live by the sword, die by the sword
English
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live by the sword, die by the sword
Where it comes from
From the Bible, Matthew 26:52, where Jesus rebukes one of his disciples for having used his sword against a servant of the High Priest of Israel.
proverb
- One who uses violence can expect a violent response; it is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.
- One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey a sense that poetic justice is inevitable.
- The means of one's success can become the means of one's downfall. And in Dirk Diggler's most anguished scene, as he shouts at Jack Horner, "I'm ready to shoot my scene RIGHT NOW!" we learn that those who live by the sword can also die by it.
Translations
Every language
proverb one who uses violence can expect a violent response
| Español | quien a hierro mata, a hierro muere |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 칼로 흥한자는 칼로 망하리라. kallo heunghanjaneun kallo mangharira. |
| 中文 | 以暴易暴 yǐbàoyìbào, 惡有惡報 /恶有恶报 èyǒu'èbào, 冤冤相報何時了 /冤冤相报何时了 yuān yuān xiāng bào hé shí liǎo, 凡動刀的，必死在刀下 /凡动刀的, 必死在刀下 fán dòng dāo de, bì sǐ zài dāo xià, 生於劍，死於劍 /生于剑 |
| Português | quem vive pela espada, morre pela espada |
| Français | qui vit par l'épée périra par l'épée |
| Deutsch | wer das Schwert nimmt, soll durch das Schwert umkommen |
| Italiano | chi di spada ferisce, di spada perisce |
| Ελληνικά | πάντες όσοι πιάσωσι μάχαιραν διά μαχαίρας θέλουσιν απολεσθή pántes ósoi piásosi máchairan diá machaíras thélousin apolesthí |
| Română | toți cei ce scot sabia, de sabie vor pieri |
| Русский | кто с мечо́м к нам придёт, тот от меча́ и поги́бнет kto s mečóm k nam pridjót, tot ot mečá i pogíbnet, подня́вший меч от меча́ и поги́бнет podnjávšij meč ot mečá i pogíbnet |
| Tiếng Việt | ác giả ác báo, chơi dao sắc có ngày đứt tay |
Talk about this word "live by the sword, die by the sword." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/live%20by%20the%20sword%2C%20die%20by%20the%20sword. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026. live by the sword, die by the sword. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/live%20by%20the%20sword%2C%20die%20by%20the%20sword "live by the sword, die by the sword." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 7, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/live%20by%20the%20sword%2C%20die%20by%20the%20sword.Cite this
@misc{live_by_the_sword_die_by_the_sword_2026,
title = {live by the sword, die by the sword},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/live%20by%20the%20sword%2C%20die%20by%20the%20sword},
urldate = {2026-11-07}
}
