/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“Didst thou give me this inescapable loneliness so that it would be easier for me to give thee all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/didst-thou-give-me-this-inescapable-loneliness-so-that-it-would-be/) [Dag Hammarskjöld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Why dost thou shrink from my approach, O Man? Why dost thou ever flee in fear, and cling To my false rival, Life? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/why-dost-thou-shrink-from-my-approach-o-man-why-dost-thou-ever-flee/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Yes, thou art ever present, power divine; not circumscribed by time, nor fixed by space, confined to altars, nor to temples bound. In wealth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/yes-thou-art-ever-present-power-divine-not-circumscribed-by-time-nor/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I shall be thine.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-shall-be-thine/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [Thou shalt not steal. I mean defensively. On offense, indeed thou shall steal and thou must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/thou-shalt-not-steal-i-mean-defensively-on-offense-indeed-thou-shall/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) [Browse all 709 Thou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Aurelius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayest-be-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Thou" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayest-be-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f5/marcus-aurelius-139_thou_whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayes_2872273.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f5/marcus-aurelius-139_thou_whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayes_2872273.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f5/marcus-aurelius-139_thou_whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayes_2872273.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good.” — Marcus Aurelius", "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": "Marcus Aurelius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayest-be-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/whilst-yet-thou-livest-whilst-thou-mayest-be-good/#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 } } ] } ```