Thomas A Kempis 1.23 (Part 1) Meditation on mortality

Very quickly a certain thing will happen to you; watch how it will be. Today a man exists, and tomorrow he does not appear. And when he is no longer before our eyes, he passes out of our minds. Oh the dullness and hardness of the human heart, which solely sees the present, and does not ponder the future. In every action, in every thought, hold yourself as if you would die immediately. If you had a good conscience, you would not fear death much. It would be better to be careful of sin than to flee from death. If today you are not ready, how do you think you will be tomorrow? Tomorrow is an uncertain day, and how do you know that you'll have a tomorrow?

What does it gain to live long when we improve little? Long life does not always improve, but often increases our faults even more. I wish that for one day we could live well in the world. Many people count up the years since their conversion, but often cannot count the fruit of a changed life. If it is a fearful thing to die, it may be more dangerous to live long. Blessed are they who keep the hour of death always before their eyes, and prepare each day for the end. If you have seen someone die, consider that you will pass away the same way.

In the morning, consider that you may not reach the evening. When evening is done, do not promise yourself tomorrow. Stay ready, and live in such a way that death never finds you unprepared. Many die suddenly and unexpectedly. "In an hour that you do not expect, the Son of Man comes." When that last hour comes, you will begin to feel very differently about your whole life to that point, and will grieve much that you were so negligent and careless.

How happy and wise is someone who strives now to live his life as he wishes to be found in death! To give the soul great confidence in the face of death, have a perfect contempt of the world, a fervent desire to excel in virtues, a love of discipline, the job of repentance, readiness, self-denial, and submission to any adversity for love of Christ. You can do so many good works while you have your health, but when infirmity overtakes you, I don't know what you can do then. Few are made better through infirmity: likewise those who make many pilgrimages rarely return more holy.

Do not rely on your friends and neighbors, and do not defer your wellbeing to the future, for people will forget you more quickly than you think. It is better for you to take the time now to provide for yourself, and to prepare good for the future, rather than hope for the help of others. If you do not make good provision for yourself now, who do you suppose will make good provision for you later? Now the time is most precious. Sadly you take your time and spend it uselessly, when you could lay up treasure for eternal life. There will come a day or hour when you long to make yourself better, and I do not know whether you will have it. 

Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis, 1.23 (first part).

Translation focused on contemporary English and preservation of rhetorical force and art