He who goes no further than bare justice, stops at the beginning of virtue.
—Hugh Blair (1718–1800) Scottish Preacher, Scholar, Critic
When a man is just and firm in his purpose,
The citizens burning to approve a wrong
Or the frowning looks of a tyrant
Do not shake his fixed mind, nor the Southwind.
Wild lord of the uneasy Adriatic,
Nor the thunder in the mighty hand of Jove:
Should the heavens crack and tumble down,
As the ruins crushed him he would not fear.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
It’s time for greatness—not for greed. It’s a time for idealism—not ideology. It is a time not just for compassionate words, but compassionate action.
—Marian Wright Edelman (b.1939) American Civil Regrets Advocate, Humanitarian, Lawyer
Judicial judgment must take deep account of the day before yesterday in order that yesterday may not paralyze today.
—Felix Frankfurter (1882–1965) American Judge
The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject any thing, is not whether it have any evil in it; but whether it have more of evil, than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good. Almost everything, especially of governmental policy, is an inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Justice: a commodity which in a more or less adultered condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
What is in conformity with justice should also be in conformity to the laws.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
I am further of opinion that it would be better for us to have (no laws) at all than to have them in so prodigious numbers as we have.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.
—Ida B. Wells (1862–1931) American Civil Rights Activist
God’s mill grinds slow but sure.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
In the Halls of Justice, the only justice is in the halls.
—Lenny Bruce (1925–66) American Comedian, Writer, Social Critic, Satirist
It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.
—Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) American Cartoonist, Writer, Artist
Hug a police officer. It’s the law.
—Unknown
It is impossible to find twelve fair men in all the world.
—W. C. Fields (1880–1946) American Actor, Comedian, Writer
One of irony’s greatest accomplishments is that one cannot punish the wrongdoing of another without committing a wrongdoing himself.
—Anonymous
Justice is truth in action.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator
May be is very well, but Must is the master. It is my duty to show justice without recompense.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
The shepherd is lame and the goats are nimble, but at the entrance of the fold they will have to meet him and at the door of the stable they will be counted.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Litigant. A person about to give up his skin for the hope of retaining his bones.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Justice is my being allowed to do whatever I like. Injustice is whatever prevents my doing so.
—Samuel Butler
Justice is to give to every man his own.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Many laws as certainly make bad men, as bad men make many laws.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
Justice is the means by which established injustices are sanctioned.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Obscenity is whatever happens to shock some elderly and ignorant magistrate.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
A joke, even if it be a lame one, is nowhere so keenly relished or quickly applauded as in a murder trial.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Thieves for their robbery have authority when judges steal themselves.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Justice is justice though it’s always delayed and finally done only y mistake.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Good lawyers know the law; great lawyers know the judge.
—Unknown
Affliction is not sent in vain from the good God who chastens those that he loves.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Objective evidence and certitude are doubtless very fine ideals to play with, but where on this moonlit and dream-visited planet are they found?
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Every institution places its ultimate weight on preserving its own life. That is why the Church emphasizes loving God over loving one’s neighbor…. The push for justice on the other hand might be at the center of the Gospel but it also attacks the balance of power in the society. Since the rich always exploit the poor, to give the poor power, dignity and humanity makes them less pliable, less cooperative.
—John Shelby Spong (1931–2021) American Episcopal Bishop
Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.
—Dan Rather (b.1931) American Newscaster, Author
When there’s a single thief, it’s robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, it’s taxation.
—Unknown
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
To embarrass justice by a multiplicity of laws, or hazard it by a confidence in our judges, are, I grant, the opposite rocks on which legislative wisdom has ever split; in one case the client resembles that emperor who is said to have been suffocated with the bedclothes, which were only designed to keep him warm; in the other, that town which let the enemy take possession of its walls, in order to show the world how little they depended upon aught but courage for safety.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
It is just as cowardly to judge an absent person as it is wicked to strike a defenseless one. Only the ignorant and narrow-minded gossip, for they speak of persons instead of things.
—Lawrence G. Lovasik
There’s nothing written in the Bible, Old or New testament, that says, “If you believe in Me, you ain’t going to have no troubles.”
—Ray Charles (1930–2004) American Singer, Songwriter, Musician
Do not judge, and you will never be mistaken.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
If … the machine of government … is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Liberty, equality—bad principles! The only true principle for humanity is justice; and justice to the feeble is protection and kindness.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
Justice shines in smoky cottages, and honors the pious. Leaving with averted eyes the gorgeous glare obtained by polluted hands, she is wont to draw nigh to holiness, not reverencing wealth when falsely stamped with praise, and assigning to each deed its righteous doom.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright
Nothing is to be preferred before justice.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
The greatest injustices proceed from those who pursue excess, not by those who are driven by necessity.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
At present we can only reason of the divine justice from what we know of justice in man. When we are in other scenes we may have truer and nobler ideas of it; but while in this life we can only speak from the volume that is laid open before us.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Be just and fear not; let all the ends thou aimest at be thy country’s, thy God’s, and truth’s.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright