A man is not so soon healed as hurt.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

Harm may be caused more quickly than it can be repaired. The saying encourages care before an action, while recognising that recovery or restored trust can require time without following one fixed timetable.

What the words are saying

Hurt and healed are set against one another to emphasise their different pace. An unkind remark or careless action can happen in a moment, while putting things right may involve attention over a longer period. Read figuratively, the proverb asks a person to consider consequences before acting and to avoid demanding immediate forgiveness afterward. It is not a medical statement about the time an injury takes to heal. Nor does it establish that repair is impossible. The useful lesson is to give the affected person room to respond and to recognise that an apology may begin a process rather than finish it.

Everyday example

Someone apologises for a humiliating joke and accepts that trust may take more than one conversation to restore.

When to use it

Use it to discuss the time and care involved in repair.

Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.