“Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice; injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged”
— Samuel Johnson
Simplified Meaning:
When someone tries to get back at someone else because they are very angry, that's an act of revenge. It's driven by strong emotions and a desire to hurt the other person because they feel wronged. For example, if a person is insulted and they decide to insult back, that’s revenge. On the other hand, vengeance is about seeking fairness and justice, not just acting out of anger. It’s more about making sure that serious wrongdoings are corrected in a fair way, like how the legal system punishes criminals for serious offenses to ensure safety and justice for society. So, personal hurts or injuries are often dealt with through revenge, while serious crimes and wrongdoings are addressed through a structured system of justice known as vengeance. By understanding this, someone might choose to seek legal help or mediation for serious issues instead of acting out in angry and harmful ways.