---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no possible excuse for a guarded…"
description: "\"There is no possible excuse for a guarded lie. Enthusiastic and impulsive people will sometimes falsify thoughtlessly, but equivocation is malice prepe..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/hosea-ballou-3245_enthusiastic_there-is-no-possible-excuse-for-a-guarde_2075166.png"
---

#  There is no possible excuse for a guarded lie…

![“There is no possible excuse for a guarded lie. Enthusiastic and impulsive people will sometimes falsify thoughtlessly, but equivocation is malice prepense.” quote by Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/hosea-ballou-3245_enthusiastic_there-is-no-possible-excuse-for-a-guarde_2075166.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/hosea-ballou-3245_enthusiastic_there-is-no-possible-excuse-for-a-guarde_2075166.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/hosea-ballou-3245_enthusiastic_there-is-no-possible-excuse-for-a-guarde_2075166.png)

> “There is no possible excuse for a guarded lie. Enthusiastic and impulsive people will sometimes falsify thoughtlessly, but equivocation is malice prepense.”

[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.

A guarded lie is indefensible; impulsive falsifications differ from malicious equivocation.

**In simple terms:** Lying is never okay; intentional deceit is worse.

Key Takeaway

Avoid deceit, be truthful.

Themes

honesty integrity communication

Mood

reflective serious

Type

moral philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- political discourse
- legal testimony
- media reporting
- business negotiations

Key Concepts

ethics intentionality

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you ensure honesty under pressure?
- What distinguishes careless falsehoods from malicious ones?

A Different Perspective

Even unintentional lies can erode trust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Enthusiastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiastic/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Malice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malice/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

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## More by Hosea Ballou

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