--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Recompense injury with justice, and…" description: "\"Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/confucius-164_heart_recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recom_52077.jpg" --- # Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness… ![“Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/confucius-164_heart_recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recom_52077.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/confucius-164_heart_recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recom_52077.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/confucius-164_heart_recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recom_52077.jpg) > “Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Justice should be reciprocal: punish wrongdoing and reward benevolence in kind. **In simple terms:** Reciprocal justice and kindness Key Takeaway Treat deeds with equivalent responses Themes reciprocity justice morality ethics social harmony Mood thoughtful balanced Type proverb moral teaching When to use this quote - legal sentencing - conflict resolution - community building - personal relationships Key Concepts retributive justice positive reinforcement Practical Applications - designing fair policies - teaching moral behavior Questions to Reflect On - What are the limits of reciprocity? - How does this principle affect forgiveness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [Injury Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury-justice-737365/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice Recompense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-recompense-320312/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness and compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-and-compassion/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Recompense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recompense/) [Recompense Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recompense-injury-737366/) [Recompense Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recompense-kindness-737364/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“Justice is a concept common to all faiths. Five hundred years before the birth of Christianity, Confucius taught: Recompense injury with justice, and recompense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-m-perdue/justice-is-a-concept-common-to-all-faiths-five-hundred-years-before/) [Jim M. Perdue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-m-perdue/) > [When a friend is carried to his grave, we at once find excuses for every weakness, and palliation of every fault. We recollect a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-a-friend-is-carried-to-his-grave-we-at-once-find-excuses-for/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [May be is very well, but Must is the master. It is my duty to show justice without recompense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-be-is-very-well-but-must-is-the-master-it-is-my-duty-to-show/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life -reciprocity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-one-word-which-may-serve-as-a-rule-of-practice-for-all-one-s/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Antonio: Will you stay no longer? nor will you not that I go with you? Sebastian: By your patience, no. My stars shine darkly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/antonio-will-you-stay-no-longer-nor-will-you-not-that-i-go-with-you/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“How insane we are as humans when having received a nasty offense we return the same awful offense. If given an apple found to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/how-insane-we-are-as-humans-when-having-received-a-nasty-offense-we/) [Richelle E. 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If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee; If ever wife was happy in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bradstreet/if-ever-two-were-one-then-surely-we-if-ever-man-were-lov-d-by-wife/) [Anne Bradstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bradstreet/) > [Carve not upon a stone when I am dead, The praises which remorseful mourners give; To women's graves - a tardy recompense, But speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chase-allen/carve-not-upon-a-stone-when-i-am-dead-the-praises-which-remorseful/) [Elizabeth Chase Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chase-allen/) > [What I’m talking about is more than recompense for past injustices—more than a handout, a payoff, hush money, or a reluctant bribe. What I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/what-i-m-talking-about-is-more-than-recompense-for-past-injustices/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Women have been charged with deviousness and duplicity since the dawn of civilization so they have never been able to pretend that their masks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/women-have-been-charged-with-deviousness-and-duplicity-since-the-dawn/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [If it is not strong upon your heart to practice what you read, to what end do you read? To increase your own condemnation?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/if-it-is-not-strong-upon-your-heart-to-practice-what-you-read-to-what/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. 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The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-study-and-at-times-practice-what-one-has-learned-is-this-not-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is only one thing in life which never changes, and it is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-which-never-changes-and-it-is-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [It is better not to proceed at all than to proceed without purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/it-is-better-not-to-proceed-at-all-than-to-proceed-without-purpose/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) [Explore all 1,019 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) [Rena Kornreich Gelissen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rena-kornreich-gelissen/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. 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Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. 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