Human reason is like a drunken man on horseback; set it up on one side and it tumbles over on the other.
About This Quote
Interpretation
Luther’s image likens unaided human reason to a rider too impaired to keep balance: even when corrected, it overcorrects and falls the opposite way. The point is not that reason is useless, but that it is unreliable as an ultimate guide in divine matters—especially when it tries to judge God, Scripture, or salvation on its own terms. In Luther’s theology, reason is valuable in “earthly” affairs (law, governance, practical life) but becomes unstable when elevated to rule over faith. The metaphor underscores his Reformation emphasis on the limits of rational speculation and the need for revelation and grace to orient belief.
Variations
1) "Reason is like a drunken man on horseback; set him up on one side and he falls off on the other."
2) "Human reason is like a drunken peasant on horseback; lift him up on one side and he falls on the other."
3) "Reason is like a drunkard on horseback: prop him up on one side and he topples over on the other."
