--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man has a body which is at once his…" description: "\"“Man has a body which is at once his burden and his temptation. He drags it along, and yields to it. ‘He ought to watch over it, to keep it in bounds; ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/victor-hugo-32_prayer_man-has-a-body-which-is-at-once-his-burd_1181957.jpg" --- # Man has a body which is at once his burden and his… ![“Man has a body which is at once his burden and his temptation. He drags it along, and yields to it. ‘He ought to watch over it, to keep it in bounds; to repress it, and only to obey it at the last extremity. It may be wrong to obey even then, but if so, the fault is venial. It is a fall, but a…” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/victor-hugo-32_prayer_man-has-a-body-which-is-at-once-his-burd_1181957.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/victor-hugo-32_prayer_man-has-a-body-which-is-at-once-his-burd_1181957.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/victor-hugo-32_prayer_man-has-a-body-which-is-at-once-his-burd_1181957.jpg) > ““Man has a body which is at once his burden and his temptation. He drags it along, and yields to it. ‘He ought to watch over it, to keep it in bounds; to repress it, and only to obey it at the last extremity. It may be wrong to obey even then, but if so, the fault is venial. It is a fall, but a fall upon the knees, which may end in prayer. ‘To be a saint is the exception; to be upright is the rule. Err, falter, sin, but be upright. ‘To commit the least possible sin is the law for man. To live without sin is the dream of an angel. Everything terrestrial is subject to sin. Sin is a gravitation.”” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human bodies are both a burden and a temptation, requiring self‑discipline; moral uprightness is the norm, while sainthood is rare; sin is an inevitable, gravitational pull. **In simple terms:** Bodies tempt and burden; strive for uprightness. Key Takeaway Practice self‑control and humility. Themes morality human nature temptation discipline sin Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily decision making - ethical dilemmas - personal reflection - teaching morality Key Concepts ethical philosophy spirituality human condition Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑discipline with self‑compassion? - Can one be upright without denying human desires? A Different Perspective The view may be overly ascetic, neglecting joy and compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Obey Extremity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey-extremity-3469955/) [Possible Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-sin-534844/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Sin Gravitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin-gravitation-534843/) [Sin Upright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin-upright-3469954/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) ## Related quotes > [“The least possible sin is the law of man. No sin at all is the dream of the angel. All which is terrestrial is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-least-possible-sin-is-the-law-of-man-no-sin-at-all-is-the-dream/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [To commit the least possible sin is the law for man. To live without sin is the dream of an angel. 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It isn't possible to buy enough to be happy, or to entertain or indulge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/it-is-not-possible-to-sin-enough-to-be-happy-it-isn-t-possible-to-buy/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [No one can sense his own weakness is at least a small temptation is not allowed to afflict either his body or his soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-of-nineveh/no-one-can-sense-his-own-weakness-is-at-least-a-small-temptation-is/) [Isaac of Nineveh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-of-nineveh/) > [If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. 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To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [I nibbled my lower lip. "If you could see into my past just by touching my back, you'd have a hard time resisting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-nibbled-my-lower-lip-if-you-could-see-into-my-past-just-by-touching/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. 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She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Prayer quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. 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Jubilee”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/worship-me-like-the-goddess-i-am-or-there-will-be-some-serious/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [“Dear Lord, thank You for answered prayers and humans who do Your work here on earth. 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