proverb · Words worth keeping
Who preacheth war is the devil's chaplain.
Who preacheth war is the devil's chaplain.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying condemns encouraging war through a religious image of serving evil. It urges scrutiny of rhetoric that turns violence into a cause for enthusiasm.
What the words are saying
A preacher normally serves a moral purpose, but the devil’s chaplain reverses that role. The force of the saying lies in questioning speech that promotes suffering while claiming virtue. It does not prove that a named opponent is evil or settle every question about defence and conflict. A careful reading examines the advocated action and its human effects rather than replacing reasons with a hostile label.
Everyday example
Someone questions a speech that glorifies fighting while giving little attention to the people who would bear its costs.
When to use it
Use it to examine rhetoric that promotes war as a moral spectacle.
What it does not mean
Religious condemnation is imagery, not evidence about an opponent’s nature or a complete conflict analysis.
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
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1716 · War
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English