And if we do but watch the hour, There never yet was human power Which could evade, if unforgiven, The patient search and vigil long Of him who treasures up a wrong.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Human effort cannot escape the relentless, patient pursuit of those who hold grudges.
- In plain terms
- You can’t outrun someone who remembers a wrong.
- What can you take from it?
- Be mindful of the lasting impact of grievances.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What grudges do you hold?
- How can you break cycles of retaliation?
Another view
It assumes all wrongs are actively pursued, which isn’t always true.
More from Lord Byron
'Bring forth the horse!' - the horse was brought; In truth, he was a noble steed, A Tartar of the Ukraine breed, Who look'd as though the speed of thought Were…
Permalink to quote #31 Oh, talk not to me of a name great in story; The days of our youth are the days of our glory; And the myrtle and ivy of sweet two-and-twenty Are worth all your…
Permalink to quote #33 Were't the last drop in the well, As I gasp'd upon the brink, Ere my fainting spirit fell 'T is to thee that I would drink.
Permalink to quote #30
Related quotes
To think of Russians sitting on a bench in Nuremberg, trying German leaders! The Russians sank a German boat with men, women, and children aboard. I know of th…
Karl DonitzKarl Donitz quote #6 Curleys wife:You watch your place, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy, it ain't even funny. Ch.4, p.80
John SteinbeckJohn Steinbeck quote #22 You are a nest of vipers and thieves, and by the grace of the almighty God, I will root you out!
Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson quote #25