All wickedness comes from weakness. The child is wicked only because he is weak. Make him strong; he will be good. He who could do everything would never do harm.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau
In any case, frequent punishments are a sign of weakness or slackness in the government. There is no man so bad that he cannot be made good for something. No man should be put to death, even as an example, if he can be left to live without danger to society.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau
God prepares men to acknowledge his power in the mercies he bestows by making them sensible of their weakness and helplessness.
—Jonathan Edwards
If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.
—Sun Tzu
The law can bring forth no righteousness, no obedience; it is weak to any such purpose, by reason of the flesh, and that corruption that is come on us.
—John Owen