--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Your law may be perfect, your knowledge…" description: "\"Your law may be perfect, your knowledge of human affairs may be such as to enable you to apply it with wisdom and skill, and yet without individual acq..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/william-dunbar-30565_acquaintance_your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-o_746096.png" --- # Your law may be perfect, your knowledge of human affairs… ![“Your law may be perfect, your knowledge of human affairs may be such as to enable you to apply it with wisdom and skill, and yet without individual acquaintance with men, their haunts and habits, the pursuit of the profession becomes difficult, slow, and expensive.” quote by William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/william-dunbar-30565_acquaintance_your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-o_746096.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/william-dunbar-30565_acquaintance_your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-o_746096.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/william-dunbar-30565_acquaintance_your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-o_746096.png) > “Your law may be perfect, your knowledge of human affairs may be such as to enable you to apply it with wisdom and skill, and yet without individual acquaintance with men, their haunts and habits, the pursuit of the profession becomes difficult, slow, and expensive.” [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding people’s habits and contexts is essential for effective professional work; without it, even perfect knowledge is costly and inefficient. **In simple terms:** Knowing people matters for good work. Key Takeaway Learn about clients’ lives. Themes professionalism empathy practicality Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice reflective When to use this quote - legal consulting - medical practice - education - customer service Key Concepts human behavior contextual intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How do you gather personal context? - What habits affect your work most? A Different Perspective Assuming expertise without personal insight can lead to misjudgments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquaintance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [ The illusion of skill is not only an individual aberration; it is deeply ingrained in the culture of the \[investment management\] industry. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-illusion-of-skill-is-not-only-an-individual-aberration-it-is/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Amongst the learned the lawyers claim first place, the most self-satisfied class of people, as they roll their rock of Sisyphus and string together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/amongst-the-learned-the-lawyers-claim-first-place-the-most-self/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [My parents were really loving, open people to be around. I don't remember them ever telling me this profession is difficult. There was never,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-keller/my-parents-were-really-loving-open-people-to-be-around-i-don-t/) [Rachel Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-keller/) > [“being genius does not necessarily means knowing it all or having the highest academic qualification but a persons ability to apply wisdom and common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/being-genius-does-not-necessarily-means-knowing-it-all-or-having-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [“We have to learn to apply wisdom in every situation and not "spiritualize" every temptation. Sometimes we need to overcome temptation by prayer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-wilson/we-have-to-learn-to-apply-wisdom-in-every-situation-and-not/) [Nancy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-wilson/) > [“You can't always expect people to apply your wisdom when they didn't use wisdom before they found themselves knee deep in their version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-t-always-expect-people-to-apply-your-wisdom-when-they-didn-t/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“The Conservative approach is nothing more or less than an attempt to apply the wisdom and experience and the revealed truths of the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-m-goldwater/the-conservative-approach-is-nothing-more-or-less-than-an-attempt-to/) [Barry M. Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-m-goldwater/) > [“I suggest you apply whatever wisdom you have." -Shevata, "Children of Discord" (upcoming novel)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-cole/i-suggest-you-apply-whatever-wisdom-you-have-shevata-children-of/) C. C. Cole > [“Virtues are common, but the virtuous are very few. This is because ordinarily, people know but do not apply what they know. To break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/virtues-are-common-but-the-virtuous-are-very-few-this-is-because/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“I'd rather be a nodding acquaintance, than a bobble head”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-stern/i-d-rather-be-a-nodding-acquaintance-than-a-bobble-head/) [Josh Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-stern/) > [One frequently only finds out how really beautiful a women is, until after considerable acquaintance with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/one-frequently-only-finds-out-how-really-beautiful-a-women-is-until/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The study of history and philosophy, accompanied by some acquaintance with art and literature, should be for lawyers and engineers as well as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/the-study-of-history-and-philosophy-accompanied-by-some-acquaintance/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. Converse over everything with Him. Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatius-bonar/be-much-alone-with-god-and-take-time-to-get-thoroughly-acquainted/) [Horatius Bonar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatius-bonar/) > [Distrust all those who love you extremely upon a very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distrust-all-those-who-love-you-extremely-upon-a-very-slight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by William Dunbar > [London, thou art the flower of cities all! Gemme of all joy, jasper of jocunditie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/london-thou-art-the-flower-of-cities-all-gemme-of-all-joy-jasper-of/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [A lawyer who does not know men is handicapped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/a-lawyer-who-does-not-know-men-is-handicapped/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [I that in heill wes and gladnes Am trublit now with gret seiknes And feblit with infermite: Timor Mortis conturbat me.