WIST Quotations

Dante Alighieri -- The Divine Comedy [Divina Commedia], Book 3 “Paradiso,” Canto 22 l. 16ff (22.16-18) (1320) [tr. Sayers/Reynolds (1962)]

Dave — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:24:41 +0000

The sword of God falls neither swift nor slow
Save to those eager to see justice done,
Or who in guilt and fear await the blow.

[La spada di qua sù non taglia in fretta
né tardo, ma’ ch’al parer di colui
che disïando o temendo l’aspetta.]

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Italian poet
The Divine Comedy [Divina Commedia], Book 3 “Paradiso,” Canto 22 l. 16ff (22.16-18) (1320) [tr. Sayers/Reynolds (1962)]
(Source)

Speaking of the sword of God's judgment, which comes too slowly for the innocent and just, but too quickly for the fearful guilty.

(Source (Italian)). Alternate translations:

But sooner far,
Indignant Man the fiery lance had hurl'd,
In hasly zeal, to scourge a sinful world,
While guilt presumes that Heav'n the stroke may spare.
[tr. Boyd (1802), st. 4]

The sword of heav’n is not in haste to smite,
Nor yet doth linger, save unto his seeming,
Who in desire or fear doth look for it.
[tr. Cary (1814)]

The sword above is not in haste to cut,
Nor yet delays -- unless till he appear,
Who now expects it in desire or fear.
[tr. Bannerman (1850)]

The sword above here smiteth not in haste
Nor tardily, howe'er it seem to him
Who fearing or desiring waits for it.
[tr. Longfellow (1867)]

The sword of this high place cuts not in haste, nor slow, save to the seeming of him who is awaiting it either in desire or fear.
[tr. Butler (1885)]

Neither in haste nor tardily doth sheer
The sword of Heaven, except as he may deem,
Who waits for it with longing or with fear.
[tr. Minchin (1885)]

The sword of here on high cuts not in haste, nor slow, save to the seeming of him who, desiring, or fearing, awaits it.
[tr. Norton (1892)]

The sword from here above cleaveth not in haste nor tardy, save to his deeming who in longing or in fear awaiteth it.
[tr. Wicksteed (1899)]

The sword here above does not strike in haste or tardily, except as it seems to him that awaits it with desire or with fear.
[tr. Sinclair (1939)]

The sword cuts not in haste which smites from here
On high, nor tarrieth, save as those conceive
Who wait for it in longing or in fear.
[tr. Binyon (1943)]

The sword of Heaven is not too soon dyed red,
nor yet too late -- except as its vengeance seems
to those who wait for it in hope or dread.
[tr. Ciardi (1970)]

The sword of here on high cuts not in haste
nor tardily, save to his deeming who
in longing or in fear awaits it.
[tr. Singleton (1975)]

The sword which strikes from here will never strike
In haste or too late, though it appears so
To those who hanker after it, or fear it.
[tr. Sisson (1981)]

The sword that strikes from Heaven's height is neither
hasty nor slow, except as it appears
to him who waits for it -- who longs or fears.
[tr. Mandelbaum (1984)]

The sword of Here on High cuts not in haste
nor is it slow -- except as it appears
to those who wait for it in hope or fear.
[tr. Musa (1984)]

The sword of heaven never cuts in haste nor late, except as seems to one who awaits it with either desire or fear.
[tr. Durling (2011)]

The sword from above does not strike hastily, or reluctantly, except to his perception, who waits for it with longing, or in fear.
[tr. Kline (2002)]

That sword raised here will strike, though not in haste,
nor yet too slow, save only in the view
of those who wait in fear or keen desire.
[tr. Kirkpatrick (2007)]

The sword of Heaven never cuts in haste
nor in delay, but to the one who waits
in longing or in fear, it well may seem so.
[tr. Hollander/Hollander (2007)]

The sword
Of God, swung from on high, slices neither
Too soon or too late, except in the mind of one
Awaiting death either in fear or desire.
[tr. Raffel (2010)]

Billings, Josh -- Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, “Plum Pits” (1874)

Dave — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 16:21:40 +0000

The truly innosent are thoze who not only are guiltless themselfes, but who think others are.

[The truly innocent are those who not only are guiltless themselves, but who think others are.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, “Plum Pits” (1874)
(Source)

Prelutsky, Burt -- MAS*H, 05×20 “The General’s Practitioner” (1977-02-15)

Dave — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 12:59:06 +0000

HAWKEYE: War isn’t Hell. War is war, and Hell is Hell. And of the two, war is a lot worse.

FR. MULCAHEY: How do you figure, Hawkeye?

HAWKEYE: Easy, Father. Tell me, who goes to Hell?

FR. MULCAHEY: Sinners, I believe.

HAWKEYE: Exactly. There are no innocent bystanders in Hell. War is chock full of them — little kids, cripples, old ladies. In fact, except for some of the brass, almost everybody involved is an innocent bystander.

Burt Prelutsky (b. 1940) American TV screenwriter, author, columnist, critic
M*A*S*H, 05×20 “The General’s Practitioner” (1977-02-15)

Publilius Syrus -- Sententiae [Moral Sayings], # 113 [tr. Lyman (1862)]

Dave — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 12:59:10 +0000

To spare the guilty is to injure the innocent.

Publilius Syrus (d. 42 BC) Assyrian slave, writer, philosopher [less correctly Publius Syrus]
Sententiae [Moral Sayings], # 113 [tr. Lyman (1862)]

Defoe, Daniel -- An Appeal to Honour and Justice, Tho’ it be of His Worse Enemies (1715)

Dave — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 14:44:23 +0000

I hear much of People’s calling out to punish the Guilty, but very few are concern’d to clear the Innocent.

Daniel Defoe (1660?-1731) English journalist and novelist
An Appeal to Honour and Justice, Tho’ it be of His Worse Enemies (1715)

Johnson, Samuel -- Comment (15 Aug 1773)

Dave — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:01:44 +0000

A lawyer has no business with the justice or injustice of the cause which he undertakes, unless his client asks his opinion, and then he is bound to give it honestly. The justice or injustice of the cause is to be decided by the judge.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
Comment (15 Aug 1773)

In James Boswell, Tour to the Hebrides (1786)