--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't take my devils away, because my…" description: "\"Don't take my devils away, because my angels may flee too.\" — Rainer Maria Rilke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/rainer-maria-rilke-193_angel_don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-ang_1898660.jpg" --- # Don't take my devils away, because my angels may flee too. ![“Don't take my devils away, because my angels may flee too.” quote by Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/rainer-maria-rilke-193_angel_don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-ang_1898660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/rainer-maria-rilke-193_angel_don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-ang_1898660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/rainer-maria-rilke-193_angel_don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-ang_1898660.jpg) > “Don't take my devils away, because my angels may flee too.” [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Removing darkness may also cause light to flee; balance is essential. **In simple terms:** Both darkness and light are needed. Key Takeaway Seek balance, not elimination. Themes balance duality spirituality psychology Mood melancholic hopeful Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - creative writing - life coaching Key Concepts philosophy poetry mythology Questions to Reflect On - What 'devils' do you protect? - How might your 'angels' respond? A Different Perspective Over‑protecting can stifle growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angels/) [Angels Flee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angels-flee-2787534/) [Away Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-angels-900548/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Devils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devils/) [Devils Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devils-away-2787535/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [My angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-angel/) ## Related quotes > [If my devils are to leave me, I'm afraid my angels will take flight as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/if-my-devils-are-to-leave-me-i-m-afraid-my-angels-will-take-flight-as/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [If I exorcise my devils, all my angels may go, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/if-i-exorcise-my-devils-all-my-angels-may-go-too/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“Let's walk down the road that has no end Steal away where only angels tread Heaven or hell or somewhere in between Cross your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-civil-wars/let-s-walk-down-the-road-that-has-no-end-steal-away-where-only-angels/) [The Civil Wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-civil-wars/) > [I can't get very far away from Christianity, I can't get very far away from the angels and the saints. I work them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-can-t-get-very-far-away-from-christianity-i-can-t-get-very-far-away/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/angels-can-fly-because-they-take-themselves-lightly/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“Sadly, it seems that I have the proclivity to create plenty of devils, but most of the time I don’t even go looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/sadly-it-seems-that-i-have-the-proclivity-to-create-plenty-of-devils/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [The fact that all angels are females and all devils are males :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-that-all-angels-are-females-and-all-devils-are-males/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love demons,devils,vampires because they're super good in hurting people. They're so damn bad until they don't feel and they don't care. They do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farishta/i-love-demons-devils-vampires-because-they-re-super-good-in-hurting/) [Farishta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farishta/) > [There were distant devils who became angels when we finally became close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/there-were-distant-devils-who-became-angels-when-we-finally-became/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Kill off all my demons and my angels might die too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/kill-off-all-my-demons-and-my-angels-might-die-too/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and direct us; God has provided for this, by appointing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/we-are-like-children-who-stand-in-need-of-masters-to-enlighten-us-and/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [The greatest lessons I have every learned were at my mother's knees... All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-greatest-lessons-i-have-every-learned-were-at-my-mother-s-knees/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If I got rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/if-i-got-rid-of-my-demons-i-d-lose-my-angels/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Mind you, I've always been musical... Mother used to sit me on her knee and I'd whisper, 'Mummy, Mummy, sing me a lullaby do,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dawson/mind-you-i-ve-always-been-musical-mother-used-to-sit-me-on-her-knee/) [Les Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-dawson/) > [My friends say I'm a fool to think that you're the one for me, I guess I'm just a sucker for love. (love love)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/my-friends-say-i-m-a-fool-to-think-that-you-re-the-one-for-me-i-guess/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) ## More by Rainer Maria Rilke > [The artist's experience lies so unbelievably close to the sexual, to its pain and its pleasure, that the two phenomena are really just different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/the-artist-s-experience-lies-so-unbelievably-close-to-the-sexual-to/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“Out of infinite longings rise finite deeds like weak fountains, falling back just in time and trembling. And yet, what otherwise remains silent, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/out-of-infinite-longings-rise-finite-deeds-like-weak-fountains/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“I love the dark hours of my being. My mind deepens into them. 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Things will not abandon you. The nights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/if-there-is-nothing-you-can-share-with-other-people-try-to-be-close/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [To be here is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/to-be-here-is-immense/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“Sin is the most wonderfully roundabout path to God”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/sin-is-the-most-wonderfully-roundabout-path-to-god/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Swells, Marina? we ocean, depths, Marina? we sky!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/swells-marina-we-ocean-depths-marina-we-sky/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“The point of marriage is not to create a quick commonality by tearing down all boundaries; on the contrary, a good marriage is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/the-point-of-marriage-is-not-to-create-a-quick-commonality-by-tearing/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [You life will find its own paths... and that they be good, rich, and wide is what I wish for you, more than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/you-life-will-find-its-own-paths-and-that-they-be-good-rich-and-wide/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [I do not want to be folded for where I am folded, there I am a lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/i-do-not-want-to-be-folded-for-where-i-am-folded-there-i-am-a-lie/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/at-no-other-time-than-autumn-does-the-earth-let-itself-be-inhaled-in/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“That is why the sadness passes: the new presence inside us, the presence that has been added, has entered our heart, has gone into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/that-is-why-the-sadness-passes-the-new-presence-inside-us-the/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms, like books written in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/have-patience-with-everything-that-remains-unsolved-in-your-heart-try/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) [Explore all 861 Rainer Maria Rilke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) ## More Angel quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. 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"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/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't take my devils away, because my angels may flee too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rainer Maria Rilke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-angels-may-flee-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-angels-may-flee-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/rainer-maria-rilke-193_angel_don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-ang_1898660.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/rainer-maria-rilke-193_angel_don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-ang_1898660.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/rainer-maria-rilke-193_angel_don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-ang_1898660.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't take my devils away, because my angels may flee too.” — Rainer Maria Rilke", "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": "Rainer Maria Rilke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't take my devils away, because...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-angels-may-flee-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/don-t-take-my-devils-away-because-my-angels-may-flee-too/#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 } } ] } ```