Knowledge which is divorced from justice, may be called cunning rather than wisdom.

The saying draws a sharp ethical boundary between mere intellectual capability and true wisdom. Cicero’s point is that knowledge, skill, and rhetorical or strategic intelligence become morally suspect when they are not guided by justice: such intelligence can be used to manipulate, exploit, or win advantage, which is closer to “cunning” (cleverness in service of self-interest) than to wisdom (right judgment ordered toward the good). In Ciceronian terms, this reflects the Roman ideal that virtue—especially justice—is the measure of honorable action, and that practical reason is only admirable when it serves the common good rather than private gain.