--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Press not a falling man too far; 'tis…" description: "\"Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/william-shakespeare-4_fall_press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virt_309038.jpg" --- # Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults… ![“Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/william-shakespeare-4_fall_press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virt_309038.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/william-shakespeare-4_fall_press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virt_309038.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/william-shakespeare-4_fall_press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virt_309038.jpg) > “Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One should not punish a fallen person excessively; virtue lies in allowing correction rather than harsh judgment. **In simple terms:** Do not over-punish the weak; allow correction. Key Takeaway Correct gently, avoid excessive punishment. Themes justice compassion humility Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - judicial decisions - education - parenting Key Concepts ethical correction leadership Questions to Reflect On - When is firm discipline necessary? - How can compassion be balanced with accountability? A Different Perspective Excessive leniency can enable repeated faults. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [So may he rest, his faults lie gently on him!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/so-may-he-rest-his-faults-lie-gently-on-him/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [We endeavor to make a virtue of the faults we are unwilling to correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-endeavor-to-make-a-virtue-of-the-faults-we-are-unwilling-to-correct/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We cannot afford to have any large section of the business world in doubt whether they have broken the laws or not, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/we-cannot-afford-to-have-any-large-section-of-the-business-world-in/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [I adhere to the philosophy, "I don't care who writes the laws, let me write the songs."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/i-adhere-to-the-philosophy-i-don-t-care-who-writes-the-laws-let-me/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [If we're going to change the laws, let's change them in ways which makes it easier to catch criminals, and yet at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/if-we-re-going-to-change-the-laws-let-s-change-them-in-ways-which/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [Count all th' advantage prosperous Vice attains, 'Tis but what Virtue flies from and disdains: And grant the bad what happiness they would, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/count-all-th-advantage-prosperous-vice-attains-tis-but-what-virtue/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > ['Tis virtue, and not birth that makes us noble: Great actions speak great minds, and such should govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fletcher/tis-virtue-and-not-birth-that-makes-us-noble-great-actions-speak/) [John Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fletcher/) > [Well may your heart believe the truths I tell; 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We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [We were so poor as kids. 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Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) Browse all 13,401 Fall quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virtue-his-faults-lie-open-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fall" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virtue-his-faults-lie-open-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/william-shakespeare-4_fall_press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virt_309038.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/william-shakespeare-4_fall_press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virt_309038.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/william-shakespeare-4_fall_press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virt_309038.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.” — William Shakespeare", "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 Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Press not a falling man too...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virtue-his-faults-lie-open-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/press-not-a-falling-man-too-far-tis-virtue-his-faults-lie-open-to-the/#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 } } ] } ```