--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a man had more than one life, I think…" description: "\"If a man had more than one life, I think a little hanging would not hurt this one; but after he is once dead, we cannot bring him back, no matter how s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/abraham-lincoln-88_hanging_if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think_1482296.png" --- # If a man had more than one life, I think a little hanging… ![“If a man had more than one life, I think a little hanging would not hurt this one; but after he is once dead, we cannot bring him back, no matter how sorry we may be; so the boy shall be pardoned.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/abraham-lincoln-88_hanging_if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think_1482296.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/abraham-lincoln-88_hanging_if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think_1482296.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/abraham-lincoln-88_hanging_if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think_1482296.png) > “If a man had more than one life, I think a little hanging would not hurt this one; but after he is once dead, we cannot bring him back, no matter how sorry we may be; so the boy shall be pardoned.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a person could live multiple lives, a brief death would be tolerable, but once truly dead, no redemption is possible, so mercy is warranted. **In simple terms:** A single death is final; mercy is needed because we cannot reverse death. Key Takeaway Offer compassion when it’s too late for correction. Themes mortality mercy finality redemption justice Mood somber thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - court sentencing - medical ethics - war casualties - family loss Key Concepts ethical philosophy human frailty legal theory Questions to Reflect On - What situations call for mercy despite finality? - How do we balance justice and compassion? A Different Perspective Irreversibility of death limits justice; mercy is a humane response. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hanging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hanging/) [Hanging Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hanging-hurt-1970440/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Little Hanging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-hanging-5404453/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Pardoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pardoned/) [Shall Pardoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-pardoned-4776445/) ## Related quotes > [He who devoutly hears holy Mass will receive a great vigor to enable him to resist mortal sin, and there shall be pardoned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/he-who-devoutly-hears-holy-mass-will-receive-a-great-vigor-to-enable/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [That's when you start to believe, people leave you hanging. That's when you are hurt, you learn. Do we really have to feel hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/that-s-when-you-start-to-believe-people-leave-you-hanging-that-s-when/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) > [“Language, when it finally comes, has the vigor of a felon pardoned after twenty-one years on hold. Sudden, raw, stripped to its underwear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/language-when-it-finally-comes-has-the-vigor-of-a-felon-pardoned/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Allegations that President Clinton pardoned Marc Rich partly in return for donations to his presidential library have raised questions about the value of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/allegations-that-president-clinton-pardoned-marc-rich-partly-in/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [“A soldier is a killer pardoned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-soldier-is-a-killer-pardoned/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-in-pardoning-that-we-are-pardoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Therefore, (and the difficult thing was not to lose sight of all the reasoning that went into this “therefore”), I had to accept the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/therefore-and-the-difficult-thing-was-not-to-lose-sight-of-all-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“The full and free pardon granted by President Buchanan was received resentfully by most of the Mormons, who still felt that the sending of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanita-brooks/the-full-and-free-pardon-granted-by-president-buchanan-was-received/) [Juanita Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanita-brooks/) > [What we talked about will have to remain a secret between him and me. I spoke to him as a brother whom I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/what-we-talked-about-will-have-to-remain-a-secret-between-him-and-me/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [I know I will go to hell, because I pardoned Richard Nixon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/i-know-i-will-go-to-hell-because-i-pardoned-richard-nixon/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [I'm not sure, if I were President Clinton, I wouldn't want to be pardoned for something that I believed that I didn't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-m-not-sure-if-i-were-president-clinton-i-wouldn-t-want-to-be/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I hope they pardoned them. The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that i wish it to be always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-hope-they-pardoned-them-the-spirit-of-resistance-to-government-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [If you ever feel relax from your enemy... Then just close your eyes, and starts thinking about than damn person who hurts you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-padhra/if-you-ever-feel-relax-from-your-enemy-then-just-close-your-eyes-and/) [ROHIT PADHRA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-padhra/) > [A sin concealed is half-pardoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italian-proverb/a-sin-concealed-is-half-pardoned/) [Italian Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italian-proverb/) > [“When the war is over, if we’ve won, Peeta will be pardoned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/when-the-war-is-over-if-we-ve-won-peeta-will-be-pardoned/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Hanging quotes > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I've been working with a holistic specialist, trying to bring my body into balance, and part of making that happen is putting my mom's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/i-ve-been-working-with-a-holistic-specialist-trying-to-bring-my-body/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [“hangover is better than hanging…!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-a-samuel/hangover-is-better-than-hanging/) [felix a samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-a-samuel/) > [The thing about 'Doctor Who' is it's chased around the world, so there's 50 fans hanging out at every location.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-riley/the-thing-about-doctor-who-is-it-s-chased-around-the-world-so-there-s/) [Tom Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-riley/) > [We've never managed, either one of us, to get all the way into life. We're hanging on to the outside for all we're worth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/we-ve-never-managed-either-one-of-us-to-get-all-the-way-into-life-we/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [You don't even want to look in the mirror after you've had a baby, because your stomach is just hanging there like a Shar-Pei.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-crawford/you-don-t-even-want-to-look-in-the-mirror-after-you-ve-had-a-baby/) [Cindy Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-crawford/) > [I think there's a lot of wonderful comics that leave you hanging in a state of apprehension or anxiety before alleviating that tension with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-wonderful-comics-that-leave-you-hanging-in-a/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [“music puts me in touch with life's energy and death still hanging like an old crow on the vines of my mind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanna-abi-akl/music-puts-me-in-touch-with-life-s-energy-and-death-still-hanging/) [Hanna Abi Akl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanna-abi-akl/) > [I moved to L.A. and really didn't dig living there until I found places like Koreatown and Little Tokyo. I really like hanging out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/i-moved-to-l-a-and-really-didn-t-dig-living-there-until-i-found/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [If I told my 14-year-old self that I'd be hanging out with Keith Richards talking about records, my head would've exploded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-neville/if-i-told-my-14-year-old-self-that-i-d-be-hanging-out-with-keith/) [Morgan Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-neville/) > [“You can't move forward if you're still hanging on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-fitzmaurice/you-can-t-move-forward-if-you-re-still-hanging-on/) [Sue Fitzmaurice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-fitzmaurice/) > [“Hanging on to stuff doesn’t keep us more connected to people, places, or past moments. Our memories do that, so we can let go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-meeker/hanging-on-to-stuff-doesn-t-keep-us-more-connected-to-people-places/) [Meg Meeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-meeker/) > [When I write songs, it's very random. I get influenced by the most random things! Sometimes it just comes to me in my sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roshon-fegan/when-i-write-songs-it-s-very-random-i-get-influenced-by-the-most/) [Roshon Fegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roshon-fegan/) > [For instance, I always have one hanging in Budapest in the mayors office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-curtis/for-instance-i-always-have-one-hanging-in-budapest-in-the-mayors/) [Tony Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-curtis/) [Browse all 538 Hanging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hanging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a man had more than one life, I think a little hanging would not hurt this one; but after he is once dead, we cannot bring him back, no matter how sorry we may be; so the boy shall be pardoned.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think-a-little-hanging-would-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hanging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think-a-little-hanging-would-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/abraham-lincoln-88_hanging_if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think_1482296.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/abraham-lincoln-88_hanging_if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think_1482296.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/abraham-lincoln-88_hanging_if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think_1482296.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a man had more than one life, I think a little hanging would not hurt this one; but after he is once…” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a man had more than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think-a-little-hanging-would-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-a-man-had-more-than-one-life-i-think-a-little-hanging-would-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```