لو لم تكن «لا تشتهِ» و«لا تسرق» وصيّتين من السماء، لوجب أن تصيرا قاعدتين مصونتين في كل مجتمع، قبل أن يصير متحضّرًا أو حرًّا.

“If "Thou shalt not covet," and "Thou shalt not steal," were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society, before it can be civilized or made free.”John Adams — The Political Writings of John Adams (2001)