proverb · Words worth keeping
Children and fools speak the truth.
Children and fools speak the truth.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying suggests that people who speak without calculated restraint may reveal what others conceal. It does not make children or people dismissed as fools automatically reliable witnesses.
Example
A group listens when a younger participant points out confusing instructions, then checks the wording instead of assuming either that the observation is childish or that it must be correct.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The paired labels describe speakers imagined as less concerned with social calculation. They may say an unwelcome thing that more cautious people leave unspoken. The historical word fools is dismissive and should not be used to classify someone’s worth or ability. A candid observation can also be mistaken, incomplete or based on something misunderstood. The useful lesson is to consider a plainly expressed account without assuming that confidence, innocence or lack of tact makes it accurate. Listen to the substance and check what the person could actually know, rather than either dismissing them or granting their words automatic authority.
When to use it
Use it cautiously to notice candour that social restraint might otherwise hide.
Keep in mind
Candour is not proof of accuracy, and the saying’s dismissive label should not become a judgement about a person.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English