---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No man ruleth safely but he that is…"
description: "\"No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.\" — Thomas a Kempis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/thomas-a-kempis-721_men_no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-will_2596399.png"
---

#  No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.

![“No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.” quote by Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/thomas-a-kempis-721_men_no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-will_2596399.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/thomas-a-kempis-721_men_no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-will_2596399.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/thomas-a-kempis-721_men_no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-will_2596399.png)

> “No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.”

[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.

Suggests true safety lies in willingly accepting governance, not in autonomy.

**In simple terms:** Safety comes from accepting authority.

Key Takeaway

Consider humility in leadership roles.

Themes

authority humility spiritual safety

Mood

contemplative serene

Type

spiritual philosophical

When to use this quote

- church leadership
- personal governance
- community service

Key Concepts

theology philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- Why might people prefer being ruled?
- How does voluntary submission affect freedom?

A Different Perspective

May conflict with modern democratic values.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Ruled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruled/) [Ruleth Safely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruleth-safely-1907503/) [Safely Willingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safely-willingly-1907502/) [Willingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingly/) [Willingly Ruled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingly-ruled-1907501/)

## Related quotes

> [We are ruled by quotations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/we-are-ruled-by-quotations/)

[Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/)

> [Celebrating historic triumphs is a favorite pastime for many Turks. Tales of how Turkic peoples emerged from Central Asia, crossed the steppes to Anatolia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/celebrating-historic-triumphs-is-a-favorite-pastime-for-many-turks/)

[Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/)

> [“One who rules is ruled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/one-who-rules-is-ruled/)

[T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/)

> [Of course, women have long exercised influence behind the scenes. A few thousand years ago this drove Aristotle to distraction: 'What difference does it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/of-course-women-have-long-exercised-influence-behind-the-scenes-a-few/)

[Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/)

> [Nineteen-seventy-nine had been a year of American setbacks around the globe. Before the year began, Cuban troops were already roaming Angola, and a pro-Communist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/nineteen-seventy-nine-had-been-a-year-of-american-setbacks-around-the/)

[Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/)

> [We came to enjoy; we are being enjoyed. We came to rule; we are being ruled. We came to work; we are being worked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-came-to-enjoy-we-are-being-enjoyed-we-came-to-rule-we-are-being/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“Rulers craft stories, the ruled listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amogh-swamy/rulers-craft-stories-the-ruled-listen/)

[Amogh Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amogh-swamy/)

> [For all his sourness, he was ruled by his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/for-all-his-sourness-he-was-ruled-by-his-heart/)

[Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/)

> [“Her mind was blank and her heart and body ruled. And those? They were his property.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherrie-lynn/her-mind-was-blank-and-her-heart-and-body-ruled-and-those-they-were/)

[Cherrie Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherrie-lynn/)

> [“As long as enough people can be frightened, then all people can be ruled. I am afraid that's how it works in a democracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/as-long-as-enough-people-can-be-frightened-then-all-people-can-be/)

[Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/)

> [For those of us who originally disagreed with ObamaCare and now disagree with the majority opinion of the SCOTUS, the challenge remains the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/for-those-of-us-who-originally-disagreed-with-obamacare-and-now/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [I lost in my first ever 400m race, the event I almost ruled later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milkha-singh/i-lost-in-my-first-ever-400m-race-the-event-i-almost-ruled-later/)

[Milkha Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milkha-singh/)

> [If the truth be told, we are a society that is dripping in racism. This is not in the least surprising. For the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/if-the-truth-be-told-we-are-a-society-that-is-dripping-in-racism-this/)

[Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/)

> [To be very clear, I have completely ruled out state funding for stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/to-be-very-clear-i-have-completely-ruled-out-state-funding-for/)

[Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/)

> [A lot of us are ruled by fear during our lives - afraid we'll get burgled, afraid a dog will bite us, afraid we'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lumley/a-lot-of-us-are-ruled-by-fear-during-our-lives-afraid-we-ll-get/)

[Joanna Lumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lumley/)

## 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 Men quotes

> [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-passed-the-chancellor-he-arose-waved-his-hand-at-me-and-i/)

[Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/)

> [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/)

[Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/)

> [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/)

[Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/)

[Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/)

> [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

[Browse all 84,229 Men quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thomas a Kempis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-willingly-ruled/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Men"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-willingly-ruled/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/thomas-a-kempis-721_men_no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-will_2596399.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/thomas-a-kempis-721_men_no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-will_2596399.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/thomas-a-kempis-721_men_no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-will_2596399.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.” — 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": "No man ruleth safely but he...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-willingly-ruled/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/no-man-ruleth-safely-but-he-that-is-willingly-ruled/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
