I said in my haste, All men are liars. I said in my haste - This is variously translated: I said in my Light, Chaldee. In my excess, or ecstasy, Vulgate. In my ecstasy, εκστασει, Septuagint. fi tahayury, in my giddiness, Arabic. In my fear or tremor, Syriac. I quoth in outgoing mine, when I was beside myself, Anglo-Saxon. In myn oute passyng, old Psalter. When passion got the better of my reason, when I looked not at God, but at my afflictions, and the impossibility of human relief.
All men are liars - כל האדם כזב col haadam cozeb, "the whole of man is a lie." Falsity is diffused through his nature; deception proceeds from his tongue; his actions are often counterfeit. He is imposed on by others, and imposes in his turn; and on none is there any dependence till God converts their heart.
"O what a thing were man, if his attires
Should alter with his mind,
And, like a dolphin's skin,
His clothes combine with his desires!
Surely if each one saw another's heart,
There would be no commerce;
All would disperse, And live apart."
Hebert.
To the same purpose I shall give the following Italian proverb: -
Con arte e con inganno,
Si vive mezzo l'anno.
Con inganno e con arte
Si vive l' altro parti.
"Men live half the year by deceit and by art;
By art and deceit men live the other part."
Who gives this bad character of mankind? Man.