Imitation of Christ

Dicunt multi imbecilles et infirmi, Ecce quam bonam vitam ille homo habet, quam dives et quam magnus, quam potens et excelsus. Sed attende ad cælestia bona, et videbis quod omnia ista temporalia nulla sunt, sed magis incerta, et valde gravantia, quia nunquam sine solicitudine, et timore possidentur. Non est hominis felicitas habere temporalia ad abundantiam, et sufficit ei mediocritas. Vere miseria est vivere super terram. Quanto homo voluerit esse spiritualior, tanto præfens vita sit ei amarior, quia sentit melius, videt clarius humanæ corruptionis affectus. Nam comedere, bibere, vigilare, dormire, quiescere laborare et cæteris necessitatibus naturæ subjacere vere magna miseria est, et afflictio homini devoto, qui libenter esset absolutus et liber ab omni peccato. 

 

There are many foolish and unstable men who say, "See what a prosperous life that man has, how rich and how great he is, how powerful, how exalted." But lift up your eyes to the good things of heaven, and you will see that all these worldly things are nothing, they are utterly uncertain, yes, they are wearisome, because they are never possessed without care and fear. The happiness of man lies not in the abundance of temporal things but a moderate portion suffices him. Our life upon the earth is verily wretchedness. The more a man desires to be spiritual, the more bitter does the present life become to him; because he understands and sees better the defects of human corruption. For to eat, to drink, to watch, to sleep, to rest, to labor, and to be subject to the other necessities of nature, is truly a great wretchedness and affliction to a devout man, who would rather be released and free from all sin.

Imitation of Christ, I, 22:2