Meanings
- figurativelyOne can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey a sense that poetic justice is inevitable.
- figurativelyThe means of one's success can become the means of one's downfall.
In the “live by the sword, die by the sword” category of ironic litigation, consider the fate of struggling hardware and software maker Sun Microsystems.
2009, Larry Downes, The Laws of Disruption: Harnessing the New Forces That Govern Life and Business in the Digital Age, Basic Books, →ISBN2 more examples
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.
1997 October 17, Roger Ebert, “Boogie Nights (1997) review”, in Chicago Sun-Times“Before the contest, I tweeted ‘Live by the sword, die by the sword’,” he said. “I helped developing AI and I would be the one who would be the loser of the match. Although I won, in the end, for now.”
2025 July 26, Hannah Devlin, quoting Przemysław Dębiak, “Competition shows humans are still better than AI at coding – just”, in The Guardian, →ISSN
Origin
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.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek πάντες γὰρ οἱ λαβόντες μάχαιραν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀπολοῦνται
- πάντες γὰρ οἱ λαβόντες μάχαιραν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀπολοῦνται (pántes gàr hoi labóntes mákhairan en makhaírēi apoloûntai)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Bulgarian всички, които се залавят за нож, от нож ще погинат
- всички, които се залавят за нож, от нож ще погинат (vsički, koito se zalavjat za nož, ot nož šte poginat)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Chinese Mandarin 以暴易暴, 惡有惡報 /恶有恶报
- 以暴易暴 (yǐbàoyìbào)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
- 惡有惡報 /恶有恶报 (èyǒu'èbào)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
- 冤冤相報何時了 /冤冤相报何时了 (yuān yuān xiāng bào hé shí liǎo)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
- 凡動刀的，必死在刀下 /凡动刀的one who uses violence can expect a violent response
- 必死在刀下 (fán dòng dāo de, bì sǐ zài dāo xià)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
- 生於劍，死於劍 /生于剑one who uses violence can expect a violent response
- 死于剑 (shēng yú jiàn, sǐ yú jiàn)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Czech kdo s čím zachází, s tím také schází
- kdo s čím zachází, s tím také scházíone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Danish vold føder vold
- vold føder voldone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Dutch wie leeft bij het zwaard, zal sterven bij het zwaard
- wie leeft bij het zwaard, zal sterven bij het zwaardone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Esperanto kiu glavon prenas, per glavo pereos
- kiu glavon prenas, per glavo pereosone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Finnish joka miekkaan tarttuu, se miekkaan hukkuu
- joka miekkaan tarttuu, se miekkaan hukkuuone who uses violence can expect a violent response
French qui vit par l'épée périra par l'épée
- qui vit par l'épée périra par l'épéeone who uses violence can expect a violent response
German wer das Schwert nimmt, soll durch das Schwert umkommen
- wer das Schwert nimmt, soll durch das Schwert umkommenone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Greek πάντες όσοι πιάσωσι μάχαιραν διά μαχαίρας θέλουσιν απολεσθή
- πάντες όσοι πιάσωσι μάχαιραν διά μαχαίρας θέλουσιν απολεσθή (pántes ósoi piásosi máchairan diá machaíras thélousin apolesthí)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Hungarian (a)ki kardot fog/ránt/ragad, kard által vész
- (a)ki kardot fog/ránt/ragad, kard által vész (az)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Italian chi di spada ferisce, di spada perisce
- chi di spada ferisce, di spada perisceone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Korean 칼로 흥한자는 칼로 망하리라.
- 칼로 흥한자는 칼로 망하리라. (kallo heunghanjaneun kallo mangharira.)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Latin qui gladio ferit gladio perit
- qui gladio ferit gladio peritone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Norwegian alle som griper til sverd, skal falle for sverd
- alle som griper til sverd, skal falle for sverdone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Polish kto mieczem wojuje, ten od miecza ginie
- kto mieczem wojuje, ten od miecza ginieone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Portuguese quem vive pela espada, morre pela espada
- quem vive pela espada, morre pela espadaone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Romanian toți cei ce scot sabia, de sabie vor pieri
- toți cei ce scot sabia, de sabie vor pierione who uses violence can expect a violent response
Russian кто с мечо́м к нам придёт, тот от меча́ и поги́бнет, подня́вший меч от меча́ и поги́бнет
- кто с мечо́м к нам придёт, тот от меча́ и поги́бнет (kto s mečóm k nam pridjót, tot ot mečá i pogíbnet)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
- подня́вший меч от меча́ и поги́бнет (podnjávšij meč ot mečá i pogíbnet)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Slovak kto mečom bojuje, mečom zahynie
- kto mečom bojuje, mečom zahynieone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Spanish quien a hierro mata, a hierro muere
- quien a hierro mata, a hierro muereone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Swedish alla som griper till svärd skall dödas med svärd
- alla som griper till svärd skall dödas med svärdone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Ukrainian всі, хто візьме меча, від меча і загинуть
- всі, хто візьме меча, від меча і загинуть (vsi, xto vizʹme meča, vid meča i zahynutʹ)one who uses violence can expect a violent response
Vietnamese ác giả ác báo, chơi dao sắc có ngày đứt tay
- ác giả ác báoone who uses violence can expect a violent response
- chơi dao sắc có ngày đứt tayone who uses violence can expect a violent response
Cite this entry
live by the sword, die by the sword. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/live%20by%20the%20sword%2C%20die%20by%20the%20sword
“live by the sword, die by the sword.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/live%20by%20the%20sword%2C%20die%20by%20the%20sword. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “live by the sword, die by the sword,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/live%20by%20the%20sword%2C%20die%20by%20the%20sword.
Source: live by the sword, die by the sword on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.