--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Leave off that excessive desire of…" description: "\"Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is found much distraction. There are many things the knowledge of which is of little or no profit t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/thomas-a-kempis-721_desire_leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowi_2773326.png" --- # Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is… ![“Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is found much distraction. There are many things the knowledge of which is of little or no profit to the soul.” quote by Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/thomas-a-kempis-721_desire_leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowi_2773326.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/thomas-a-kempis-721_desire_leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowi_2773326.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/thomas-a-kempis-721_desire_leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowi_2773326.png) > “Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is found much distraction. There are many things the knowledge of which is of little or no profit to the soul.” [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. The quote warns that pursuing unnecessary knowledge creates distraction and offers little benefit to the soul. **In simple terms:** Unneeded knowledge distracts and harms the soul. Key Takeaway Focus on what truly matters. Themes wisdom focus spirituality Mood contemplative serene Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - academic study - social media scrolling - gossip - unnecessary debates Key Concepts distraction knowledge profit Questions to Reflect On - What knowledge do you chase without purpose? - How can you limit distractions from trivial information? A Different Perspective Even useful knowledge can become a hindrance if not applied wisely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-knowing-802248/) [Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) [Distraction Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction-things-1746101/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Knowing Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-distraction-3257341/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [“Every time I catch myself trying to figure out other people's motives, I'll stop and ask myself: "What did I say or do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-time-i-catch-myself-trying-to-figure-out-other-people-s-motives/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ There isn't but this is, in some ways, perhaps, a useful distraction from other things, giving \[Donald Trump\] more space to make his decisions… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/there-isn-t-but-this-is-in-some-ways-perhaps-a-useful-distraction/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [I don't have any of the modern electronics at all. I know the Internet would be a distraction. I would see things that interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-don-t-have-any-of-the-modern-electronics-at-all-i-know-the-internet/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [The first principle of success is desire - knowing what you want. Desire is the planting of your seed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/the-first-principle-of-success-is-desire-knowing-what-you-want-desire/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [“Upon my soul!' Tietjens said to himself, 'that girl down there is the only intelligent living soul I've met for years.' A little pronounced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/upon-my-soul-tietjens-said-to-himself-that-girl-down-there-is-the/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [Find out for yourself what are the possesions and ideals that you do not desire. By knowing what you do not want, by elimination,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/find-out-for-yourself-what-are-the-possesions-and-ideals-that-you-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not knowing how to feed the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distraction...What matters is that one be for a time inwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/not-knowing-how-to-feed-the-spirit-we-try-to-muffle-its-demands-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [I feel very privileged to get to read and write and not to have to do things that I don't like, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/i-feel-very-privileged-to-get-to-read-and-write-and-not-to-have-to-do/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [You have a number of choices. You could continue to always fight against people who are really distractions. They're people in the cheap seats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/you-have-a-number-of-choices-you-could-continue-to-always-fight/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [As a social and as a personal force, religion has become a dependent variable. It does not originate; it reacts. It does not denounce;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/as-a-social-and-as-a-personal-force-religion-has-become-a-dependent/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [To really be of benefit to others as the Buddha always taught, we ourselves must first get out of the swamp. One of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/to-really-be-of-benefit-to-others-as-the-buddha-always-taught-we/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) ## 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 Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is found much distraction. There are many things the knowledge of which is of little or no profit to the soul.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas a Kempis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowing-therein-is-found-much/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowing-therein-is-found-much/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/thomas-a-kempis-721_desire_leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowi_2773326.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/thomas-a-kempis-721_desire_leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowi_2773326.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/thomas-a-kempis-721_desire_leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowi_2773326.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is found much distraction. There are many things the…” — 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": "Leave off that excessive desire of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowing-therein-is-found-much/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/leave-off-that-excessive-desire-of-knowing-therein-is-found-much/#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 } } ] } ```