--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a…" description: "\"“For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; And Love, the human form divine: And Peace the human dress. Songs of Innocence Cruelty has a human he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/william-blake-397_cruelty_for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human_362643.jpg" --- # For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; And Love… ![“For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; And Love, the human form divine: And Peace the human dress. Songs of Innocence Cruelty has a human heart And jealousy a human face, Terror the human form divine, And secrecy the human dress. The human dress is forged iron, The human form a fiery…” quote by William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/william-blake-397_cruelty_for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human_362643.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/william-blake-397_cruelty_for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human_362643.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/william-blake-397_cruelty_for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human_362643.jpg) > ““For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; And Love, the human form divine: And Peace the human dress. Songs of Innocence Cruelty has a human heart And jealousy a human face, Terror the human form divine, And secrecy the human dress. The human dress is forged iron, The human form a fiery forge, The human face a furnace seal'd, The human heart its hungry gorge.”” [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Blake contrasts positive virtues with darker human traits, suggesting that mercy, pity, love, and peace embody humanity’s noble aspects, while cruelty, jealousy, terror, and secrecy represent its destructive side. **In simple terms:** Human virtues and vices are portrayed as physical forms. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture the humane qualities within. Themes virtue humanity duality emotion Mood reflective thoughtful Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - ethical decision making - conflict resolution - artistic interpretation Key Concepts symbolism anthropomorphism contrast Questions to Reflect On - How do you embody mercy or pity in daily life? - In what ways does cruelty manifest in society? A Different Perspective These metaphors may oversimplify complex emotions into physical attributes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ## Related quotes > [Cruelty has a human heart, and jealousy a human face. Terror, the human form divine, And secrecy, the human dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/cruelty-has-a-human-heart-and-jealousy-a-human-face-terror-the-human/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [For Mercy has a human heart Pity, a human face: And Love, the human form divine, And Peace, the human dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human-face-and-love-the-human-form-2/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [“Cruelty has a human heart, And Jealousy a human face; Terror the human form divine, And Secresy the human dress. The human dress is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/cruelty-has-a-human-heart-and-jealousy-a-human-face-terror-the-human-2/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [A DIVINE IMAGE Cruelty has a human heart, And Jealousy a human face; Terror the human form divine, And Secresy the human dress. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/a-divine-image-cruelty-has-a-human-heart-and-jealousy-a-human-face/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Cruelty might be very human, and it might be very cultural, but it's not acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/cruelty-might-be-very-human-and-it-might-be-very-cultural-but-it-s/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [“That cruelty is part of nature is the little lie. That cruelty is part of human nature is the big one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fahy/that-cruelty-is-part-of-nature-is-the-little-lie-that-cruelty-is-part/) [Tom Fahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fahy/) > [God does not hav e mercy for the people who donot show mercy to human society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-does-not-hav-e-mercy-for-the-people-who-donot-show-mercy-to-human/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God’s love for the human race is a peculiar form—a love born of mercy, for the human subject is all-undeserving. .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/god-s-love-for-the-human-race-is-a-peculiar-form-a-love-born-of-mercy/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [“GOD don't have any mercy to human being since we generate Debit & Credit account of our own life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hems/god-don-t-have-any-mercy-to-human-being-since-we-generate-debit/) Hems > [Justice and mercy/ Are human dreams, they do not concern the birds nor the fish nor eternal God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/justice-and-mercy-are-human-dreams-they-do-not-concern-the-birds-nor/) [Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/) > [Behavior of such cunning cruelty that only a human being could have thought of or contrived it we call 'inhuman,' revealing thus some pathetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/behavior-of-such-cunning-cruelty-that-only-a-human-being-could-have/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [“Those who believe it is immoral to kill animals for any reason, including eating and humane medical experimentation, should reflect on this: While there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/those-who-believe-it-is-immoral-to-kill-animals-for-any-reason/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [I have seen Tasmanian devils battle over a carcass. I have seen lionesses crowding a kill, dingoes on the trail of a feral piglet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-irwin/i-have-seen-tasmanian-devils-battle-over-a-carcass-i-have-seen/) [Terri Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-irwin/) > [“whose early life had been so embittered by continual proof of neglect and cruelty in human parents toward their children, the love of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter/whose-early-life-had-been-so-embittered-by-continual-proof-of-neglect/) [Gene Stratton-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-stratton-porter/) > [She'd been acutely aware that terror, betrayal, and cruelty had a human face, but she had not sufficiently appreciated that courage, kindness, and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/she-d-been-acutely-aware-that-terror-betrayal-and-cruelty-had-a-human/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More by William Blake > [Poetry fettered, fetters the human race. Nations are destroyed or flourish in proportion as their poetry, painting, and music are destroyed or flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/poetry-fettered-fetters-the-human-race-nations-are-destroyed-or/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Where any view of money exists, art cannot be carried