--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What discord should we bring into the…" description: "\"What discord should we bring into the universe if our prayers were all answered! Then we should govern the world, and not God. And do you think we shou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/henry-wadsworth-longfellow-284_discord_what-discord-should-we-bring-into-the-un_859205.jpg" --- # What discord should we bring into the universe if our… ![“What discord should we bring into the universe if our prayers were all answered! Then we should govern the world, and not God. And do you think we should govern it better?” quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/henry-wadsworth-longfellow-284_discord_what-discord-should-we-bring-into-the-un_859205.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/henry-wadsworth-longfellow-284_discord_what-discord-should-we-bring-into-the-un_859205.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f0/henry-wadsworth-longfellow-284_discord_what-discord-should-we-bring-into-the-un_859205.jpg) > “What discord should we bring into the universe if our prayers were all answered! Then we should govern the world, and not God. And do you think we should govern it better?” [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If prayers were answered, humanity might attempt to control the universe, raising questions about governance and divine authority. **In simple terms:** Answered prayers could lead to humans governing the world. Key Takeaway Consider limits of power. Themes authority faith ethics Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy debates - religious discourse - science ethics Key Concepts theology political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Should humanity govern without divine guidance? - What responsibilities come with answered prayers? A Different Perspective Human ambition may exceed wisdom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discord/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [What discord we should bring into the universe if our prayers were all answered. Then we should govern the world and not God. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/what-discord-we-should-bring-into-the-universe-if-our-prayers-were/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Where there is discord may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/where-there-is-discord-may-we-bring-harmony-where-there-is-error-may/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [It is impossible to govern the world without God. It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-govern-the-world-without-god-it-is-the-duty-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“There was a world made by God, and I could think only of the world made by man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-h-hardman/there-was-a-world-made-by-god-and-i-could-think-only-of-the-world/) Leslie H. Hardman > [Glorious indeed is the world of God around us, but more glorious the world of God within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/glorious-indeed-is-the-world-of-god-around-us-but-more-glorious-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [All your strength is in union, all your danger is in discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/all-your-strength-is-in-union-all-your-danger-is-in-discord/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [All your strength in is your union. All your danger is in discord. Therefore be at peace henceforward, And as brothers live together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/all-your-strength-in-is-your-union-all-your-danger-is-in-discord/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Our global institutional arrangements - the basic ground rules that govern our world economy - are human-made. They don't exist naturally, nor are they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/our-global-institutional-arrangements-the-basic-ground-rules-that/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [“Men command the world that they know . Everything that men know they make their own. Everything that they learn, they claim for themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/men-command-the-world-that-they-know-everything-that-men-know-they/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Ideas govern the world, or throw it into chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-comte/ideas-govern-the-world-or-throw-it-into-chaos/) [Auguste Comte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-comte/) > [ Goose \[pen\] bee \[wax\] and calf \[parchment\] govern the world. \[Lat., Anser, apie, vitellus, populus et regna gubernant.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/goose-pen-bee-wax-and-calf-parchment-govern-the-world-lat-anser-apie/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [Syllables govern the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/syllables-govern-the-world/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Use justice to rule a country. Use surprise to wage war. Use non-action to govern the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/use-justice-to-rule-a-country-use-surprise-to-wage-war-use-non-action/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [God doth not govern the world only by his will as an absolute monarch, but by his wisdom and goodness as a tender father.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-charnock/god-doth-not-govern-the-world-only-by-his-will-as-an-absolute-monarch/) [Stephen Charnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-charnock/) ## More by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow > [The spring came suddenly, bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout and hands full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-spring-came-suddenly-bursting-upon-the-world-as-a-child-bursts/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [In old age our bodies are worn-out instruments, on which the soul tries in vain to play the melodies of youth. But because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/in-old-age-our-bodies-are-worn-out-instruments-on-which-the-soul/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“ Endymion The rising moon has hid the stars; Her level rays, like golden bars, Lie on the landscape green, With shadows brown between.