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If you practice an excellent virtue without perceiving the taste of its aid, do not marvel for until a man becomes humble, he will not receive a reward for his labor. Recompense is given, not for labor, but for humility.

Isaac of Nineveh

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Isaac of Nineveh
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More quotes by Isaac of Nineveh

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Afflictions for God's sake are dearer to Him than any prayer or sacrifice.
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Speech is the organ of this present world. Silence is the mystery of the world to come.
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A man who is truly humble is not troubled when he is wronged and he says nothing to justify himself against the injustice, but he accepts slander as truth he does not attempt to persuade men that he is calumniated, but he begs forgiveness.
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If zeal had been appropriate for putting humanity right, why did God the Word clothe himself in the body, using gentleness and humility in order to bring the world back to his Father?
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Be persecuted, rather than be a persecutor. Be crucified, rather than be a crucifier. Be treated unjustly, rather than treat anyone unjustly. Be oppressed, rather than be an oppressor. Be gentle rather than zealous. Lay hold of goodness, rather than justice.
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The man with a heart cannot think about or see creatures without his eyes filling up with tears because of the immense compassion which seizes his heart.
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Humility collects the soul into a single point by the power of silence. A truly humble man has no desire to be known or admired by others, but wishes to plunge from himself into himself, to become nothing, as if he had never been born. When he is completely hidden to himself in himself, he is completely with God
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Conquer evil people by gentle kindness, and make zealous people wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion.
Isaac of Nineveh
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If you cannot close the mouth of one who reviles his brother, at least avoid conversation with him.
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It is impossible to draw near to God without sorrows, without which human righteousness cannot remain unchanged... If you desire virtue, than give yourself to every affliction, for afflictions produce humility. If someone abides in virtue without afflictions, the door of pride is opened to him.
Isaac of Nineveh
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Be dead in life, and you will not live in death. Let your soul die strenuously, and not live in weakness. Not only those who suffer death for the sake of faith in Christ are martyrs but also those who die because of their observance of His commandments.
Isaac of Nineveh
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Whoever can weep over himself for one hour is greater than the one who is able to teach the whole world whoever recognizes the depth of his own frailty is greater than the one who sees visions of angels.
Isaac of Nineveh
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God requires not the doing of the commandments for their own sake, but the correction of the soul, for whose sake He established the commandments.
Isaac of Nineveh
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Draw nigh to the righteous, and through them you will draw nigh to God. Communicate with those who possess humility, and you will learn morals from them. A man who follows one who loves God becomes rich in the mysteries of God but he who follows an unrighteous and proud man gets far away from God, and will be hated by his friends.
Isaac of Nineveh
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There is love like a small lamp, which goes out when the oil is consumed or like a stream which dries up when it doesn't rain. But there is a love that is like a mighty spring gushing up out of the earth it keeps flowing forever, and is inexhaustible.
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If you are truly merciful, then when what is yours is unjustly taken, don't be sad inside, and do not tell of our loss to your neighbor. Let a better loss, inflicted by those who insult you, be absorbed by your mercy.
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Whoever hates his sins will stop sinning and whoever confesses them will receive remission. A man can not abandon the habit of sin if he does not first gain enmity toward sin, nor can he receive remission of sin without confession of sin. For the confession of sin is the cause of true humility.
Isaac of Nineveh
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The Commandments of God are higher than all the treasures of the earth. Whoever has acquired them has received God within himself.
Isaac of Nineveh
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Whoever prematurely begins a work that is above his strength receives nothing, but only brings harm upon himself.
Isaac of Nineveh
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As a handful of sand thrown into the ocean, so are the sins of all flesh as compared with the mind of God.
Isaac of Nineveh