--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A just man is not one who does no ill…" description: "\"A just man is not one who does no ill, But he, who with the power, has not the will.\" — Philemon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/philemon-34160_doe_a-just-man-is-not-one-who-does-no-ill-bu_2928597.jpg" --- # A just man is not one who does no ill, But he, who with… ![“A just man is not one who does no ill, But he, who with the power, has not the will.” quote by Philemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/philemon-34160_doe_a-just-man-is-not-one-who-does-no-ill-bu_2928597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/philemon-34160_doe_a-just-man-is-not-one-who-does-no-ill-bu_2928597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/philemon-34160_doe_a-just-man-is-not-one-who-does-no-ill-bu_2928597.jpg) > “A just man is not one who does no ill, But he, who with the power, has not the will.” [Philemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philemon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A just man lacks the will to misuse power, not merely the absence of wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** Justice requires restraint and moral will, not just non‑maleficence. Key Takeaway Cultivate moral will alongside fairness. Themes justice power will ethics leadership Mood serious reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - government roles - corporate governance - community leadership - personal decisions Key Concepts moral agency ethical leadership power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does willpower shape just actions? - Can justice exist without moral will? A Different Perspective Power can corrupt even well‑intentioned individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [The man of science appears to be the only man who has something to say just now, and the only man who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-barrie/the-man-of-science-appears-to-be-the-only-man-who-has-something-to/) [James M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-barrie/) > [Be yourself. A horse without the lancer is still a horse; a lancer without the horse is just a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/be-yourself-a-horse-without-the-lancer-is-still-a-horse-a-lancer/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [I'm just a man, no more or no less. Bad as the worst, good as the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/i-m-just-a-man-no-more-or-no-less-bad-as-the-worst-good-as-the-best/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [Just because a man cry's doesn't mean he is not a man. If you don't have feelings how can you be human ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-hamilton/just-because-a-man-cry-s-doesn-t-mean-he-is-not-a-man-if-you-don-t/) [Nadia Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-hamilton/) > [I know I'm just one man trying to do one thing, and the next day is not promised to any man. I'm very humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coolio/i-know-i-m-just-one-man-trying-to-do-one-thing-and-the-next-day-is/) [Coolio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coolio/) > [For sin is just this, what man cannot by its very nature do with his whole being; it is possible to silence the conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/for-sin-is-just-this-what-man-cannot-by-its-very-nature-do-with-his/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [“I am not just one man, I am one man army”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/i-am-not-just-one-man-i-am-one-man-army/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [Time alone reveals the just man; but you might discern a bad man in a single day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/time-alone-reveals-the-just-man-but-you-might-discern-a-bad-man-in-a/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [I am not a monster, I am just a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-radke/i-am-not-a-monster-i-am-just-a-man/) [Ronnie Radke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-radke/) > [Being vocal, that's just something that I do, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordarrelle-patterson/being-vocal-that-s-just-something-that-i-do-man/) [Cordarrelle Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordarrelle-patterson/) > [“I'm just a man, no more enlightened than any other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-pelecanos/i-m-just-a-man-no-more-enlightened-than-any-other/) George P. Pelecanos > [This is just another man, another fight, another payday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frazier/this-is-just-another-man-another-fight-another-payday/) [Joe Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frazier/) > [He’s just another man who wants to teach me something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/he-s-just-another-man-who-wants-to-teach-me-something/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [Just because a man has died for it, does not make it true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/just-because-a-man-has-died-for-it-does-not-make-it-true/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [He who is less than just is less than man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard-griffin/he-who-is-less-than-just-is-less-than-man/) [John Howard Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard-griffin/) ## More by Philemon > [In this thing one man is superior to another, that he is better able to bear adversity and prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philemon/in-this-thing-one-man-is-superior-to-another-that-he-is-better-able/) [Philemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philemon/) > [We are all crazy when we are angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philemon/we-are-all-crazy-when-we-are-angry/) [Philemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philemon/) > [Look around you: there is not a doctor who desires the health of his friends, not a soldier who desires peace for his country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philemon/look-around-you-there-is-not-a-doctor-who-desires-the-health-of-his/) [Philemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philemon/) > [I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philemon/i-pray-that-you-may-be-active-in-sharing-your-faith-so-that-you-will/) [Philemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philemon/) > [It is easy for men to give advice, but difficult for one's self to follow; we have an example in physicians: for their patients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philemon/it-is-easy-for-men-to-give-advice-but-difficult-for-one-s-self-to/) [Philemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philemon/) > [A field is the most just possession for men. 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