--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just…" description: "\"Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for pound, measure for measure, makes no exceptions, never tempers her decrees with mercy, or win..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8f/john-burroughs-1157_benevolent_nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just_155755.jpg" --- # Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for… ![“Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for pound, measure for measure, makes no exceptions, never tempers her decrees with mercy, or winks at any infringement of her laws.” quote by John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8f/john-burroughs-1157_benevolent_nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just_155755.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8f/john-burroughs-1157_benevolent_nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just_155755.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8f/john-burroughs-1157_benevolent_nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just_155755.jpg) > “Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for pound, measure for measure, makes no exceptions, never tempers her decrees with mercy, or winks at any infringement of her laws.” [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nature operates impartially, rewarding effort equally without mercy or favoritism. **In simple terms:** Nature is fair and unforgiving, rewarding effort. Key Takeaway Respect natural laws and work diligently. Themes nature fairness justice impermanence Mood respectful serious Type philosophical environmental When to use this quote - outdoor pursuits - environmental stewardship - personal resilience Key Concepts ecology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond to natural setbacks? - Do you see fairness in nature? A Different Perspective Nature’s indifference can be harsh. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Measure for measure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-for-measure/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) ## Related quotes > [It is an oftentimes dangerous world, and not all of the people in it are nice, sweet and benevolent. 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Cause and consequence are inseparable and inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-laws-of-nature-are-just-but-terrible-there-is-no-weak-mercy-in/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“Nature is just an aspect of what men hope to achieve. But to destroy nature is the true victory of hell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoenix-z-courtney/nature-is-just-an-aspect-of-what-men-hope-to-achieve-but-to-destroy/) Phoenix Z Courtney > [“There are some laws of nature you just know. You don’t go poking lions with sticks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talia-vance/there-are-some-laws-of-nature-you-just-know-you-don-t-go-poking-lions/) [Talia Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talia-vance/) > [“Nature Just because you shit fruit Don't think you're the Kingpin of the World”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/nature-just-because-you-shit-fruit-don-t-think-you-re-the-kingpin-of/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I love generally being out in nature. It is just so amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-dreymon/i-love-generally-being-out-in-nature-it-is-just-so-amazing/) [Alexander Dreymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-dreymon/) > [How you do anything is how you do everything. Your "character" or "nature" just refers to how you handle all the day-to-day things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/how-you-do-anything-is-how-you-do-everything-your-character-or-nature/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [“I'm jealous of nature. It just expresses itself without judgment, the comparison with others, worry or complaints. And because of this very fact, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-jacinta-mpalyenkana-ph-d-mba/i-m-jealous-of-nature-it-just-expresses-itself-without-judgment-the/) [Dr. Jacinta Mpalyenkana, Ph.D, MBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-jacinta-mpalyenkana-ph-d-mba/) > [Nature is just enough; but men and women must comprehend and accept her suggestions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoinette-brown-blackwell/nature-is-just-enough-but-men-and-women-must-comprehend-and-accept/) [Antoinette Brown Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoinette-brown-blackwell/) > [“..Do nothing, eat little, read slowly, watch nature just happen by itself, buy only what is freely given and give away what cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pi-villaraza/do-nothing-eat-little-read-slowly-watch-nature-just-happen-by-itself/) pi villaraza > [I love nature, I just don't want to get any of it on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-love-nature-i-just-don-t-want-to-get-any-of-it-on-me/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [“Nature doesn’t have to make sense. Nature just does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/nature-doesn-t-have-to-make-sense-nature-just-does/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [It's not my nature to just kick back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/it-s-not-my-nature-to-just-kick-back/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) ## More by John Burroughs > [As life nears its end with me, I find myself meditating more and more upon the mystery of its nature and origin, yet without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/as-life-nears-its-end-with-me-i-find-myself-meditating-more-and-more/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [When Darwin published his conclusion that man was descended from an apelike ancestor who was again descended from a still lower type, most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-darwin-published-his-conclusion-that-man-was-descended-from-an/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Science sees the process of evolution from the outside, as one might a train of cars going by, and resolves it into the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/science-sees-the-process-of-evolution-from-the-outside-as-one-might-a/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Maybe that will happen with other countries as well. And so, that's why one of the things that groups like mine that work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/maybe-that-will-happen-with-other-countries-as-well-and-so-that-s-why/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [One can only learn his powers of action by action, and his powers of thought by thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/one-can-only-learn-his-powers-of-action-by-action-and-his-powers-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [I was born with a chronic anxiety about the weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/i-was-born-with-a-chronic-anxiety-about-the-weather/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [When the woodpecker is searching for food, or laying siege to some hidden grub, the sound of his hammer is dead or muffled and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-the-woodpecker-is-searching-for-food-or-laying-siege-to-some/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [In what bold relief stand out the lives of all walkers of the snow! 