"حقیقتی که با نیت بد گفته شود بر تمام دروغ‌هایی که می‌توانی بسازی غلبه می‌کند"

The essence of this quote is pretty clear: telling the truth can sometimes cause more harm than good, especially if the person doing the telling has malicious intentions. In simple terms, even though a truth is supposed to be a good thing, if it's shared with the intent to hurt or deceive, it can be worse than any lie you could come up with.

Let’s add a bit of context. This idea, expressed by the poet William Blake, taps into an age-old debate about honesty and integrity. It was said at a time when moral philosophy and the complexities of human nature were hot topics. Blake's work often delved into the duality of human motives—how something inherently good can be twisted into something harmful depending on how it's used.

Now, think about a real-life scenario. Imagine you’re at work, and you know one of your colleagues is up for a big promotion. However, you also know this colleague made a serious mistake on a project last year. You've held onto this piece of information without sharing it, but now you see an opportunity. Maybe you’re a bit jealous, or maybe you think someone else deserves the promotion more. You decide to tell your boss about the mistake—not out of a sense of duty, but because you're hoping to sabotage your colleague’s chances. Sure, you're telling the truth, but your intent is harmful. Your truth, shared with bad intentions, could potentially ruin someone’s career. That's the crux of what Blake is getting at.

So how do we apply this wisdom in our everyday lives? It starts with examining our motives before we speak. Ask yourself, Why am I sharing this information? Am I trying to help, or am I trying to harm? Sometimes, it’s better to hold back or find a more constructive way to approach the situation. Evaluate if your truth-telling is necessary or if it's just a way to mask your own insecurities or negativity.

Let me share a relatable story. Picture a group of friends. One of them, Sarah, is planning a surprise party for another friend, Mike. Everyone’s excited, but there’s someone in the group, Tom, who’s feeling left out and a bit insecure because he thinks Mike likes Sarah more than him. Tom decides to tell Mike about the party, not because he dislikes surprises, but because he wants to spoil Sarah’s gesture. He’s telling the truth, but with bad intent. The outcome? Mike’s surprised alright, but not in the way that’s joyful. Sarah’s hurt, Mike’s confused, and the group’s dynamic is thrown off balance. Tom’s truth did more damage than any lie ever could.

To wrap it all up, when you’re about to share a piece of truth, take a moment to check your intent. Are you aiming to build or to break? To help or to harm? Sometimes, silence or a more compassionate approach can preserve relationships and maintain peace. Truth isn’t just about being accurate—it’s also about being kind and thoughtful. And that’s something we could all stand to remember.