“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is a children’s rhyme that would be recited during whenever an invective was spoken from one child to another.

Usually, children are playing a game and one side cheats or even wins fairly and someone on the other side makes some sort of snide remark or accusation.   Then “sticks and stones” is a typical response.

The rhyme’s meaning should be obvious, words are not physical, therefore they cannot cause harm.

I do not agree.  I think this children’s rhyme is absurd, preposterous, and inane.   Nothing can be further from the truth.

Do you remember vicious things people said to you many years ago?   I certainly do and often I still feel the sting upon recollection.

I like to read the Bible.   There’s a book of the Bible written by a man named James.  Here’s a snippet of what he had to say about cruel words that can be spoken:

“How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.”

Words certainly can be hurtful. I hope the words spoken to you today are charitable and gracious.

What adages exist in Chinese that are similar to “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me“?

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