proverb · Words worth keeping
Put no faith in tale-bearers.
Put no faith in tale-bearers.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Treat a circulated accusation or story cautiously rather than accepting it without checking. The tale-bearer warning concerns unverified reporting, without making every messenger dishonest or every unwelcome report false.
Example
A friend hears that a local class has been cancelled and checks the teacher’s actual notice before passing the information to other attendees.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The saying asks the listener not to grant immediate confidence to someone who carries stories about others. It can be read as a warning about accounts selected for their effect rather than their accuracy. The useful response is verification, not automatic rejection: a person passing on information may also be reporting something important and true. Ask what was observed, what is inferred and whether there is a fair way to clarify the account. Avoid repeating an accusation merely because it is interesting, but do not dismiss a concern solely because it arrives through another person. Evidence and context matter more than a label attached to the speaker.
When to use it
Use it when a consequential circulated story needs corroboration before being relied on or repeated.
Keep in mind
A messenger’s role does not establish dishonesty; legitimate concerns still deserve fair attention.
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