proverb · Words worth keeping
Jesting lies bring serious sorrows.
Jesting lies bring serious sorrows.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A falsehood told as a joke can still cause real trouble when someone believes it or is hurt by it. Calling it a joke does not remove the need to consider its effects.
Example
A participant promptly corrects a joking message about a changed meeting place when another member starts rearranging their journey on the assumption that it is true.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Jesting lies are false accounts offered for amusement, while serious sorrows are the consequences that may outlast the intended fun. The contrast asks the speaker to look beyond their own purpose to what listeners may understand or do. It does not mean fiction, obvious play or every joke is deceptive. Context and shared understanding matter. The useful concern arises when a supposedly playful claim is likely to be taken as information, misrepresent someone or cause unnecessary alarm. If that happens, explaining the joke may not be enough; correcting the account clearly can help address the misunderstanding.
When to use it
Use it when a playful false claim may be mistaken for information or affect others.
Keep in mind
Clearly understood fiction and humour are not automatically lies; judge the particular context and consequences.
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