Before speaking without knowledge, saying lies, you have to

In the days when words were weighed like gold and truth was bound to honor, the sages taught that the tongue is both a blade and a torch. It may cut down the innocent, or it may bring light to the darkness. In this spirit, the words attributed to Neymar—“Before speaking without knowledge, saying lies, you have to present evidence”—resound as an echo of the eternal wisdom: that speech without truth is emptiness, and accusation without proof is but a coward’s weapon.

The quote calls forth a reminder to every generation: to guard the mouth as one guards the gates of a city. For when falsehoods are unleashed, they spread like wildfire, consuming trust, reputation, and harmony. Ancient teachers knew this well; they warned that slander may travel faster than the wind, but its wounds last longer than the scars of war. Neymar’s words, though spoken in the modern arena of sport, rise to the stature of timeless counsel: no man should claim what he cannot prove.

Consider the story of Socrates, accused by his enemies of corrupting the youth of Athens. His accusers came without evidence, guided not by truth but by envy. And though Socrates spoke with clarity and wisdom, he was condemned, for lies had already poisoned the ears of the people. The death of Socrates is a monument to the danger of words unmoored from proof. It is a testament to the peril of speaking without knowledge, a peril that destroys not only men but also justice itself.

The teaching is also one of courage. For to demand evidence is to demand light in a world where shadows often reign. Many find it easy to whisper rumors, but few have the strength to bring forth the hard stone of fact. Neymar’s call is not merely a defense against lies—it is a call to rise as guardians of truth, to stand firm when falsehoods seek to sway the multitude. It is the same courage that leaders and prophets bore when they said: “Bring forth your proof, or let your words be silent.”

And let us not forget the tale of Julius Caesar, struck down not only by daggers but by whispers. Long before his fall, rumors painted him as a tyrant, and though many of these voices bore no proof, the murmur of suspicion grew into a storm. It is a lesson that falsehood, repeated without evidence, may shape destiny itself. Here lies the warning: those who speak lies craft chains not only for others, but for themselves.

For the soul of this teaching is simple yet profound: truth must walk with evidence. Without it, words are like arrows shot in the dark, striking where they may, but guided by neither justice nor reason. In this, Neymar’s wisdom carries the weight of ancient law—speak only when the heart is armed with knowledge, and the hand bears the seal of proof.

The lesson to all who hear is this: be slow to accuse, swift to seek understanding, and steadfast in demanding evidence. In daily life, this may mean pausing before repeating a rumor, asking questions before judging, or refusing to condemn a neighbor until proof has been laid bare. It is to live not as one who fans the flames of falsehood, but as one who pours water on the sparks of slander.

Thus, my child, when you hear these words, engrave them upon your heart: do not speak without knowledge, do not spread lies, and always demand evidence. For in this discipline lies the preservation of honor, the protection of justice, and the harmony of the people. Speak truth with courage, and you will stand as a pillar against the storm of deceit.