--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I were running the world I would have…" description: "\"If I were running the world I would have it rain only between 2 and 5 a.m. Anyone who was out then ought to get wet.\" — William Lyon Phelps" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/william-lyon-phelps-11602_ought_if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have_1490559.jpg" --- # If I were running the world I would have it rain only… ![“If I were running the world I would have it rain only between 2 and 5 a.m. Anyone who was out then ought to get wet.” quote by William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/william-lyon-phelps-11602_ought_if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have_1490559.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/william-lyon-phelps-11602_ought_if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have_1490559.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/william-lyon-phelps-11602_ought_if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have_1490559.jpg) > “If I were running the world I would have it rain only between 2 and 5 a.m. Anyone who was out then ought to get wet.” [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If I controlled time, I would limit rain to early morning, making those outdoors get wet. **In simple terms:** Rain only early morning would wet early risers. Key Takeaway Consider how timing influences experience. Themes humor control environment daily routine Mood playful thoughtful Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - personal planning - urban design - event scheduling - weather forecasting Key Concepts temporal authority weather manipulation Questions to Reflect On - Would restricting rain improve daily life? - What unintended effects might arise? A Different Perspective Weather cannot be arbitrarily controlled; practical limits exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The truth is what I make it. I could set this world on fire and call it rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/the-truth-is-what-i-make-it-i-could-set-this-world-on-fire-and-call/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [“I could set this world on fire and call it rain.” And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/i-could-set-this-world-on-fire-and-call-it-rain-and/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [The nerds are running the world now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-piscopo/the-nerds-are-running-the-world-now/) Joe Piscopo > [I'm not naturally a person that wants to exercise, but I find running is something I can do wherever I am in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-jenkins/i-m-not-naturally-a-person-that-wants-to-exercise-but-i-find-running/) [Katherine Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-jenkins/) > [“I am running to and you are running from, and there’s a world of difference there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-am-running-to-and-you-are-running-from-and-there-s-a-world-of/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [I believe in the soul ... the small of a woman's back, the hanging curveball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-believe-in-the-soul-the-small-of-a-woman-s-back-the-hanging/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [The people on the QVC shopping channel convince me that life is worth living. They see the good in everything. People who go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/the-people-on-the-qvc-shopping-channel-convince-me-that-life-is-worth/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Wise is the tongue, wet of perfect thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-francis/wise-is-the-tongue-wet-of-perfect-thought/) [Black Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-francis/) > [I liked the taste of beer, its live, white lather, its brass-bright depths, the sudden world through the wet-brown walls of the glass, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/i-liked-the-taste-of-beer-its-live-white-lather-its-brass-bright/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [He lowered the window, and looked out at the rising sun. There was a ridge of ploughed land, with a plough upon it where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/he-lowered-the-window-and-looked-out-at-the-rising-sun-there-was-a/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I can show you who's the man Let me show you with my hands I just want you close to me I'll get you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon/i-can-show-you-who-s-the-man-let-me-show-you-with-my-hands-i-just/) [Eamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [The tires are called wets, because they're used in the wet. And these tires are called slicks, because they're very slick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-walker/the-tires-are-called-wets-because-they-re-used-in-the-wet-and-these/) [Murray Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-walker/) ## More by William Lyon Phelps > [In the whole story of Jesus Christ, the most important event is the resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/in-the-whole-story-of-jesus-christ-the-most-important-event-is-the/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [I do not know how wicked American millionaires are, but as I travel about and see the results of their generosity in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/i-do-not-know-how-wicked-american-millionaires-are-but-as-i-travel/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [There is never much trouble in any family where the children hope someday to resemble their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/there-is-never-much-trouble-in-any-family-where-the-children-hope/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Honesty is not necessarily the best policy. The best policy would be to acquire a reputation for honesty and then to cheat at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/honesty-is-not-necessarily-the-best-policy-the-best-policy-would-be/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Why is it so many people are afraid to admit they are happy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/why-is-it-so-many-people-are-afraid-to-admit-they-are-happy/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays, good company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/those-who-decide-to-use-leisure-as-a-means-of-mental-development-who/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Two persons who love each other are in a place more holy than the interior of a church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/two-persons-who-love-each-other-are-in-a-place-more-holy-than-the/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Whenever it is in any way possible, every boy and girl should choose as his life work some occupation which he should like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/whenever-it-is-in-any-way-possible-every-boy-and-girl-should-choose/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [The kind of happiness that stays with you is the happiness that springs from inward thoughts and emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-kind-of-happiness-that-stays-with-you-is-the-happiness-that/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Never try to outsmart a woman, unless you are another woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/never-try-to-outsmart-a-woman-unless-you-are-another-woman/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [You can learn more about human nature by reading the Bible than by living in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/you-can-learn-more-about-human-nature-by-reading-the-bible-than-by/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Herein lies the real value of education. Advanced education may or may not make men and women more efficient; but it enriches personality, increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/herein-lies-the-real-value-of-education-advanced-education-may-or-may/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [The happiest people in this world are those who have the most interesting thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-happiest-people-in-this-world-are-those-who-have-the-most/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [The principle of happiness should be like the principle of virtue: it should not be dependent of things, but be a part of personality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-principle-of-happiness-should-be-like-the-principle-of-virtue-it/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Why is it that so many people are afraid to admit they are happy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/why-is-it-that-so-many-people-are-afraid-to-admit-they-are-happy/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) [Explore all 59 William Lyon Phelps quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) ## More Ought quotes > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Economists think about what people ought to do. Psychologists watch what they actually do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/economists-think-about-what-people-ought-to-do-psychologists-watch/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [The Ten Commandments don't tell you what you ought to do: They only put ideas into your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bibesco/the-ten-commandments-don-t-tell-you-what-you-ought-to-do-they-only/) [Elizabeth Bibesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bibesco/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) John Randolph of Roanoke > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Force ought to follow justice and not to precede.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-coke/force-ought-to-follow-justice-and-not-to-precede/) [Edward Coke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-coke/) > [We must allow the Bible to say what is says, not what we think it ought to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/we-must-allow-the-bible-to-say-what-is-says-not-what-we-think-it/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) Browse all 3,519 Ought quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I were running the world I would have it rain only between 2 and 5 a.m. Anyone who was out then ought to get wet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Lyon Phelps" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have-it-rain-only-between-2-and-5/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ought" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have-it-rain-only-between-2-and-5/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/william-lyon-phelps-11602_ought_if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have_1490559.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/william-lyon-phelps-11602_ought_if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have_1490559.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/william-lyon-phelps-11602_ought_if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have_1490559.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I were running the world I would have it rain only between 2 and 5 a.m. Anyone who was out then ought to…” — William Lyon Phelps", "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 Lyon Phelps", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I were running the world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have-it-rain-only-between-2-and-5/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/if-i-were-running-the-world-i-would-have-it-rain-only-between-2-and-5/#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 } } ] } ```