WIST Quotations

Herbert, George -- Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 776 (1640 ed.)

Dave — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 13:04:15 +0000

Law sutes consume time, and mony, and rest, and friends.

[Lawsuits consume time, and money, and rest, and friends.]

George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh priest, orator, poet.
Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 776 (1640 ed.)

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- De Legibus [On the Laws], Book 1, ch. 5 (1.6) / sec. 18 [Marcus] (c. 51 BC) [tr. Zetzel (1999)]

Dave — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 01:08:49 +0000

In fact ignorance of law leads to more lawsuits than knowledge of it.

[Potius ignoratio iuris litigiosa est quam scientia.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
De Legibus [On the Laws], Book 1, ch. 5 (1.6) / sec. 18 [Marcus] (c. 51 BC) [tr. Zetzel (1999)]

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

It is not so much the science of law that produces litigation, as the ignorance of it.
[tr. Barham (1842), Barham/Yonge (1878)]

The litigious spirit is more often found with ignorance than with knowledge of law.
[ed. Harbottle (1906)]

For it is rather ignorance of the law than knowledge of it that leads to litigation.
[tr. Keyes (1928)]

Ignorance rather than knowledge of the law leads to litigation.
[tr. Rudd (1998)]

Herbert, George -- (Attributed)

Dave — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 14:31:49 +0000

A lean compromise is better than a fat lawsuit.

George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh priest, orator, poet.
(Attributed)

Attributed to Herbert, but not found in his works. Bohn identifies this as proverbs in three Germanic languages:

Ein magerer Bergleich ist besser den ein setter Process. (German)
Een mager verdrag is betger dan een vet proces. (Dutch)
Bedre er et magert Forliig, end en fed Traette. (Danish)

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard (1742 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 17:04:29 +0000

Honest Men often go to Law for their Right; when Wise Men would sit down with the Wrong, supposing the first Loss least. In some Countries the Course of the Courts is so tedious, and the Expence so high, that the Remedy, Justice, is worse than, Injustice, the Disease. In my Travels I once saw a Sign call’d The Two Men at Law; One of them was painted on one Side, in a melancholy Posture, all in Rags, with this Scroll, I have lost my Cause. The other was drawn capering for Joy, on the other Side, with these Words, I have gain’d my Suit; but he was stark naked.

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1742 ed.)

Herbert, George -- Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 290 (1640 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:14:00 +0000

Goe not for every griefe to the Physitian, nor for every quarrell to the Lawyer, nor for every thirst to the pot.

George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh priest, orator, poet.
Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 290 (1640 ed.)