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/endymion-the-rising-moon-has-hid-the-stars-her-level-rays-like-golden/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [There's nothing fair nor beautiful, but takes Something from thee, that makes it beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/there-s-nothing-fair-nor-beautiful-but-takes-something-from-thee-that/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Fame comes only when deserved, and then is as inevitable as destiny, for it is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/fame-comes-only-when-deserved-and-then-is-as-inevitable-as-destiny/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Nature paints not; In oils, but frescoes the great dome of heaven; With sunsets, and the lovely forms of clouds; And flying vapors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/nature-paints-not-in-oils-but-frescoes-the-great-dome-of-heaven-with/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“  Thus dwelt together in love these simple Acadian farmers,—   Dwelt in the love of God and of man. Alike were they free from   Fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/thus-dwelt-together-in-love-these-simple-acadian-farmers-dwelt-in-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [The trees are white with dust, that o'er their sleep Wave their broad curtains in the south-wind's breath, While underneath such leafy tents they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-trees-are-white-with-dust-that-o-er-their-sleep-wave-their-broad/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/heights-by-great-men-reached-and-kept-were-not-obtained-by-sudden/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [All things come round to him who will but wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/all-things-come-round-to-him-who-will-but-wait/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Ah, how skillful grows the hand That obeyeth Love's command! It is the heart, and not the brain, That to the highest doth attain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/ah-how-skillful-grows-the-hand-that-obeyeth-love-s-command-it-is-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Thus departed Hiawatha, Hiawatha the Beloved, In the glory of the sunset, In the purple mists of evening, To the regions of the home-wind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/thus-departed-hiawatha-hiawatha-the-beloved-in-the-glory-of-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Books are sepulchres of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/books-are-sepulchres-of-thought/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Morality without religion is only a kind of dead reckoning - an endeavor to find our place on a cloudy sea by measuring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/morality-without-religion-is-only-a-kind-of-dead-reckoning-an/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Buried was the bloody hatchet; Buried was the dreadful war-club; Buried were all warlike weapons, And the war-cry was forgotten. Then was peace among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/buried-was-the-bloody-hatchet-buried-was-the-dreadful-war-club-buried/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) [Explore all 755 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) ## More Discord quotes > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [It is easy to speak words of love, or to meditate lovingly upon those people with whom you are in harmony. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ponder/it-is-easy-to-speak-words-of-love-or-to-meditate-lovingly-upon-those/) [Catherine Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ponder/) > [All of my work is meant to evoke a whole bunch of different layers of discord between the attraction and repulsion that we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jordan/all-of-my-work-is-meant-to-evoke-a-whole-bunch-of-different-layers-of/) [Chris Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jordan/) > [we cannot break a law of eternal justice, however ignorantly, but throughout the entire universe will there be a jar of discord that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-saunders-cushman/we-cannot-break-a-law-of-eternal-justice-however-ignorantly-but/) [Charlotte Saunders Cushman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-saunders-cushman/) > [Discord or jealousy inhibits the ability of the Holy Ghost to teach us and inhibits our ability to receive light and truth. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/discord-or-jealousy-inhibits-the-ability-of-the-holy-ghost-to-teach/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [The fairest harmony springs from discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-fairest-harmony-springs-from-discord/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The leader is one who, out of the clutter, brings simplicity... out of discord, harmony... and out of difficulty, opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-leader-is-one-who-out-of-the-clutter-brings-simplicity-out-of/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [But the desire of obtaining the advantages, and of escaping the burthens, of political society, is a perpetual and inexhaustible source of discord; nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/but-the-desire-of-obtaining-the-advantages-and-of-escaping-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Charity is the note that resolves the discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/charity-is-the-note-that-resolves-the-discord/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [The scent organ was playing a delightfully refreshing Herbal Capriccio - rippling arpeggios of thyme and lavender, of rosemary, basil, myrtle, tarragon; a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-scent-organ-was-playing-a-delightfully-refreshing-herbal/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [A philosopher may deplore the eternal discords of the human race, but he will confess, that the desire of spoil is a more rational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-philosopher-may-deplore-the-eternal-discords-of-the-human-race-but/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Christian love draws no distinction between one enemy and another, except that the more bitter our enemy's hatred, the greater his need of love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/christian-love-draws-no-distinction-between-one-enemy-and-another/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [A modicum of discord is the very spice of courtship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/a-modicum-of-discord-is-the-very-spice-of-courtship/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Man is everywhere a disturbing agent. Wherever he plants his foot, the harmonies of nature are turned to discords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-perkins-marsh/man-is-everywhere-a-disturbing-agent-wherever-he-plants-his-foot-the/) [George Perkins Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-perkins-marsh/) [Browse all 215 Discord quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discord/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What discord should we bring into the universe if our prayers were all answered! Then we should govern the world, and not God. 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