--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if one Subject giveth Counsell to…" description: "\"But if one Subject giveth Counsell to another, to do anything contrary to the Lawes, whether that Counsell proceed from evil intention, or from ignoran..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/thomas-hobbes-1127_bounds_but-if-one-subject-giveth-counsell-to-an_1484545.jpg" --- # But if one Subject giveth Counsell to another, to do… ![“But if one Subject giveth Counsell to another, to do anything contrary to the Lawes, whether that Counsell proceed from evil intention, or from ignorance onely, it is punishable by the Common-wealth; because igorance of the Law, is no good excuse, where every man is bound to take notice of the…” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/thomas-hobbes-1127_bounds_but-if-one-subject-giveth-counsell-to-an_1484545.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/thomas-hobbes-1127_bounds_but-if-one-subject-giveth-counsell-to-an_1484545.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/thomas-hobbes-1127_bounds_but-if-one-subject-giveth-counsell-to-an_1484545.jpg) > “But if one Subject giveth Counsell to another, to do anything contrary to the Lawes, whether that Counsell proceed from evil intention, or from ignorance onely, it is punishable by the Common-wealth; because igorance of the Law, is no good excuse, where every man is bound to take notice of the Lawes to which he is subject.” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance of law does not excuse breaking it; everyone must know the laws they are subject to. **In simple terms:** Not knowing the law isn’t an excuse. Key Takeaway Learn and follow the law. Themes law responsibility justice Mood serious instructive Type ethical legal When to use this quote - citizenship - government policy - education Key Concepts legal duty social contract ignorance Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to stay informed? - How do you handle unknown regulations? A Different Perspective Legal systems may be inaccessible to some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Ignorance of the law is no good excuse, where every man is bound to take notice of the laws to which he is subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/ignorance-of-the-law-is-no-good-excuse-where-every-man-is-bound-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Half of the results of a good intentions are evil; half the results of an evil intention are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/half-of-the-results-of-a-good-intentions-are-evil-half-the-results-of/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Assuredly there is but one way in which to achieve what is not merely difficult but utterly against human nature: to love those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/assuredly-there-is-but-one-way-in-which-to-achieve-what-is-not-merely/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Do not desire to hear about the misfortunes of those who oppose you. For those who listen to such speech later reap the fruits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-eremita/do-not-desire-to-hear-about-the-misfortunes-of-those-who-oppose-you/) [Marcus Eremita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-eremita/) > [An evil intention perverts the best actions, and makes them sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/an-evil-intention-perverts-the-best-actions-and-makes-them-sins/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“At an earlier time there was no pleasure in the law for me. But now I find that the law is good and tasty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/at-an-earlier-time-there-was-no-pleasure-in-the-law-for-me-but-now-i/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Only insofar as we remain in harmony with divine law - do good things come to us”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/only-insofar-as-we-remain-in-harmony-with-divine-law-do-good-things/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [Law is order, and good law is good order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/law-is-order-and-good-law-is-good-order/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Law is good, proper, and essential in its place, but law can save no man, nor can law remake man and society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/law-is-good-proper-and-essential-in-its-place-but-law-can-save-no-man/) [R.J. 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And this is true- we see God's standards, see our sin, and then see our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/we-usually-think-of-law-leading-us-to-gospel-and-this-is-true-we-see-2/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“The law was good, Paul wrote, and its purpose vital. But its purpose was also temporary. Once Christ fulfilled the law, his followers would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-vines/the-law-was-good-paul-wrote-and-its-purpose-vital-but-its-purpose-was/) [Matthew Vines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-vines/) > [“Murphy's Law states that, "If anything will go wrong, it will". Positive side of this law is, "If anything good can happen, it definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiten-bhatt/murphy-s-law-states-that-if-anything-will-go-wrong-it-will-positive/) [Jiten Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiten-bhatt/) > [But for us Democrats, Obamacare is a badge of honor. Because no matter who you are, what stage of life you're in, this law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-sebelius/but-for-us-democrats-obamacare-is-a-badge-of-honor-because-no-matter/) [Kathleen Sebelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-sebelius/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-man-s-conscience-and-his-judgment-is-the-same-thing-and-as-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-men-are-naturally-in-a-state-of-war-why-do-they-always-carry-arms/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; 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