proverb · Words worth keeping
The revenge that is postponed is not forgotten.
The revenge that is postponed is not forgotten.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Postponed revenge remaining unforgotten distinguishes delay from abandonment of a grievance. It warns against assuming that inactivity means an intention has disappeared.
What the words are saying
The saying presents persistence as a general claim, not evidence of a particular person’s plans. The supplied gloss turns remembered revenge into certain future action, which is not guaranteed. A critical reading neither advises retaliation nor treats a person’s silence as proof of a threat.
Everyday example
A reader distinguishes a delayed action from a forgotten issue without guessing another person’s intentions.
When to use it
Use it to explain the delay-memory contrast with actual evidence required.
What it does not mean
No certain future retaliation or individual threat is established.
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 proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 919; PDF page 128
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.