--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is much safer to obey than to rule." description: "\"It is much safer to obey than to rule.\" — Thomas a Kempis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/thomas-a-kempis-721_obey_it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule-26_2652273.png" --- # It is much safer to obey than to rule. ![“It is much safer to obey than to rule.” quote by Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/thomas-a-kempis-721_obey_it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule-26_2652273.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/thomas-a-kempis-721_obey_it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule-26_2652273.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/thomas-a-kempis-721_obey_it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule-26_2652273.png) > “It is much safer to obey than to rule.” [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Obeying is safer because it follows established order, while ruling carries risk and responsibility. **In simple terms:** Obeying is safer than ruling. Key Takeaway Prefer safety over risk. Themes authority obedience leadership risk safety Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - following rules - career advancement - team leadership - political office - military command Key Concepts hierarchy responsibility power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Do you value safety over influence? - When is ruling necessary? A Different Perspective Ruling can bring positive change despite risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey/) [Obey Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey-rule-2009012/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Safer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safer/) [Safer Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safer-obey-2359993/) ## Related quotes > [Women are perfectly well aware that the more they seem to obey the more they rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-michelet/women-are-perfectly-well-aware-that-the-more-they-seem-to-obey-the/) [Jules Michelet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-michelet/) > [“If you really want succeed in what you do, obey this rule;... Wake up very early, go to bed lately... Occupy your time usefully!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-really-want-succeed-in-what-you-do-obey-this-rule-wake-up-very/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [It is a far greater happiness to obey no one than to rule the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-queen-of-sweden/it-is-a-far-greater-happiness-to-obey-no-one-than-to-rule-the-whole/) [Christina, Queen of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-queen-of-sweden/) > [“When it is time to sow, sow and when it is time to harvest, you will harvest. Obey this rule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/when-it-is-time-to-sow-sow-and-when-it-is-time-to-harvest-you-will/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [When I obey a rule, I do not choose. I obey the rule blindly .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/when-i-obey-a-rule-i-do-not-choose-i-obey-the-rule-blindly/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [“Fully agreeing with Sir Richard Grenville's great axiom, that he who cannot obey cannot rule, Lucy had been for the last five-and-twenty years training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/fully-agreeing-with-sir-richard-grenville-s-great-axiom-that-he-who/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [I have often heard, that it is safer to hear and to take counsel, than to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/i-have-often-heard-that-it-is-safer-to-hear-and-to-take-counsel-than/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [No man doth safely rule, but he that hath learned gladly to obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/no-man-doth-safely-rule-but-he-that-hath-learned-gladly-to-obey/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [The only safe ruler is he who has learned to obey willingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/the-only-safe-ruler-is-he-who-has-learned-to-obey-willingly/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [I want to say that our shows are safer-spaces shows. Don't push anyone or affect anyone's space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-want-to-say-that-our-shows-are-safer-spaces-shows-don-t-push-anyone/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [America's families will be safer in a world where we're strong, where we're engaged, but where we're respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/america-s-families-will-be-safer-in-a-world-where-we-re-strong-where/) [John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/) > [I find myself safer running in a pack of wolves than walking through a city alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolf/i-find-myself-safer-running-in-a-pack-of-wolves-than-walking-through/) [Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolf/) > [I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. It's getting safer to do so, but I do have to be fairly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-ride-my-bike-almost-every-day-here-in-new-york-it-s-getting-safer/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [It is so much safer not to feel, not to let the world touch me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/it-is-so-much-safer-not-to-feel-not-to-let-the-world-touch-me/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## More by Thomas a Kempis > [Have therefore zeal to better thyself and then mayst thou have zeal to thy neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/have-therefore-zeal-to-better-thyself-and-then-mayst-thou-have-zeal/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [And if thy heart be straight with God then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/and-if-thy-heart-be-straight-with-god-then-every-creature-shall-be-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Patience is necessary in this life because so much of life is fraught with adversity. No matter how hard we try, our lives will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/patience-is-necessary-in-this-life-because-so-much-of-life-is-fraught/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [To take no account of oneself, but always to think well and highly of others is the highest wisdom and perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/to-take-no-account-of-oneself-but-always-to-think-well-and-highly-of/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [It is easier not to speak a word at all than to speak more words than we should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-is-easier-not-to-speak-a-word-at-all-than-to-speak-more-words-than/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Be Yourself -The man who is neither bent upon pleasing his fellows nor afraid of offending them will enjoy great peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/be-yourself-the-man-who-is-neither-bent-upon-pleasing-his-fellows-nor/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“0 true and heavenly grace, without which our own merits are nothing, and our natural gifts of no account! Neither arts nor riches, beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/0-true-and-heavenly-grace-without-which-our-own-merits-are-nothing/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [If you would endeavor, like men of courage, to stand in the battle, surely we would feel the favorable assistance of God from heaven.