on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/where-any-view-of-money-exists-art-cannot-be-carried-on/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [God only acts and is, in existing beings or men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/god-only-acts-and-is-in-existing-beings-or-men/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Kill not the moth nor butterfly, For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/kill-not-the-moth-nor-butterfly-for-the-last-judgement-draweth-nigh/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The world of imagination is the world of eternity. It is the divine bosom into which we shall all go after death of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-world-of-imagination-is-the-world-of-eternity-it-is-the-divine/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Imagination is the real and eternal world of which this vegetable universe is but a faint shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/imagination-is-the-real-and-eternal-world-of-which-this-vegetable/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Painters are noted for being dissipated and wild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/painters-are-noted-for-being-dissipated-and-wild/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Time is the mercy of Eternity; without Time's swiftness Which is the swiftest of all things, all were eternal torment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity-without-time-s-swiftness-which-is-the/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The difference between a bad artist and a good one is: the bad artist seems to copy a great deal; the good one really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-difference-between-a-bad-artist-and-a-good-one-is-the-bad-artist/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Cruelty has a human heart, and jealousy a human face. Terror, the human form divine, And secrecy, the human dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/cruelty-has-a-human-heart-and-jealousy-a-human-face-terror-the-human/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [A dead body revenges not injuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/a-dead-body-revenges-not-injuries/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained; and the restrainer or reason usurps its place & governs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/those-who-restrain-desire-do-so-because-theirs-is-weak-enough-to-be/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [To generalize is to be an idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/to-generalize-is-to-be-an-idiot/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [THE POISON TREE I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-poison-tree-i-was-angry-with-my-friend-i-told-my-wrath-my-wrath/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The bird a nest the spider a web the human friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-bird-a-nest-the-spider-a-web-the-human-friendship/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) [Explore all 592 William Blake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## More Cruelty quotes > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There's a certain edge about cruelty. If you're honest about it, most people wince, but say it had to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-waterman/there-s-a-certain-edge-about-cruelty-if-you-re-honest-about-it-most/) [Pete Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-waterman/) > [He lacked tenderness; he was rude; and he had more than a streak of cruelty in him; he was a thief and a liar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/he-lacked-tenderness-he-was-rude-and-he-had-more-than-a-streak-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Regarding lack of vision or disabilities of the organ of sight, it has long been known among researchers that it is the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/regarding-lack-of-vision-or-disabilities-of-the-organ-of-sight-it-has/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [“When you’re a monster, she thought, you are thanked and praised for not behaving like a monster. She would like to restrain from cruelty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/when-you-re-a-monster-she-thought-you-are-thanked-and-praised-for-not/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Music comes from the heart and returns to the heart... music is spontaneous, impulsive expression... its range is without limit... music is forever growing...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-stokowski/music-comes-from-the-heart-and-returns-to-the-heart-music-is/) [Leopold Stokowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-stokowski/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You must learn that to endure cruelty is to become cruel yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bleach/you-must-learn-that-to-endure-cruelty-is-to-become-cruel-yourself/) [Bleach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bleach/) > [“in every pleasure, cruelty has its place...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-every-pleasure-cruelty-has-its-place/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Old people deserves a medal, a medal of existence which crowns their long-term victory against the cruelty of time and the dangers of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/old-people-deserves-a-medal-a-medal-of-existence-which-crowns-their/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) [Browse all 1,675 Cruelty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; And Love, the human form divine: And Peace the human dress. Songs of Innocence Cruelty has a human heart And jealousy a human face, Terror the human form divine, And secrecy the human dress. The human dress is forged iron, The human form a fiery forge, The human face a furnace seal'd, The human heart its hungry gorge.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Blake" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human-face-and-love-the-human-form/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cruelty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human-face-and-love-the-human-form/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/william-blake-397_cruelty_for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human_362643.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/william-blake-397_cruelty_for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human_362643.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/william-blake-397_cruelty_for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human_362643.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; And Love, the human form divine: And Peace the human dress…” — William Blake", "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": "William Blake", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“For Mercy has a human heart;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human-face-and-love-the-human-form/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/for-mercy-has-a-human-heart-pity-a-human-face-and-love-the-human-form/#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 } } ] } ```