“the weak are always apt to be revengeful.”
Share this quote
Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: From The Essential Gandhi (ed. Louis Fischer), an anthology of Gandhi's own writings; a mid-sentence fragment. Echoes his 'the weak can never forgive' theme. No specific primary located.
About this quote
Wanting to hit back tends to come from a sense of powerlessness, not strength. Someone secure enough to absorb an insult can let it pass; it's the person who feels small and cornered who needs to settle the score. Restraint, then, reads as inner steadiness rather than weakness.
When to use it
- A junior passed over for promotion quietly spreads rumors about the colleague who got it, while the confident lead shrugs off the same slight.
- A child who feels ignored breaks his sibling's toy to even the score.
- Cut off in traffic, a rattled driver tails the other car for miles; a calmer one just lets it go.