Act And Failure

Τὸν βουληθέντα εὐεργετνσᾶι, μὴ δυνηθέντα δὲ βοηθῆσαι, μὴ ἐκ τῆς ἐκβάσεως μέμφου, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς προθέσεως τίμα· ὅτι τῇ φύσει κεκίνηται, ἂ ἐχρῆν διαπράξασθαι, εἰ καὶ τῇ δυνάμει ἐνάρκησε, μὴ ἰσχύσας ἐργάσασθαι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΤΛΕ', Εὐτονιῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne PG 78.375b

He who wishes to do some good deed and is not able to accomplish it, must not by that be blamed, but in the wish is honour, for nature being moved fails to obtain what it would, and torpid in its power it has not the strength to to perform the deed. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 335, to Eutonius the Deacon