In this passage from Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables," the author reflects on how God communicates His will to humanity through visible events, which can be likened to text written in an obscure language. People tend to quickly interpret these events, often creating flawed translations filled with errors and misconceptions, leading to differing understandings of the divine message.

As a result, various groups form around these interpretations, with each faction believing it has the exclusive insight into the true meaning. The complexity of understanding divine will means that only a few individuals can truly grasp the original meaning, but by the time they do, many other translations have already caused divisions among people, each claiming to hold the light of truth.