Bible Quote by Chinua Achebe
![“Ife onye metalu' ['what a man commits'] - a statement unclear and menacing in its very inconclusiveness. What a man commits...Follows him? Comes back to take its toll? Was that all? No, that was only part of it ... The real burden of that cryptic scripture seemed to turn the matter right around…” quote by Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b12/chinua-achebe-781_bible_ife-onye-metalu-what-a-man-commits-a-sta_885070.jpg)
““Ife onye metalu' ['what a man commits'] - a statement unclear and menacing in its very inconclusiveness. What a man commits...Follows him? Comes back to take its toll? Was that all? No, that was only part of it ... The real burden of that cryptic scripture seemed to turn the matter right around. Whatever we see following a man, whatever fate comes to take its revenge on him, can only be what that man in some way or another, in a previous life if not in this, has committed. That was it! So those three words wrapped in an archaic tongue and tucked away at the tail of the bus turn out to be the opening segment of a full-blooded heathen antiphony offering a primitive and quite deadly exposition of suffering. The guilty suffers; the sufferer is guilty. As for the righteous, those whose arms are straight, they will always prosper!””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, 1958
The quote suggests that a person’s fate is a direct result of their past actions, implying a cycle of guilt and retribution that spans lifetimes.
In simple terms: Your actions shape your destiny and consequences follow.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how deeds create future outcomes.
Themes
fate
karma
responsibility
justice
consequence
Mood
reflective
serious
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
cultural
literary
When to use this quote
- personal decisions
- legal judgments
- interpersonal conflicts
- historical narratives
- cultural teachings
Key Concepts
moral causality
retributive justice
spiritual belief
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you see personal responsibility versus external forces in shaping outcomes?
- Can one break the cycle of guilt and retribution?
A Different Perspective
It may oversimplify complex social factors and ignore chance or systemic injustice.