\* \* Fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/i-that-in-heill-wes-and-gladnes-am-trublit-now-with-gret-seiknes-and/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [To God be humble, to thy friend be kind, and with thy neighbors gladly lend and borrow; His chance tonight, it maybe thine tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/to-god-be-humble-to-thy-friend-be-kind-and-with-thy-neighbors-gladly/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Among my friends love is a payment. It is an old debt for a borrowing foolishly spent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/among-my-friends-love-is-a-payment-it-is-an-old-debt-for-a-borrowing/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Our pleasance here is all vain glory, This false warld is but transitory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/our-pleasance-here-is-all-vain-glory-this-false-warld-is-but/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [“I that in heill was and gladnèss Am trublit now with great sickness And feblit with infirmitie:- Timor Mortis conturbat me. Our plesance here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/i-that-in-heill-was-and-gladn-ss-am-trublit-now-with-great-sickness/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Our pleasance here is all vain glory, This false world is but transitory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/our-pleasance-here-is-all-vain-glory-this-false-world-is-but/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Gem of all joy, jasper of jocundity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/gem-of-all-joy-jasper-of-jocundity/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [“Timor mortis conturbat me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/timor-mortis-conturbat-me/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Neither our vices nor our virtues further the poem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/neither-our-vices-nor-our-virtues-further-the-poem/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Scotsmen are metaphisical and emotional, they are sceptical and mystical, they are romantic and ironic, they are cruel and tender, and full of mirth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/scotsmen-are-metaphisical-and-emotional-they-are-sceptical-and/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [London, thou art the flower of cities all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/london-thou-art-the-flower-of-cities-all/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Noble men in the quiet of morning hear Indians singing the continent's violent requiem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/noble-men-in-the-quiet-of-morning-hear-indians-singing-the-continent/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) > [Timor mortis conturbat me. The fear of death disturbs me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/timor-mortis-conturbat-me-the-fear-of-death-disturbs-me/) [William Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) [Explore all 17 William Dunbar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/) ## More Acquaintance quotes > [Distrust all those who love you extremely upon a very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distrust-all-those-who-love-you-extremely-upon-a-very-slight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. Converse over everything with Him. Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatius-bonar/be-much-alone-with-god-and-take-time-to-get-thoroughly-acquainted/) [Horatius Bonar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatius-bonar/) > [The study of history and philosophy, accompanied by some acquaintance with art and literature, should be for lawyers and engineers as well as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/the-study-of-history-and-philosophy-accompanied-by-some-acquaintance/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [One frequently only finds out how really beautiful a women is, until after considerable acquaintance with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/one-frequently-only-finds-out-how-really-beautiful-a-women-is-until/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“I'd rather be a nodding acquaintance, than a bobble head”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-stern/i-d-rather-be-a-nodding-acquaintance-than-a-bobble-head/) [Josh Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-stern/) > [In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-addition-to-my-other-numerous-acquaintances-i-have-one-more/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/) [Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/) > [ \[On an anarchist acquaintance:\] Everything in appearance the most alarmist aunt could wish. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/on-an-anarchist-acquaintance-everything-in-appearance-the-most/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [There is no such thing as educational value in the abstract. The notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/there-is-no-such-thing-as-educational-value-in-the-abstract-the/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [ \[Books\] will visit you at your convenience, whether you are lonesome or not, on rainy days or fair. They propose themselves as either transient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/books-will-visit-you-at-your-convenience-whether-you-are-lonesome-or/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [I'm not dating Prateik; he is just a good acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/i-m-not-dating-prateik-he-is-just-a-good-acquaintance/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/moderation-is-the-inseparable-companion-of-wisdom-but-with-it-genius/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The greatest embarrassment of my political career has been that active duties seem to deprive me of time for careful investigation. I seem almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/the-greatest-embarrassment-of-my-political-career-has-been-that/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [A woman who can't forgive should never have more than a nodding acquaintance with a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-who-can-t-forgive-should-never-have-more-than-a-nodding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 484 Acquaintance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Your law may be perfect, your knowledge of human affairs may be such as to enable you to apply it with wisdom and skill, and yet without individual acquaintance with men, their haunts and habits, the pursuit of the profession becomes difficult, slow, and expensive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Dunbar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-of-human-affairs-may-be-such/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acquaintance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-of-human-affairs-may-be-such/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/william-dunbar-30565_acquaintance_your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-o_746096.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/william-dunbar-30565_acquaintance_your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-o_746096.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/william-dunbar-30565_acquaintance_your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-o_746096.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Your law may be perfect, your knowledge of human affairs may be such as to enable you to apply it with…” — William Dunbar", "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 Dunbar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dunbar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Your law may be perfect, your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-of-human-affairs-may-be-such/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dunbar/your-law-may-be-perfect-your-knowledge-of-human-affairs-may-be-such/#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 } } ] } ```