proverb · Legacy record
Cast the first stone.
Cast the first stone.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The phrase describes being first to cast a stone. In the supplied reading, it concerns initiating blame, criticism or punishment.
What the words are saying
The fragment gives an action without the fuller condition or context sometimes associated with the image. A responsible explanation should not invent the missing wording or treat the phrase as an instruction to attack. A useful discussion asks what evidence and responsibility support initiating an accusation.
Everyday example
A reader asks whether a criticism is justified before joining a rush to blame someone.
When to use it
Use it to examine initiating blame with evidence and context retained.
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What it does not mean
The fragment supplies no permission for violence or proof that an accusation is justified.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 444; PDF page 66
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.