His face is livid, gaunt his whole body, his breath is green with gall; his tongue drips poison.
John Quincy AdamsRead
The law given from Sinai was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code; it contained many statutes . . . of universal application-laws essential to the existence of men in society, and most of which have been enacted by every nation which ever professed any code of laws.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Sinai code embodies laws essential for societal existence, blending civil, moral, and religious principles.
John Quincy Adams reflects on the comprehensive nature of the laws given from Sinai, asserting that they are not merely religious but also civil and moral frameworks essential for societal coexistence. He emphasizes that many of these laws are universally applicable and have been adopted by various nations throughout history, highlighting their fundamental role in establishing order and justice in human society.
Themes
LawSocietyMoralityCodeUniversal
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of justice in community, one might reference this quote to emphasize the foundational nature of legal codes.
More from John Quincy Adams
All quotes →Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.
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It is among the evils of slavery that it taints the very sources of moral principle. It establishes false estimates of virtue and vice: for what can be more false and heartless than this doctrine which makes the first and holiest rights of humanity to depend upon the color of the skin?
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The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.
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I have no predilection for unpopularity as such, but I hold it much preferable to the popularity of a day, which perishes with the transient topic upon which it is grounded.
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According to the Stoics, all vice was resolvable into folly: according to the Christian principle, it is all the effect of weakness.
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