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He who permits wickedness commands it

Meaning: Silently allowing wrongdoing makes you as responsible as the wrongdoer.

Origin: Roman legal maxim (Qui non prohibet quod prohibere potest, consentire videtur), used in classical Roman law.

Translations

  • French: Celui qui tolère le mal l'ordonne (literally: He who tolerates evil commands it)
  • Spanish: Quien permite la maldad la ordena (literally: He who permits wickedness commands it)
  • Japanese: 悪を許す者はそれを命じるに等しい (Aku wo yurusu mono wa sore wo meijiru ni hitoshii) (literally: He who permits evil is equal to commanding it)

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