--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An it harm none, do as you will. An it…" description: "\"“An it harm none, do as you will. An it cause harm, do as you must.”\" — Boniface Wolfsong" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/boniface-wolfsong-223965_cause_an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cau_2727039.jpg" --- # An it harm none, do as you will. An it cause harm, do as… ![“An it harm none, do as you will. An it cause harm, do as you must.” quote by Boniface Wolfsong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/boniface-wolfsong-223965_cause_an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cau_2727039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/boniface-wolfsong-223965_cause_an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cau_2727039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/boniface-wolfsong-223965_cause_an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cau_2727039.jpg) > ““An it harm none, do as you will. An it cause harm, do as you must.”” [Boniface Wolfsong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boniface-wolfsong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Do no harm unless necessary; act with duty when harm is inevitable. **In simple terms:** Avoid harm, act responsibly. Key Takeaway Balance non‑interference with moral duty. Themes ethics responsibility action Mood thoughtful serious Type Cause:0 Harm:0 Cause Harm:0 Harm Cause:0 When to use this quote - personal decisions - policy making - conflict resolution Key Concepts moral philosophy consequentialism duty ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is causing harm justified? - How do you determine duty? A Different Perspective Situations may demand nuanced judgment beyond simple rules. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause/) [Cause Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-harm-338736/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Harm Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm-cause-1790133/) ## Related quotes > [The idea that we cause harm by doing what we perceive to be the right thing, that's another theme that interests me. Because most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-idea-that-we-cause-harm-by-doing-what-we-perceive-to-be-the-right/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Sometimes we do terrible things to the ones we love just to see what harm we can cause.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-weisel/sometimes-we-do-terrible-things-to-the-ones-we-love-just-to-see-what/) [Frederick Weisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-weisel/) > [“It should go without saying that any cause is better served by doing something well than by doing it badly... In fact, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-johnson/it-should-go-without-saying-that-any-cause-is-better-served-by-doing/) [Greg Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-johnson/) > [At the root of all the harm we cause is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/at-the-root-of-all-the-harm-we-cause-is-ignorance/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Rank beliefs not according to their plausibility but by the harm they may cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/rank-beliefs-not-according-to-their-plausibility-but-by-the-harm-they/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [What harm cause not those huge draughts or pictures which wanton youth with chalk or coals draw in each passage, wall or stairs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/what-harm-cause-not-those-huge-draughts-or-pictures-which-wanton/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [People say I'm that and that, They may destroy my image but no matter what, it cause no harm for me, because still some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/precious-pano/people-say-i-m-that-and-that-they-may-destroy-my-image-but-no-matter/) [Precious Pano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/precious-pano/) > [ “\[...\]what we are talking about are negative obligations--the duty not to cause harm.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-gibney/what-we-are-talking-about-are-negative-obligations-the-duty-not-to/) [Mark Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-gibney/) > [Because I'm dangerous. I don't mean to be but I am. I'm dangerous to be around, dangerous to everybody. I cause harm. I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-bowler/because-i-m-dangerous-i-don-t-mean-to-be-but-i-am-i-m-dangerous-to-be/) [Tim Bowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-bowler/) > [If it were possible to live without causing harm to any living being at all, then indeed we might well choose not to eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/if-it-were-possible-to-live-without-causing-harm-to-any-living-being/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Let us learn to skillfully draw good out of what would otherwise cause us harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-euphrasia-pelletier/let-us-learn-to-skillfully-draw-good-out-of-what-would-otherwise/) [Mary Euphrasia Pelletier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-euphrasia-pelletier/) > [The Second Rule is that the greatest harm can result from the best intentions. It sounds a paradox, but kindness and good intentions can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-second-rule-is-that-the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Sometimes the love of your life does not belong in your life if all they do is cause you harm. You live and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-the-love-of-your-life-does-not-belong-in-your-life-if-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Getting the police involved or levying an absurd punishment just because that's what some zero-tolerance rule mandates - even though it's clear that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/getting-the-police-involved-or-levying-an-absurd-punishment-just/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [Generally speaking, books don't cause much harm. Except when you read them, that is. Then they cause all kinds of problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pseudonymous-bosch/generally-speaking-books-don-t-cause-much-harm-except-when-you-read/) [Pseudonymous Bosch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pseudonymous-bosch/) ## More Cause quotes > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Take the L out of Lover 'cause we're Over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-the-l-out-of-lover-cause-we-re-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Knowing the cause of something is not going to help you to be free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowing-the-cause-of-something-is-not-going-to-help-you-to-be-free-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [You miss me and tease me 'cause in the end you're gonna please me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-isaacs/you-miss-me-and-tease-me-cause-in-the-end-you-re-gonna-please-me/) [Gregory Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-isaacs/) > [If I lose the ball I cause the team a problem. I am here to provide solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-busquets/if-i-lose-the-ball-i-cause-the-team-a-problem-i-am-here-to-provide/) [Sergio Busquets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-busquets/) > [We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-are-too-much-accustomed-to-attribute-to-a-single-cause-that-which/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) > [“...There are so many paths you can follow. So much effect from one simple cause.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-allen/there-are-so-many-paths-you-can-follow-so-much-effect-from-one-simple/) [Lee Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-allen/) > [War can be prevented only by broad-minded statesmanship - a statesmanship that understands how to enlist people's interests in a leading cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-key/war-can-be-prevented-only-by-broad-minded-statesmanship-a/) [Ellen Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-key/) > [I think the other misconceptions when the film came out, he was very upset that it was so widely released and so widely seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-zwigoff/i-think-the-other-misconceptions-when-the-film-came-out-he-was-very/) [Terry Zwigoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-zwigoff/) [Browse all 1,323 Cause quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“An it harm none, do as you will. An it cause harm, do as you must.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Boniface Wolfsong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boniface-wolfsong/an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cause-harm-do-as-you-must/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cause" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boniface-wolfsong/an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cause-harm-do-as-you-must/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/boniface-wolfsong-223965_cause_an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cau_2727039.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/boniface-wolfsong-223965_cause_an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cau_2727039.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/boniface-wolfsong-223965_cause_an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cau_2727039.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An it harm none, do as you will. An it cause harm, do as you must.” — Boniface Wolfsong", "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": "Boniface Wolfsong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boniface-wolfsong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“An it harm none, do as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boniface-wolfsong/an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cause-harm-do-as-you-must/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boniface-wolfsong/an-it-harm-none-do-as-you-will-an-it-cause-harm-do-as-you-must/#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 } } ] } ```