--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Law is a grim, unsmiling thing. Not…" description: "\"The Law is a grim, unsmiling thing. Not Justice, though. Justice is witty and whimsical and kind and caring.\" — Rohinton Mistry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/rohinton-mistry-4393_caring_the-law-is-a-grim-unsmiling-thing-not-ju_2562741.png" --- # The Law is a grim, unsmiling thing. Not Justice, though… ![“The Law is a grim, unsmiling thing. Not Justice, though. Justice is witty and whimsical and kind and caring.” quote by Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/rohinton-mistry-4393_caring_the-law-is-a-grim-unsmiling-thing-not-ju_2562741.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/rohinton-mistry-4393_caring_the-law-is-a-grim-unsmiling-thing-not-ju_2562741.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/rohinton-mistry-4393_caring_the-law-is-a-grim-unsmiling-thing-not-ju_2562741.png) > “The Law is a grim, unsmiling thing. Not Justice, though. Justice is witty and whimsical and kind and caring.” [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law is rigid and harsh; Justice is flexible, kind, and playful. **In simple terms:** Law is strict; justice is compassionate. Key Takeaway Value justice’s humanity over mere law. Themes law justice humanity Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - legal practice - policy making - social work Key Concepts ethics social theory literature Questions to Reflect On - How can law embody justice’s kindness? - When does strict law hinder fairness? A Different Perspective Law can protect rights despite being harsh. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Whimsical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whimsical/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [There is no such thing as justice, all the best that we can hope for is revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilie-autumn/there-is-no-such-thing-as-justice-all-the-best-that-we-can-hope-for/) [Emilie Autumn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-autumn/) > [“The last thing the justice system is, is just.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-shepherd/the-last-thing-the-justice-system-is-is-just/) [Megan Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-shepherd/) > [There is no such thing as justice - in or out of court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/there-is-no-such-thing-as-justice-in-or-out-of-court/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Nothing is black and white, and there is no purity and there is no such thing has justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/nothing-is-black-and-white-and-there-is-no-purity-and-there-is-no/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/there-is-no-such-thing-as-justice-in-the-abstract-it-is-merely-a/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [But the voice goes on, calling us, beckoning us, luring us to think that there might be such a thing as justice, as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-the-voice-goes-on-calling-us-beckoning-us-luring-us-to-think-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There's no such thing as justice in America. It's all a fairy tale.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/there-s-no-such-thing-as-justice-in-america-it-s-all-a-fairy-tale/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [“We desire justice, and justice has never been obtained in haste and strong feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/we-desire-justice-and-justice-has-never-been-obtained-in-haste-and/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [We've got to be fair. You can't say a place that has strip joints is sacred ground. We've got to be just. We've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/we-ve-got-to-be-fair-you-can-t-say-a-place-that-has-strip-joints-is/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [I'm going to ensure justice, where justice is shaky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-wright-jr/i-m-going-to-ensure-justice-where-justice-is-shaky/) [Isaac Wright Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-wright-jr/) > [Justice is justice though it's always delayed and finally done only by mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/justice-is-justice-though-it-s-always-delayed-and-finally-done-only/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Let me tell you what justice is. Justice is the law. And that man's feeble attempt to lay down the principles of deceny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/let-me-tell-you-what-justice-is-justice-is-the-law-and-that-man-s/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-withdraw-ourselves-from-the-law-of-the-strong-we-have-found/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Who thinks the law has anything to do with justice? It's what we have because we can't have justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcilvanney/who-thinks-the-law-has-anything-to-do-with-justice-it-s-what-we-have/) [William McIlvanney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcilvanney/) > [Men are always invoking justice; yet it is justice which should make them tremble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/men-are-always-invoking-justice-yet-it-is-justice-which-should-make/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) ## More by Rohinton Mistry > [You have to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/you-have-to-maintain-a-fine-balance-between-hope-and-despair/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“What sense did the world make? Where was God, the Bloody Fool? Did He have no notion of fair and unfair? Couldn't He read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-sense-did-the-world-make-where-was-god-the-bloody-fool-did-he/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [Lately you are brooding too much about rights. Give up this dangerous habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/lately-you-are-brooding-too-much-about-rights-give-up-this-dangerous/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [Flirting with madness was one thing; when madness started flirting back, it was time to call the whole thing off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/flirting-with-madness-was-one-thing-when-madness-started-flirting/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“But since the world is imperfect, we must put blinders on the senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/but-since-the-world-is-imperfect-we-must-put-blinders-on-the-senses/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“And the further they go, the more they'll remember, they can take it from me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/and-the-further-they-go-the-more-they-ll-remember-they-can-take-it/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [World can be a bewildering place,and dreams and ambitions are often paths to the most pernicious of traps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/world-can-be-a-bewildering-place-and-dreams-and-ambitions-are-often/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“In those days," continued Ishvar, "it seemed to me that that was all one could expect in life. A harsh road strewn with sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/in-those-days-continued-ishvar-it-seemed-to-me-that-that-was-all-one/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“God is dead," said Maneck. "That's what a German philosopher wrote." She was shocked. "Trust the Germans to say such things," she frowned. "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/god-is-dead-said-maneck-that-s-what-a-german-philosopher-wrote-she/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“Where humans were concerned, the only emotion that made sense was wonder, at their ability to endure; and sorrow, for the hopelessness of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/where-humans-were-concerned-the-only-emotion-that-made-sense-was/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“I've done lots of jobs. Right now, I'm a hair collector." "That's good", said Ishvar tentatively. "What do you have to do as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/i-ve-done-lots-of-jobs-right-now-i-m-a-hair-collector-that-s-good/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [If there was an abundance of misery in the world, there was also sufficient joy, yes - as long as one knew where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/if-there-was-an-abundance-of-misery-in-the-world-there-was-also/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [The whole quilt is much more important than any single square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/the-whole-quilt-is-much-more-important-than-any-single-square/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [...there was another, gorier parturition, when two nations incarnated out of one. A foreigner drew a magic line on a map and called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/there-was-another-gorier-parturition-when-two-nations-incarnated-out/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) [Explore all 110 Rohinton Mistry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) ## More Caring quotes > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [There is nothing about myself that I wouldn't reveal or write about. I don't care how horrendous or ridiculous I may appear in person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/there-is-nothing-about-myself-that-i-wouldn-t-reveal-or-write-about-i/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [A happy family needs a loving and caring father, and he who knows how to be a mother sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-happy-family-needs-a-loving-and-caring-father-and-he-who-knows-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Just remember that when nobody was there for you, I was. And when nobody else gave a damn, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-remember-that-when-nobody-was-there-for-you-i-was-and-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Hmmm! life zz about caring the life that u have as the rest of the things are of secondary value tc n ks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sardar-hyder-abbas/hmmm-life-zz-about-caring-the-life-that-u-have-as-the-rest-of-the/) [Sardar Hyder Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sardar-hyder-abbas/) > [You can't make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved ,the rest is up to the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-make-someone-love-you-all-you-can-do-is-be-someone-who-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [When you're 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you're 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you're 60 you realize no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/when-you-re-20-you-care-what-everyone-thinks-when-you-re-40-you-stop/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“English: "Being an adult doesn't mean killing the child we once were; it means being able to protect him." Česky: „Být dospělým neznamená zabít…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebasti-n-wortys/english-being-an-adult-doesn-t-mean-killing-the-child-we-once-were-it/) [Sebastián Wortys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebasti-n-wortys/) > [“As you travel along the roads in life, there is a certain kind of peace that comes with knowing you're on the right path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/as-you-travel-along-the-roads-in-life-there-is-a-certain-kind-of/) [Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/) > [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Browse all 2,651 Caring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Law is a grim, unsmiling thing. Not Justice, though. 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