--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Resentment seems to have been given us by…" description: "\"Resentment seems to have been given us by nature for a defense, and for a defense only! It is the safeguard of justice and the security of innocence.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/adam-smith-1040_anger_resentment-seems-to-have-been-given-us-b_3072610.jpg" --- # Resentment seems to have been given us by nature for a… ![“Resentment seems to have been given us by nature for a defense, and for a defense only! It is the safeguard of justice and the security of innocence.” quote by Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/adam-smith-1040_anger_resentment-seems-to-have-been-given-us-b_3072610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/adam-smith-1040_anger_resentment-seems-to-have-been-given-us-b_3072610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/adam-smith-1040_anger_resentment-seems-to-have-been-given-us-b_3072610.jpg) > “Resentment seems to have been given us by nature for a defense, and for a defense only! It is the safeguard of justice and the security of innocence.” [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resentment is a natural defense mechanism protecting justice and innocence. **In simple terms:** Resentment serves to protect fairness. Key Takeaway Recognize when resentment signals a breach of justice. Themes ethics psychology justice defense human nature Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - conflict resolution - legal systems - personal relationships - social policy Key Concepts moral sentiment protective emotions Questions to Reflect On - When does resentment become harmful? - How can we channel it constructively? A Different Perspective Resentment can also fuel cycles of revenge if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) [Resentment Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment-given-5205238/) [Safeguard Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safeguard-justice-1926423/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Security Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security-innocence-5205239/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) ## Related quotes > [My aim was to safeguard justice, without doing harm to our war effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-frank/my-aim-was-to-safeguard-justice-without-doing-harm-to-our-war-effort/) [Hans Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-frank/) > [Innocence is its own defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/innocence-is-its-own-defense/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I don't judge the character at all. It's a bit like being someone's defense lawyer - you have to believe in their innocence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-don-t-judge-the-character-at-all-it-s-a-bit-like-being-someone-s/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [Defense is superior to opulence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/defense-is-superior-to-opulence/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Not forgiving prolongs hurt and anger and leads to smoldering resentment, which will make us miserable until it kills us. Resentment destroys the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-walters/not-forgiving-prolongs-hurt-and-anger-and-leads-to-smoldering/) [Richard Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-walters/) > [For seven days she lay in bed looking sullenly at the ceiling as though resenting the death she had cultivated for so many years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-seven-days-she-lay-in-bed-looking-sullenly-at-the-ceiling-as/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“Relationships automatically develop resentment when selfish and petty concerns become more important than the emotional connection between you. If”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-stosny/relationships-automatically-develop-resentment-when-selfish-and-petty/) [Steven Stosny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-stosny/) > [“The city centre was still crawling with Christmas shoppers looking to add to their already burgeoning piles of gifts. To Scott they were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-city-centre-was-still-crawling-with-christmas-shoppers-looking-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Youre too beautiful to hold on to any resentment, bitterness & anger. Forgive yourself & Let it go!!! 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To complain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-liberal-reward-of-labour-therefore-as-it-is-the-affect-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [A sketch of a man facing to the right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/a-sketch-of-a-man-facing-to-the-right/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/what-can-be-added-to-the-happiness-of-a-man-who-is-in-health-out-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/it-is-not-from-the-benevolence-of-the-butcher-the-brewer-or-the-baker/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [When we have read a book or poem so often that we can no longer find any amusement in reading it by ourselves, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/when-we-have-read-a-book-or-poem-so-often-that-we-can-no-longer-find/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [We are but one of the multitude, in no respect better than any other in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/we-are-but-one-of-the-multitude-in-no-respect-better-than-any-other/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) [Explore all 267 Adam Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. 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It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. 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