Bible Quote by Henry A. Kissinger
“To have striven so hard, to have molded a public personality out of so amorphous an identity, to have sustained that superhuman effort only to end with every weakness disclosed and every error compounding the downfall--that was a fate of biblical proportions. Evidently the Deity would not tolerate the presumption that all can be manipulated; an object lesson of the limits of human presumption was necessary.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture “Limits of Power”, 1975
Excessive self‑creation and overconfidence lead to downfall; humility is required to avoid catastrophic failure.
In simple terms: Overconfidence breeds ruin; stay humble.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits, avoid hubris.
Themes
power
hubris
humility
Mood
reflective
cautionary
Type
historical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political leadership
- corporate governance
- personal ambition
Key Concepts
political theory
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal limits must you acknowledge?
- How does humility protect against failure?
A Different Perspective
Absolute control is impossible; external forces intervene.
![“Before the Freedom of Information Act, I used to say at meetings "The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer." [...] But since the Freedom of Information Act, I'm afraid to say things like that.” quote by Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6dc/henry-a-kissinger-1068_freedom_before-the-freedom-of-information-act-i_25339.jpg)
