--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I…" description: "\"God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I shall be thine.'\" — Nicholas of Cusa" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/nicholas-of-cusa-14312_karma_god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-sh_37819.png" --- # God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I shall be thine.' ![“God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I shall be thine.'” quote by Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/nicholas-of-cusa-14312_karma_god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-sh_37819.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/nicholas-of-cusa-14312_karma_god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-sh_37819.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/nicholas-of-cusa-14312_karma_god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-sh_37819.png) > “God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I shall be thine.'” [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages authentic self‑expression, promising a reciprocal divine relationship when one embraces one true nature. **In simple terms:** Authenticity invites divine partnership. Key Takeaway Be true, receive support. Themes authenticity spiritual reciprocity self‑acceptance personal identity faith Mood inspired hopeful Type maxim spiritual counsel When to use this quote - personal crisis - spiritual seeking - creative work - leadership decisions Key Concepts divine relationship inner truth Practical Applications - coaching for self‑growth - faith‑based counseling Questions to Reflect On - How does authenticity affect your sense of purpose? - What does 'being thine' mean to you? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [As thou thyself art a component part of a social system, so let every act of thine be a component part of social life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/as-thou-thyself-art-a-component-part-of-a-social-system-so-let-every/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Why seeketh thou revenge, O man! with what purpose is it that thou pursuest it? Thinkest thou to pain thine adversary by it? Know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akhenaton/why-seeketh-thou-revenge-o-man-with-what-purpose-is-it-that-thou/) [Akhenaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akhenaton/) > [What is thy thought? There is no miracle? There is a great one, which thou hast not read, And never shalt escape. Thyself, O…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ingelow/what-is-thy-thought-there-is-no-miracle-there-is-a-great-one-which/) [Jean Ingelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ingelow/) > [I do not see them here; but after death God knows I know the faces I shall see, Each one a murdered self, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-gabriel-rossetti/i-do-not-see-them-here-but-after-death-god-knows-i-know-the-faces-i/) [Dante Gabriel Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-gabriel-rossetti/) > [O my God, if Thy creations are so full of beauty, delight and joy, how infinitely more full of beauty, delight and joy art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicodemus/o-my-god-if-thy-creations-are-so-full-of-beauty-delight-and-joy-how/) Nicodemus > [“Love O Love! thou makest all things even In earth or heaven; Finding thy way through prison-bars Up to the stars; Or, true to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-flower-adams/love-o-love-thou-makest-all-things-even-in-earth-or-heaven-finding/) Sarah Flower Adams > [The Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/the-word-of-god-became-man-that-thou-mayest-learn-from-man-how-man/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [Be more than man, or thou'rt less than an ant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/be-more-than-man-or-thou-rt-less-than-an-ant/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [“O man ! Do and Do something otherwise thou will have the only deposit of Zilch with thee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghumakkad-agantuk-ram/o-man-do-and-do-something-otherwise-thou-will-have-the-only-deposit/) [Ghumakkad Agantuk Ram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghumakkad-agantuk-ram/) > [“Thy speech is not right, O man! if thou supposest that he that is of any worth at all, should apprehend either life or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/thy-speech-is-not-right-o-man-if-thou-supposest-that-he-that-is-of/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Over the times thou hast no power. . . . Solely over one man thou hast quite absolute power. Him redeem and make honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/over-the-times-thou-hast-no-power-solely-over-one-man-thou-hast-quite/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“Free, dost thou call thyself? Thy ruling thought would I hear of, and not that thou hast escaped from a yoke. Art thou one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/free-dost-thou-call-thyself-thy-ruling-thought-would-i-hear-of-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-of-thyself-thy-sweet-self-dost-deceive/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Nicholas of Cusa > [All visible things would not claim as their king some color of their region, which is actually among the visible things of this region,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/all-visible-things-would-not-claim-as-their-king-some-color-of-their/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [There are not many beginnings but there is a single Beginning, prior to multitude. But if you were to say that the beginnings are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/there-are-not-many-beginnings-but-there-is-a-single-beginning-prior/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [Within itself the soul sees all things more truly than as they exist in different things outside itself. And the more it goes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/within-itself-the-soul-sees-all-things-more-truly-than-as-they-exist/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [Divinity is in all things in such a way that all things are in divinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/divinity-is-in-all-things-in-such-a-way-that-all-things-are-in/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [In humility alone lies true greatness, and knowledge and wisdom are profitable only in so far as our lives are governed by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/in-humility-alone-lies-true-greatness-and-knowledge-and-wisdom-are/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [All we know of the truth is that the absolute truth, such as it is, is beyond our reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/all-we-know-of-the-truth-is-that-the-absolute-truth-such-as-it-is-is/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [You are therefore able to run on this path, on which God is found