Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations》一书将此归于威廉·格莱斯顿，但无法核证。也有人将其归于威廉·佩恩的“迟来的正义不公正”（"to delay Justice is Injustice"）。这句话能在《》5:7（《米书拿》的汇编，公元前1世纪-公元2世纪）中找到："Our Rabbis taught: ...The sword comes into the world, because of justice delayed and justice denied..."（