--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is vain to trust in wrong; it is like…" description: "\"It is vain to trust in wrong; it is like erecting a building upon a frail foundation, and which will directly be sure to topple over.\" — Hosea Ballou" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/hosea-ballou-3245_building_it-is-vain-to-trust-in-wrong-it-is-like_1653391.png" --- # It is vain to trust in wrong; it is like erecting a… ![“It is vain to trust in wrong; it is like erecting a building upon a frail foundation, and which will directly be sure to topple over.” quote by Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/hosea-ballou-3245_building_it-is-vain-to-trust-in-wrong-it-is-like_1653391.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/hosea-ballou-3245_building_it-is-vain-to-trust-in-wrong-it-is-like_1653391.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/hosea-ballou-3245_building_it-is-vain-to-trust-in-wrong-it-is-like_1653391.png) > “It is vain to trust in wrong; it is like erecting a building upon a frail foundation, and which will directly be sure to topple over.” [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trusting in falsehood is futile; building on unreliable foundations leads to inevitable collapse. **In simple terms:** Trust in falsehood causes collapse; avoid shaky foundations. Key Takeaway Base decisions on solid, trustworthy foundations. Themes trust foundations wisdom Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - financial planning - relationship building - project management - policy making Key Concepts False trust structural integrity Questions to Reflect On - What foundations are you relying on? - How can you test the strength of your beliefs? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may blind you to hidden flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Building Frail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-frail-679498/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Frail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frail/) [Like Erecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-erecting-679500/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [Trust Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-wrong-679497/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vain Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain-trust-679499/) ## Related quotes > [Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. 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Trust a few. Do Wrong to None. Be Healthy. Be Happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukhraj-s-dhillon/love-all-trust-a-few-do-wrong-to-none-be-healthy-be-happy/) [Sukhraj S. Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukhraj-s-dhillon/) > [“No one should regret loving and trusting another human being. Yes, sometimes we direct our love and trust to the wrong person, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-a-denzil/no-one-should-regret-loving-and-trusting-another-human-being-yes/) [Sarah A. 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The sun has no need to boast of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/honest-and-courageous-people-have-very-little-to-say-about-either/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [The cloudy weather melts at length into beauty, and the brightest smiles of the heart are born of its tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/the-cloudy-weather-melts-at-length-into-beauty-and-the-brightest/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Servility is disgusting to a truly noble character, and engenders only contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/servility-is-disgusting-to-a-truly-noble-character-and-engenders-only/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Obedience sums up our entire duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/obedience-sums-up-our-entire-duty/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Too many people embrace religion from the same motives that they take a companion in wedlock, not from true love of the person, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/too-many-people-embrace-religion-from-the-same-motives-that-they-take/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Man, being not only a religious, but also a social being, requires for the promotion of his rational happiness religious institutions, which, while they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also-a-social-being-requires-for/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Brevity and conciseness are the parents of correction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/brevity-and-conciseness-are-the-parents-of-correction/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [There is one court whose findings are incontrovertible, and whose sessions are held in the chambers of our own breast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/there-is-one-court-whose-findings-are-incontrovertible-and-whose/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [“Kecurigaan selalu menjadi musuh kebahagiaan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/kecurigaan-selalu-menjadi-musuh-kebahagiaan/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Mystery and innocence are not akin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/mystery-and-innocence-are-not-akin/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Obedience and resignation are our personal offerings upon the altar of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/obedience-and-resignation-are-our-personal-offerings-upon-the-altar/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Liberality should be tempered with judgment, not with profuseness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/liberality-should-be-tempered-with-judgment-not-with-profuseness/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) [Explore all 135 Hosea Ballou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. 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It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. 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