William Shakespeare Quotes About Justice

• The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's When mercy seasons justice.

  William Shakespeare

  Kings, Rain, Heart

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 4, sc. 1, l. [182]

• Justice always whirls in equal measure.

  William Shakespeare

  Justice, Equal

  William Shakespeare (1767). “Mr. William Shakespeare: His Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies”

• Poise the cause in justice's equal scales,
  Whose beam stands sure, whose rightful cause prevails.

  William Shakespeare

  Justice, Causes, Beam

  William Shakespeare, Joseph Rann (1791). “The dramatic works of Shakspeare: in six volumes”, p.256

• Thyself shall see the act; For, as thou urgest justice, be assured Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir'st.

  William Shakespeare

  Justice, Assured, Thyself

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 4, sc. 1, l. [315]

• Through tattered clothes great vices do appear; Robes and furred gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold and the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks. Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw does pierce it.

  William Shakespeare

  Strong, Clothes, Justice

  William Shakespeare (2004). “The Great Comedies and Tragedies”, p.795, Wordsworth Editions

• Speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice.

  William Shakespeare

  Jealous, Justice, Speak

  'Othello' (1602-4) act 5, sc. 2, l. 338

• When lenity and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner

  William Shakespeare

  Memorable, Play, Justice

  William Shakespeare, Andrew Gurr (2005). “King Henry V”, p.147, Cambridge University Press

• Tremble, thou wretch,
  That hast within thee undivulged crimes
  Unwhipped of justice.

  William Shakespeare

  Justice, Crime, Thee

  William Shakespeare (1865). “Shakspeare's tragedy of King Lear, with notes, adapted for schools and for private study by J. Hunter”, p.72

• The jury passing on the prisoner's life may in the sworn twelve have a thief or two guiltier than him they try.

  William Shakespeare

  Passing On, Two, Justice

  'Measure for Measure' (1604) act 2, sc. 1, l. 17

• Be just, and fear not.

  William Shakespeare

  Fear, Justice, Anxiety

  'Henry VIII' (1613) act 3, sc. 2, l. 441

• The quality of mercy is not strained

  William Shakespeare

  Mercy Of God, Gentle Rain, Venice

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 4, sc. 1, l. [182]

• Time is the old justice that examines all such offenders, and let Time try.

  William Shakespeare

  Time, Justice, Trying

  William Shakespeare, Joseph Dennie, Isaac Reed, Samuel Johnson, George Steevens (1805). “As you like it. All's well that ends well”, p.114

• They have been grand-jurymen since before Noah was a sailor

  William Shakespeare

  Justice, Sailor, Has Beens

  William Shakespeare (2010). “Twelfth Night”, p.79, Broadview Press

• I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel, but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an If, as, 'If you said so, then I said so;' and they shook hands and swore brothers. Your If is the only peacemaker; much virtue in If.

  William Shakespeare

  Brother, Party, Science

  William Shakespeare (2014). “Arden Shakespeare Complete Works”, p.187, Bloomsbury Publishing

• I beseech you,
  Wrest once the law to your authority:
  To do a great right, do a little wrong.

  William Shakespeare

  Law, Justice, Littles

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 4, sc. 1, l. [215]

• A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yond justice rails upon yon simple thief. Hark, in thine ear: change places; and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief?

  William Shakespeare

  Eye, Simple, Men

  'King Lear' (1605-6) act 4, sc. 6, l. [154]

• The king-becoming graces,
  As justice, verity, temp'rance, stableness,
  Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness,
  Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,
  I have no relish of them, but abound
  In the division of each several crime,
  Acting in many ways.

  William Shakespeare

  Perseverance, Kings, Justice

  William Shakespeare (2002). “Macbeth”, p.186, Barron's Educational Series

• Though justice be thy plea consider this, that in the course of justice none of us should see salvation.

  William Shakespeare

  Mercy Of God, Venice, Justice

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 4, sc. 1, l. [182]

• Liberty plucks justice by the nose; The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart Goes all decorum.

  William Shakespeare

  Baby, Nurse, Justice

  'Measure for Measure' (1604) act 1, sc. 3, l. 23

• Thrice is he arm'd that hath his quarrel just, And he but naked, though lock'd up in steel, Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.

  William Shakespeare

  Justice, Naked, Steel

  William Shakespeare (1833). “The plays and poems of William Shakspeare”, p.478

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