--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I venture to prophesy that there lies…" description: "\"I venture to prophesy that there lies before us a bitter and an evil time.\" — Auberon Herbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/auberon-herbert-28820_before_i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-be_2814893.jpg" --- # I venture to prophesy that there lies before us a bitter… ![“I venture to prophesy that there lies before us a bitter and an evil time.” quote by Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/auberon-herbert-28820_before_i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-be_2814893.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/auberon-herbert-28820_before_i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-be_2814893.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/auberon-herbert-28820_before_i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-be_2814893.jpg) > “I venture to prophesy that there lies before us a bitter and an evil time.” [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Predicts a future era marked by hardship and moral decline, urging vigilance. **In simple terms:** Hard times ahead. Key Takeaway Prepare for adversity. Themes politics morality future Mood cautionary serious Type philosophical prophetic When to use this quote - political activism - social planning - ethical education Key Concepts philosophy history Questions to Reflect On - How can societies mitigate decline? - What signs indicate moral erosion? A Different Perspective Predictions can be self‑fulfilling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Prophesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophesy/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Lies will always be bitter in the end,no matter how sweet you made it at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lies-will-always-be-bitter-in-the-end-no-matter-how-sweet-you-made-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Give me sweet lies, and keep your bitter truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/give-me-sweet-lies-and-keep-your-bitter-truths/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [People would rather listen to sweet lies rather than bitter truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanm/people-would-rather-listen-to-sweet-lies-rather-than-bitter-truth/) WanM > [I see in Communism the focus of the concentrated evil of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/i-see-in-communism-the-focus-of-the-concentrated-evil-of-our-time/) [Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/) > [Nonviolence is the answer for the questions of our time. Love will conquer evil every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-twyman/nonviolence-is-the-answer-for-the-questions-of-our-time-love-will/) [James F. Twyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-twyman/) > [“The gross evil of our time defies all labels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/the-gross-evil-of-our-time-defies-all-labels/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [I also feel that if you were evil, then next time around you would be very good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-velasquez/i-also-feel-that-if-you-were-evil-then-next-time-around-you-would-be/) [Patricia Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-velasquez/) > [The destruction of the personality is the great evil of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-key/the-destruction-of-the-personality-is-the-great-evil-of-the-time/) [Ellen Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-key/) > [I'm not sure everybody agrees with me. I guess a lot of people don't. We are living in a time that's as evil as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-not-sure-everybody-agrees-with-me-i-guess-a-lot-of-people-don-t/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [It is an evil time but it is a complex time because we do not have uniforms standing in front of us. Instead, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/it-is-an-evil-time-but-it-is-a-complex-time-because-we-do-not-have/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We find the vast majority of people in every country believing that there will be a time when this world will become perfect, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-find-the-vast-majority-of-people-in-every-country-believing-that/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“A book of prophesy opens the doors. You need a second book to close it. Tanno Spiritwalker Kimloc”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/a-book-of-prophesy-opens-the-doors-you-need-a-second-book-to-close-it/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [There are two processes which we adopt consciously or unconsciously when we try to prophesy. We can seek a period in the past whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/there-are-two-processes-which-we-adopt-consciously-or-unconsciously/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Fiction has this special power. It has a power to clarify, to galvanize, to prophesy, and warn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-h-winters/fiction-has-this-special-power-it-has-a-power-to-clarify-to-galvanize/) [Ben H. Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-h-winters/) > [“ACT21.9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act21-9-and-the-same-man-had-four-daughters-virgins-which-did-prophesy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Auberon Herbert > [If we cannot by reason, by influence, by example, by strenuous effort, and by personal sacrifice, mend the bad places of civilization, we certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-we-cannot-by-reason-by-influence-by-example-by-strenuous-effort/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [If government half a century ago had provided us with all our dinners and breakfasts, it would be the practice of our orators today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-government-half-a-century-ago-had-provided-us-with-all-our-dinners/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [And what sort of philosophical doctrine is thi - that numbers confer unlimited rights, that they take from some persons all rights over themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/and-what-sort-of-philosophical-doctrine-is-thi-that-numbers-confer/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [We hold that what one man cannot morally do, a million men cannot morally do, and government, representing many millions of men, cannot do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/we-hold-that-what-one-man-cannot-morally-do-a-million-men-cannot/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [“By what right do men exercise power over each other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/by-what-right-do-men-exercise-power-over-each-other/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [The career of a politician mainly consists in making one part of the nation do what it does not want to do, in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/the-career-of-a-politician-mainly-consists-in-making-one-part-of-the/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [If you tie a man's hands there is nothing moral about his not committing murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothing-moral-about-his-not/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [Deny human rights, and however little you may wish to do so, you will find yourself abjectly kneeling at the feet of that old-world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/deny-human-rights-and-however-little-you-may-wish-to-do-so-you-will/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [How, then, can the rights of three men exceed the rights of two men? In what possible way can the rights of three men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/how-then-can-the-rights-of-three-men-exceed-the-rights-of-two-men-in/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [The ruling idea of the politician - stated rather bluntly - is that those who are opposed to him exist for the purpose of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/the-ruling-idea-of-the-politician-stated-rather-bluntly-is-that-those/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [Every tax or rate, forcibly taken from an unwilling person, is immoral and oppressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/every-tax-or-rate-forcibly-taken-from-an-unwilling-person-is-immoral/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [You will not make a man wiser by taking freedom of action from him. A man can only learn when he is free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/you-will-not-make-a-man-wiser-by-taking-freedom-of-action-from-him-a/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [The course that will restore to the workmen a father's duties and responsibilities, between which and themselves the state has now stepped, is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/the-course-that-will-restore-to-the-workmen-a-father-s-duties-and/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [It is the small owner who offers the only really profitable and reliable material for taxation. He is made for taxation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/it-is-the-small-owner-who-offers-the-only-really-profitable-and/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [There never yet has been a great system sustained by force under which all the best faculties of men have not slowly withered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/there-never-yet-has-been-a-great-system-sustained-by-force-under/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) [Explore all 19 Auberon Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) ## More Before quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Before I got addicted to comedy, I was seriously thinking about playing tennis full time. 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Now I think my limo driver hates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/you-know-before-i-would-think-my-cab-driver-hates-me-now-i-think-my/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) Browse all 4,123 Before quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I venture to prophesy that there lies before us a bitter and an evil time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Auberon Herbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-before-us-a-bitter-and-an-evil/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Before" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-before-us-a-bitter-and-an-evil/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/auberon-herbert-28820_before_i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-be_2814893.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/auberon-herbert-28820_before_i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-be_2814893.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/auberon-herbert-28820_before_i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-be_2814893.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I venture to prophesy that there lies before us a bitter and an evil time.” — Auberon Herbert", "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": "Auberon Herbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I venture to prophesy that there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-before-us-a-bitter-and-an-evil/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/i-venture-to-prophesy-that-there-lies-before-us-a-bitter-and-an-evil/#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 } } ] } ```