--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nature has but one judgment on wrong…" description: "\"Nature has but one judgment on wrong conduct - if you can call that a judgment which seemingly has no reference to conduct as such - the judgment of de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_death_nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-con_1579083.jpg" --- # Nature has but one judgment on wrong conduct - if you can… ![“Nature has but one judgment on wrong conduct - if you can call that a judgment which seemingly has no reference to conduct as such - the judgment of death.” quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_death_nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-con_1579083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_death_nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-con_1579083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_death_nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-con_1579083.jpg) > “Nature has but one judgment on wrong conduct - if you can call that a judgment which seemingly has no reference to conduct as such - the judgment of death.” [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral wrongs ultimately lead to death, the ultimate judgment, regardless of societal labels or legal definitions. **In simple terms:** Wrong actions end in death. Key Takeaway Recognize the finality of harmful choices. Themes mortality justice ethics Mood reflective serious Type philosophical cautionary When to use this quote - legal decisions - personal conduct - health risks - environmental impact Key Concepts Consequences final judgment Questions to Reflect On - What actions have hidden long‑term costs? - How do societies weigh intent versus outcome? A Different Perspective Not all harmful acts result in immediate death. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conduct Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conduct-judgment-5961486/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Judgment Seemingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment-seemingly-5961485/) [Judgment Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment-wrong-3876350/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-judgment-1003292/) ## Related quotes > [First follow Nature, and your judgment frame By her just standard, which is still the same: Unerring nature, still divinely bright, One clear, unchanged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/first-follow-nature-and-your-judgment-frame-by-her-just-standard/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [If you equate God's judgment with your judgment, you have a wrong religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/if-you-equate-god-s-judgment-with-your-judgment-you-have-a-wrong/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [“To a soul which is wide awake, the Judgment Day does not come after death. For that soul every day is a Judgment Day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/to-a-soul-which-is-wide-awake-the-judgment-day-does-not-come-after/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [More exposure leads to more judgment and negativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-morrone/more-exposure-leads-to-more-judgment-and-negativity/) [Camila Morrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-morrone/) > [Every man will have his own criterion in forming his judgment of others. I depend very much on the effect of affliction. I consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/every-man-will-have-his-own-criterion-in-forming-his-judgment-of/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [Love's mind of judgment rarely hath a taste: Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-s-mind-of-judgment-rarely-hath-a-taste-wings-and-no-eyes-figure/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [It isn't bad judgment to make a man believe he is something. 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Remove the judgment and the pain disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/pain-results-from-a-judgment-you-have-made-about-a-thing-remove-the/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) [Kenan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-malik/) ## More by Oliver Wendell Holmes > [Even a dog knows the difference between being kicked and being stumbled over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/even-a-dog-knows-the-difference-between-being-kicked-and-being/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [There are a good many real miseries in life that we cannot help smiling at, but they are the smiles that make wrinkles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/there-are-a-good-many-real-miseries-in-life-that-we-cannot-help/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-you-stand-as-in/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [A man's mind stretched by a new idea can never go back to its original dimensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/a-man-s-mind-stretched-by-a-new-idea-can-never-go-back-to-its/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [Husband and wife come to look alike at last](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/husband-and-wife-come-to-look-alike-at-last/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [To brag little - to show well - to crow gently, if in luck - to pay up, to own up, and to shut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/to-brag-little-to-show-well-to-crow-gently-if-in-luck-to-pay-up-to/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [Beauty is only skin deep... but dont tell an ugly person that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/beauty-is-only-skin-deep-but-dont-tell-an-ugly-person-that/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/the-mind-once-expanded-to-the-dimensions-of-larger-ideas-never/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul, As the swift seasons roll! Leave thy low-vaulted past! Let each new temple, nobler than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/build-thee-more-stately-mansions-o-my-soul-as-the-swift-seasons-roll/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/alas-for-those-that-never-sing-but-die-with-all-their-music-in-them/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [When men have realized that time has upset many fighting faiths, they may come to believe... that the ultimate good desired is better reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/when-men-have-realized-that-time-has-upset-many-fighting-faiths-they/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [Don't be consistent but be simple true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/don-t-be-consistent-but-be-simple-true/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [When I think of talking, it is of course with a woman. For talking at its best being an inspiration, it wants a corresponding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/when-i-think-of-talking-it-is-of-course-with-a-woman-for-talking-at/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I would not pass it round. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don't embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/if-i-had-a-formula-for-bypassing-trouble-i-would-not-pass-it-round/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [The woman cries before the wedding; the man afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/the-woman-cries-before-the-wedding-the-man-afterward/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) [Explore all 53 Oliver Wendell Holmes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. 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He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. 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You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nature has but one judgment on wrong conduct - if you can call that a judgment which seemingly has no reference to conduct as such - the judgment of death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oliver Wendell Holmes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-conduct-if-you-can-call-that-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-conduct-if-you-can-call-that-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_death_nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-con_1579083.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_death_nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-con_1579083.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_death_nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-con_1579083.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nature has but one judgment on wrong conduct - if you can call that a judgment which seemingly has no…” — Oliver Wendell Holmes", "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": "Oliver Wendell Holmes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nature has but one judgment on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-conduct-if-you-can-call-that-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/nature-has-but-one-judgment-on-wrong-conduct-if-you-can-call-that-a/#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 } } ] } ```