proverb · Legacy record
Never lie unless yuh have to, and if yuh don’t have a dang good lie, tell the truth.
Never lie unless yuh have to, and if yuh don’t have a dang good lie, tell the truth.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying treats lying as conditional and advises truth when a convincing lie is unavailable. It presents an expedient rather than principled account of honesty.
What the words are saying
A critical explanation describes that viewpoint without endorsing deception or offering a convincing-lie method. Have to is a claim of necessity that needs examination; truth is not merely a fallback when deception fails. Privacy and consent can be respected without manufacturing false claims.
Everyday example
A reader questions the supposed necessity of a lie and considers honest, appropriate communication.
When to use it
Use it critically to examine instrumental treatment of truth.
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What it does not mean
No deceptive tactic or justification for lying is established by an asserted necessity.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or 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
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 68; PDF page 15; collection label: Old American West
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Old American West