--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Between a man and his wife nothing ought…" description: "\"Between a man and his wife nothing ought to rule but love. Authority is for children and servants, yet not without sweetness.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/william-penn-1104_authority_between-a-man-and-his-wife-nothing-ought_2416576.png" --- # Between a man and his wife nothing ought to rule but love… ![“Between a man and his wife nothing ought to rule but love. Authority is for children and servants, yet not without sweetness.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/william-penn-1104_authority_between-a-man-and-his-wife-nothing-ought_2416576.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/william-penn-1104_authority_between-a-man-and-his-wife-nothing-ought_2416576.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/william-penn-1104_authority_between-a-man-and-his-wife-nothing-ought_2416576.png) > “Between a man and his wife nothing ought to rule but love. Authority is for children and servants, yet not without sweetness.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love should be the sole guiding principle in marriage, while authority belongs to children and servants, though it can be gentle. **In simple terms:** Love guides marriage; authority is for children and servants. Key Takeaway Prioritize love over control. Themes marriage love authority relationships Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - family counseling - marriage vows - parenting - leadership training Key Concepts philosophy ethics social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How can couples balance love with necessary boundaries? - When is authority appropriate in relationships? A Different Perspective Authority can become oppressive if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Sweetness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweetness/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [Between a Man and his Wife nothing ought to rule but Love. Believe nothing against another but on good authority; and never report what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/between-a-man-and-his-wife-nothing-ought-to-rule-but-love-believe/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Put away the book, the description, the tradition, the authority, and take the journey of self-discovery. Love, and don't be caught in opinions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/put-away-the-book-the-description-the-tradition-the-authority-and-3/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Men as a rule love with their eyes, woman with their ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-as-a-rule-love-with-their-eyes-woman-with-their-ears/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“When love is thrown away over stupid reasons, the only thing left is shame and regret. Instead of letting stupid things rule your love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-megan-varnadore/when-love-is-thrown-away-over-stupid-reasons-the-only-thing-left-is/) [Jennifer Megan Varnadore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-megan-varnadore/) > [I am willing to break every rule to be with you... I Love You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayna-cooper/i-am-willing-to-break-every-rule-to-be-with-you-i-love-you/) [Dayna Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dayna-cooper/) > [It is a true rule that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque or with an inward and secret contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-a-true-rule-that-love-is-ever-rewarded-either-with-the/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“Anything that leaves you more fearful, more isolated, more disconnected from other people, more full of judgment or self-hatred, is not of God, does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/anything-that-leaves-you-more-fearful-more-isolated-more-disconnected/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The basic rule of love is to stay together, stand firm through the winds of life.but the fact about love is that love hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-basic-rule-of-love-is-to-stay-together-stand-firm-through-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ The rule of love, I say again, is not an optional extra. 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Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The number one rule of love; you can never be just friends with someone that you're in love with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/the-number-one-rule-of-love-you-can-never-be-just-friends-with/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [The only right stewardship is that which is tested by the rule of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-only-right-stewardship-is-that-which-is-tested-by-the-rule-of-love/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“Your father is the only God. You can also become god but you must follow a simple rule and let that rule be made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/your-father-is-the-only-god-you-can-also-become-god-but-you-must/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-not-vain-of-what-ought-rather/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. 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