One eye-witness is better than ten hearsays.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

A direct account may be more useful than many repeated second-hand reports. Check where information comes from instead of treating the number of people repeating it as independent evidence.

What the words are saying

The eyewitness is someone who directly observed an event, while hearsays are reports passed on by others. Ten repetitions may all trace back to one uncertain account, so their number need not increase its strength. The proverb values proximity to the event rather than popularity of a story. Its comparison is not a guarantee that one observer is accurate: perception, memory and perspective can be limited. The useful inquiry considers what the person actually saw, which details are inferred and whether other relevant evidence agrees. Direct testimony deserves examination, not automatic acceptance over everything else.

Everyday example

After hearing several versions of a lost parcel story, a neighbour asks the person who received the delivery notice and checks what the notice actually records.

When to use it

Use it when repeated second-hand stories are being mistaken for multiple independent confirmations.

Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.