Sense shines with a double luster when it is set in humility. An able yet humble man is a jewel worth a kingdom.
Peace can only be secured by justice; never by force of arms.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True peace can only be achieved through fairness and justice, rather than through violence or military power.
William Penn's quote emphasizes the fundamental idea that lasting peace is rooted in justice. Using force or military might may temporarily suppress conflict, but it does not create genuine harmony among people. Instead, when justice is established and upheld, it paves the way for a deeper and more sustainable peace that resonates within society. This perspective suggests that moral and ethical considerations should guide our actions towards resolving disputes and fostering understanding, rather than relying on aggression as a means to achieve security.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech about conflict resolution.
More from William Penn
All quotes βWhere thou art Obliged to speak, be sure speak the Truth: For Equivocation is half way to Lying, as Lying, the whole way to Hell.
Man, being made reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being than the right direction and employment of his thoughts; since upon this depends both his usefulness to the public, and his own present and future benefit in all respects.
Do good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good.
To be a man's own fool is bad enough, but the vain man is everybody's.
Unless virtue guide us our choice must be wrong.
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Definitions, contrary to popular opinion, tell us nothing about things. They only describe people's linguistic habits; that is, they tell us what noises people make under what conditions.
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Remember that you are in actor in a play of such a kind that the author chooses...For this is your duty, to act well the part that is given to you; but to select the part belongs to another.
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
The words seemed to bite physically into Gatsby.