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/if-you-would-endeavor-like-men-of-courage-to-stand-in-the-battle/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“No man safely goeth abroad who loveth not to rest at home. No man safely talketh but he who loveth to hold his peace.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/no-man-safely-goeth-abroad-who-loveth-not-to-rest-at-home-no-man/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“Nature has a relish for knowing secrets and hearing news. It wishes to appear abroad and to have sense experiences. It wishes to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/nature-has-a-relish-for-knowing-secrets-and-hearing-news-it-wishes-to/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/love-is-watchful-sleeping-it-does-not-slumber-wearied-it-is-not-tired/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [If you bear the cross gladly, it will bear you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/if-you-bear-the-cross-gladly-it-will-bear-you/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Be thankful for the smallest blessing, and you will be worthy to receive greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/be-thankful-for-the-smallest-blessing-and-you-will-be-worthy-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [If you cast away one cross, you will certainly find another, and perhaps a heavier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/if-you-cast-away-one-cross-you-will-certainly-find-another-and/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Dispose thyself to patience rather than to comfort, and to the bearing of the cross rather than to gladness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/dispose-thyself-to-patience-rather-than-to-comfort-and-to-the-bearing/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) [Explore all 387 Thomas a Kempis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) ## More Obey quotes > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/9but-if-you-return-to-me-and-obey-my-commands-then-even-if-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God uses one whom others would have passed over without a second glance. The history of obedience to the Great Commission is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-paterson/god-uses-one-whom-others-would-have-passed-over-without-a-second/) [Ross Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-paterson/) > [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“It’s not the room that commands obedience. It’s not the props, or the décor. It’s not the fear of any piece of equipment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-luke/it-s-not-the-room-that-commands-obedience-it-s-not-the-props-or-the-d/) [Jason Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-luke/) > [The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-little-things-i-can-obey-but-the-big-things-how-we-think-what-we/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“I could insist that somebody take me to her so I can obey her orders." "I think you might choke on that one, Zakath,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/i-could-insist-that-somebody-take-me-to-her-so-i-can-obey-her-orders/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [No obstacles are insurmountable when God commands and we obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-obstacles-are-insurmountable-when-god-commands-and-we-obey/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Knowledge is not necessary for obedience, nor doth information replace faith. El hast commanded. We shall obey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-m-neal/knowledge-is-not-necessary-for-obedience-nor-doth-information-replace/) [Donovan M. Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-m-neal/) > [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Woman's great mission is to train immature, weak and ignorant creatures to obey the laws of God; the physical, the intellectual, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/woman-s-great-mission-is-to-train-immature-weak-and-ignorant/) [Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/) > [All reform aims, in some one particular, to let the soul have its way through us; in other words, to engage us to obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/all-reform-aims-in-some-one-particular-to-let-the-soul-have-its-way/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“It is worth asking ourselves: Where am I saying “I can’t” but God is saying “You won’t”? Israel’s failure to obey was based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-j-keller/it-is-worth-asking-ourselves-where-am-i-saying-i-can-t-but-god-is/) [Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-j-keller/) [Browse all 512 Obey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is much safer to obey than to rule.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas a Kempis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Obey" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/thomas-a-kempis-721_obey_it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule-26_2652273.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/thomas-a-kempis-721_obey_it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule-26_2652273.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/thomas-a-kempis-721_obey_it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule-26_2652273.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is much safer to obey than to rule.” — Thomas a Kempis", "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": "Thomas a Kempis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is much safer to obey...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-is-much-safer-to-obey-than-to-rule/#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 } } ] } ```