You are now browsing in English. Switch to Swahili
In Swahili: "Sasa unavinjari kwa Kiingereza. Rudi kwa Kiswahili"
You need to login to view profiles OR to update your profile

Have an account? Login

Log in
Forgot your password?
Didn't receive your confirmation email?

Create a new account

Posts / Proverbs Proverb of the day
Sign up for news and free books by email!
Rommy Dramatic
Gatti Shalon
Mosi Mnete
User 718
New announcements
Discussions
Proverbs

The pen is mightier than the sword

Join
or login
to VOTE for Proverb of the Month
Votes
1
Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
View this proverb in Swahili
Kalamu hushinda jambia

Meaning 


In this proverb, the sword signifies force and violence, and the pen stands for words. While the sword can conquer with force, the pen can persuade, inspire, enlighten and motivate people. Not everyone has weapons to force other people to do what they want, but everyone has the power to influence the world through what they think, say and write with words.

Silaha za siku hizi ni kalamu na karatasi.
Today's weapons are pen and paper.
 - Swahili proverb

Part of the reason this proverb is true is that words often motivate and regulate how people use violence and force. For example, through law, the words of leaders, judges and juries have the power to jail people or even kill them. Making a fiery speech to an angry mob might cause a violent riot (see Julius Caesar). 

You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war.
- William Randolph Hearst

The proverb also reminds us of the power of nonviolent resistance to bring about lasting political change, a principle advocated and demonstrated by figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela. (Check out Henry David Thoreau's classic Essay, "Civil Disobedience" and Sophocles famous play, "Antigone")

Origin


The phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword" became popular after Edward Bulwer-Lytton used it in his 1839 play "Richelieu: Or the Conspiracy" (page 47).  But the idea likely originated much earlier.

Some sources attribute the proverb to the Story of Ahikar (which is also the source of the proverb "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"). In this edition, the translator was unable to decipher the damaged manuscript and left the sentence unfinished. (Page 171/274) 
(FRAGMENTS)
Watch carefully over thy mouth ...... and make thy heart slow(?), for the word spoken is like a bird, and he who utters it is like a man without ...
... the craft of the mouth is mightier than the craft of ...... 
Could this be the original source of the proverb from over 2500 years ago? You be the judge...

A similar phrase also appears in the Old Testament: 
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)

And in Shakespeare:
 Many wearing rapiers are afraid of goosequills.
-William Shakespeare Hamlet Act 2, scene II (page 59)

Do you agree that the pen is mightier than the sword? Share your opinions below!

Sources
The pen is mightier than the sword (Wikipedia)
Story of Ahikar (Page 171/274) 
Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
William Shakespeare Hamlet Act 2, scene II (page 59)
Henry David Thoreau's Essay, "Civil Disobedience"
Sophocles' play, "Antigone"
Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1839 play "Richelieu: Or the Conspiracy"
You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war. - William Randolph Hearst (Wikipedia: Yellow Journalism)
Loading...
Login to view and post comments
Other proverbs
Ndege mkononi ana thamani ya wawili mtini
Maana yake, afadhali kuridhika na ulicho nacho, badala ya kuiweka hatarini kwa ajili ya kupata kitu kubwa zaidi.

 Methali hii ni ya zamani sana. Chanzo cha methali hii ni kitabu cha kale kiitwacho  "Hadithi ya Ahikar." (Kinajulikana pia kama "Methali za Ahiqar.")
Mwanangu, mguu wa kondoo katika mkono wako mwenyewe ni bora kuliko bega zima katika mkono wa mwengine; Afadhali kondoo mdogo aliye karibu na wee kuliko ng'ombe aliye mbali; Afadhali shomoro aliyeshikwa mkononi kuliko ndege elfu warukao angani; vazi ulilo nalo ni afadhali kuliko vazi la zambarau usiloliona.
- Hadithi ya Ahikar (ukurasa wa 110)
Kitabu hiki kinasimulia hadithi ya mshauri wa wafalme wa kale wa Ashuru na Misri. Inadhaniwa kuwa hadithi hii ilitungwa takribani 600 KK, na kuna nakala iliyochapishwa mwaka wa 500 KK. 

Methali karibu na hii kutoka nchi mbalimbali:
French:
Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras
'Shika-hii-hapa" moja ina thamana kuliko 'nitakuletea-baadaye' mbili
Japanese
明日の百より今日の五十
Hamsini leo ni bora kuliko mia kesho
Italian
Meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani
Bora yai leo kuliko kuku kesho

Mnaonaje -- methali hii ni ushauri mzuri? Ni bora kuridhika na kitu kinachopatikana kwa hakika, ama kutafuta kitu bora zaidi kisicho na hakika?
...
Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Sufuria ikiangaliwa haichemki
Je, umewahi kuona muda huenda pole pole wakati unasubiri? Lakini kwa upande mwingine, ukivutiwa na mambo mengine, m muda huenda haraka.

Kwa mfano, ukisubiri kumwona daktari, muda ni mfupi ukiangalia simu yako au kusoma gazeti, badala ya kungoja tu kusikia jina lako liitwe.

Chimbuko cha methali hii ni Benjamin Franklin kwa Poor Richard's Almanac, hata hivyo haionekani hapo. Badala yake, Franklin aliitumia katika insha juu ya 'sumaku ya wanyama' mwaka 1785. 
Nilikuwa na Njaa sana; ilikuwa imechelewa sana; "Sufuria inayotazamwa huchemka pole pole," kama Poor Richard asemavyo.
...
Updated 5mo ago
by
Scott M
Kuuliza si Ujinga
Watu wengi wanaogopa kuuliza maswali kwa sababu wanahofia kuonwa mjinga. Lakini kuuliza maswali ni njia bora ya kujifunza kutoka kwa wengine. 

Pia kuuliza maswali husaidia wenzako. Je umewahi kusita kuuliza swali kwani ulidhani wengine wameshaelewa... lakini baadaye uligundua hawakuelewa pia? 

Kiingereza
There's no such thing as a stupid question
...
Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy
Haba na haba hujaza kibaba
Kila kazi kubwa katika maisha huhitaji kufanyika kwa hatua ndogo, siku baada ya siku. 

Je, unajua methali zingine zinazofanana na hii au zinazotoa dhana hiyohiyo? 

Msemo huu unakumbusha shairi liitwalo "Vitu Vidogo" na Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney: 
Matone madogo ya maji,
Chembe kidogo za mchanga, 
hutengeneza bahari kubwa
Na ardhi ya kupendeza

Vivyo hivyo zile dakika ndogo,
ingawa ni ndogo,
hutengeneza enzi za milele. 
Julia Carney alitunga shairi hili mwaka wa 1845 darasani akiwa mwanafunzi darasani -- na alipewa dakika 10 tu kuliandika!
...
Updated 5mo ago
by
Brighid McCarthy