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Even on cloudy days, its presence helps to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/in-october-a-maple-tree-before-your-window-lights-up-your-room-like-a/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [One can return to their place of birth, but one cannot go back to your youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/one-can-return-to-their-place-of-birth-but-one-cannot-go-back-to-your/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [I still find each day too short..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/i-still-find-each-day-too-short/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [What a severe yet master artist old Winter is... No longer the canvas and the pigments, but the marble and the chisel...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/what-a-severe-yet-master-artist-old-winter-is-no-longer-the-canvas/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Following World War II, the U.S. was the architect of the UN system, and the world financial system, and the Human Rights Declaration, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/following-world-war-ii-the-u-s-was-the-architect-of-the-un-system-and/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [“Go to the sea or climb the mountain, and with the ruggedest and the savagest you will find likewise the fairest and the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/go-to-the-sea-or-climb-the-mountain-and-with-the-ruggedest-and-the/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) [Explore all 281 John Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) ## More Benevolent quotes > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Intelligent Design opens the whole possibility of us being created in the image of a benevolent God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/intelligent-design-opens-the-whole-possibility-of-us-being-created-in/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [The soul of the truly benevolent man does not seem to reside much in his own body. Its life, to a great extent, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/the-soul-of-the-truly-benevolent-man-does-not-seem-to-reside-much-in/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [If Despotism failed only for want of a capable benevolent despot, what chance has Democracy, which requires a whole population of capable voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-despotism-failed-only-for-want-of-a-capable-benevolent-despot-what/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“There's no pain on earth that doesn't require a benevolent witness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/there-s-no-pain-on-earth-that-doesn-t-require-a-benevolent-witness/) [sue monk kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [You can't have it both ways. You can't have both free will and a benevolent higher power who protects you from yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/you-can-t-have-it-both-ways-you-can-t-have-both-free-will-and-a/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/a-universal-peace-it-is-to-be-feared-is-in-the-catalogue-of-events/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I worship nothing. Not a good lie nor a dark one. If nature is proof of God's amazing creation then I have truly seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/i-worship-nothing-not-a-good-lie-nor-a-dark-one-if-nature-is-proof-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [What am I writing for anyway? Is it like dreaming? Is it a benevolent process? Something that moves the past forward? And what about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selima-hill/what-am-i-writing-for-anyway-is-it-like-dreaming-is-it-a-benevolent/) [Selima Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selima-hill/) > [The Jews looked for a special savior, a messiah, who was to redeem mankind by the agreeable process of restoring the fabulous glories of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/the-jews-looked-for-a-special-savior-a-messiah-who-was-to-redeem/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [“It’s okay, buddy!” I shade my eyes and look up at the sky. “Luckily for you, I am both stunningly good-looking and benevolent. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/it-s-okay-buddy-i-shade-my-eyes-and-look-up-at-the-sky-luckily-for/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [“My creed on the subject of slavery is short. Slavery per se is not sin. It is a social condition ordained from the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-morse/my-creed-on-the-subject-of-slavery-is-short-slavery-per-se-is-not-sin/) [Samuel Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-morse/) > [The charming aspect of Christmas is the fact that it expresses good will in a cheerful, happy, benevolent, non-sacrificial way. One says: “Merry Christmas”-not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-charming-aspect-of-christmas-is-the-fact-that-it-expresses-good/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [... so large a portion of those who hold much capital, instead of using their various advantages for the greatest good of those around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/so-large-a-portion-of-those-who-hold-much-capital-instead-of-using/) [Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/) > [I had gone into the hospital with the stupid notion that its primary object was the care and comfort of the sick and wounded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-swisshelm/i-had-gone-into-the-hospital-with-the-stupid-notion-that-its-primary/) [Jane Swisshelm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-swisshelm/) Browse all 289 Benevolent quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for pound, measure for measure, makes no exceptions, never tempers her decrees with mercy, or winks at any infringement of her laws.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Burroughs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just-gives-pound-for-pound-measure/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Benevolent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just-gives-pound-for-pound-measure/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8f/john-burroughs-1157_benevolent_nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just_155755.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8f/john-burroughs-1157_benevolent_nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just_155755.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8f/john-burroughs-1157_benevolent_nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just_155755.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for pound, measure for measure, makes no exceptions…” — John Burroughs", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Burroughs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nature is not benevolent; Nature is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just-gives-pound-for-pound-measure/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just-gives-pound-for-pound-measure/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```