above all vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell, speech, sense, rationality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/you-are-therefore-able-to-run-on-this-path-on-which-god-is-found/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [Thou art merciful; when all my endeavour is turned toward Thee because all Thy endeavour is turned toward me; when I look unto Thee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/thou-art-merciful-when-all-my-endeavour-is-turned-toward-thee-because/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [Through itself the soul arrives at all harmony that is perceptible in otherness-just as through what is internal the soul arrives at what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/through-itself-the-soul-arrives-at-all-harmony-that-is-perceptible-in/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [We see that God has implanted in all things a natural desire to exist with the fullest measure of existence that is compatible with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/we-see-that-god-has-implanted-in-all-things-a-natural-desire-to-exist/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [The rational is apprehended through the intellect, however, the intellect is not found in the region of the rational; the intellect is as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/the-rational-is-apprehended-through-the-intellect-however-the/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [All things are in the intended endpoint, and this mode of being is called will or desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/all-things-are-in-the-intended-endpoint-and-this-mode-of-being-is/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [ Every angle acknowledges that it is a likeness of true angularity, for \[each angle\] is angle not insofar as angle exists in itself but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/every-angle-acknowledges-that-it-is-a-likeness-of-true-angularity-for/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [For reason's measurements, which attain unto temporal things, do not attain unto things that are free from time-just as hearing does not attain unto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/for-reason-s-measurements-which-attain-unto-temporal-things-do-not/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [In creating the world, God used arithmetic, geometry, and likewise astronomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/in-creating-the-world-god-used-arithmetic-geometry-and-likewise/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) [Explore all 47 Nicholas of Cusa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) ## More Karma quotes > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [To catch you're elusive dreams you must be prepared to track it to the ends of the earth. Let nothing stop you're pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/to-catch-you-re-elusive-dreams-you-must-be-prepared-to-track-it-to/) Truth Devour > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Karma means changing planes of reality or changing fields of attention. There will be perhaps a resulting physical action stemming from the change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-means-changing-planes-of-reality-or-changing-fields-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If good things come to those who wait then I must have something ridiculously awesome coming!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-then-i-must-have-something/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“If one does not know how to read the account (karmic) book, then he will start to have doubts, and doubts lead to unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-does-not-know-how-to-read-the-account-karmic-book-then-he-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Cant have your cake and eat it too. Reap what you sow, practice what you preach. Good karma, bad karma. life is not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cant-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too-reap-what-you-sow-practice-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The measure of space & time creates an echo of haunting distance between us, yet we are close, we are united in the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/the-measure-of-space-time-creates-an-echo-of-haunting-distance/) Truth Devour > [You are new at every moment. You are an extension of the previous moment of your awareness. You can radically change, if you unhook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-are-new-at-every-moment-you-are-an-extension-of-the-previous/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“There is a big park in the middle of the locality. Surrounded by at least 50 houses. That those residents got to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-paula/there-is-a-big-park-in-the-middle-of-the-locality-surrounded-by-at/) [Andy Paula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-paula/) > [Karma-yoga is a supreme secret indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagavad-gita/karma-yoga-is-a-supreme-secret-indeed/) [Bhagavad Gita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagavad-gita/) > [KARMAS a bitch it will get you time and time again so fuck off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everyone-knowthis/karmas-a-bitch-it-will-get-you-time-and-time-again-so-fuck-off/) EveryOne Knowthis > [The karma that is most interesting is the mental karma because ultimately it generates physical action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-karma-that-is-most-interesting-is-the-mental-karma-because/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,951 Karma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I shall be thine.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas of Cusa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-shall-be-thine/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Karma" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-shall-be-thine/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/nicholas-of-cusa-14312_karma_god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-sh_37819.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/nicholas-of-cusa-14312_karma_god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-sh_37819.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/nicholas-of-cusa-14312_karma_god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-sh_37819.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God says to man: 'Be thou thyself, and I shall be thine.'” — Nicholas of Cusa", "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": "Nicholas of Cusa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God says to man: 'Be thou...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-shall-be-thine/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/god-says-to-man-be-thou-thyself-and-i-shall-be-thine/#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 } } ] } ```