Who said "Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is."?

Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471). Source: The Imitation of Christ 1.16.4.

Occasiones namque hominem fragilem non faciunt, sed qualis sit, ostendunt.

Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is.

Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ 1.16.4

What it means

Adversity is a test that reveals, not a force that creates. What comes out under pressure was already inside. Build your character in calm times so it holds in hard ones.

The source

"Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is." Thomas à Kempis said it in The Imitation of Christ 1.16.4. Translated by William Benham, 1874.

"such occasions do not make a man frail, but show of what temper he is"

William Benham, 1874, The Imitation of Christ 1.16.4. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471). Augustinian canon in the Netherlands, generally credited with The Imitation of Christ, one of the most widely read Christian books ever written.

Questions

What does "Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is." mean?: Adversity is a test that reveals, not a force that creates. What comes out under pressure was already inside. Build your character in calm times so it holds in hard ones.
Who said "Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is."?: Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471). Source: The Imitation of Christ 1.16.4.
What is the original wording?: such occasions do not make a man frail, but show of what temper he is (William Benham, 1874). Translated by William Benham, 1874.
Is "Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is." on a shirt?: Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 6 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Cite this line

"Hard times do not make a person weak. They show what he is." (Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ 1.16.4, trans. William Benham, 1874). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/hard-times-do-not-make-a-person-weak