--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A sword is only as good as the man who…" description: "\"“A sword is only as good as the man who wields it.”\" — George R.R. Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/george-r-r-martin-48_good-man_a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-w_1238035.png" --- # A sword is only as good as the man who wields it. ![“A sword is only as good as the man who wields it.” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/george-r-r-martin-48_good-man_a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-w_1238035.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/george-r-r-martin-48_good-man_a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-w_1238035.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/george-r-r-martin-48_good-man_a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-w_1238035.png) > ““A sword is only as good as the man who wields it.”” [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A weapon’s effectiveness depends on its wielder’s skill, character, and intent. **In simple terms:** Tools reflect their user’s quality. Key Takeaway Develop skill and integrity. Themes skill character responsibility power Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - military training - leadership coaching - self‑improvement - sports performance Key Concepts ethics weaponry personal development Questions to Reflect On - What qualities make you a better “wielder”? - How can you improve your tools or skills? A Different Perspective Even the best tools fail without proper use. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Man Wields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-wields-745126/) [Sword](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword/) [Sword Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword-good-3037665/) [Wields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wields-2378600/) ## Related quotes > [“A sword is only as good, or as evil, as its user. In good hands it defends the helpless and brings justice. In evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-a-gilbert/a-sword-is-only-as-good-or-as-evil-as-its-user-in-good-hands-it/) [Robert J.A. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-a-gilbert/) > [“Its powers?' Dallben answered with a sad smile. 'My dear boy, this is a bit of metal hammered into a rather unattractive shape; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/its-powers-dallben-answered-with-a-sad-smile-my-dear-boy-this-is-a/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“A man who wields a pen has to be accountable to society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shusaku-endo/a-man-who-wields-a-pen-has-to-be-accountable-to-society/) [Shusaku Endo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shusaku-endo/) > [I don't care what anybody says. 'Skyward Sword' is a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-don-t-care-what-anybody-says-skyward-sword-is-a-good-game/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [“It's just another weapon. Its nature depends on who wields it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/it-s-just-another-weapon-its-nature-depends-on-who-wields-it/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [A knife is only as good as the one who wields it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/a-knife-is-only-as-good-as-the-one-who-wields-it/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Our security is not a matter of weapons alone. The arm that wields them must be strong, the eye that guides them clear, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/our-security-is-not-a-matter-of-weapons-alone-the-arm-that-wields/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“It is never the tool that decides. It's the hands-and the heart-of the one who wields it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sands/it-is-never-the-tool-that-decides-it-s-the-hands-and-the-heart-of-the/) [Kevin Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sands/) > [“not one in twenty was ever rich enough to own a real sword.” His look was grim. “So how do you like the taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/not-one-in-twenty-was-ever-rich-enough-to-own-a-real-sword-his-look/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Why give a horse to a man who cannot ride? The sword was the kingdom, he says.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/why-give-a-horse-to-a-man-who-cannot-ride-the-sword-was-the-kingdom/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [ “I will not serve with oathbreakers and murderers." \[Jaime, Inwardly\] Then why did you ever bother putting on a sword?” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-will-not-serve-with-oathbreakers-and-murderers-jaime-inwardly-then/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“We all know what a big giant sword you have, I’m sure. No need for you to wave it in our faces yet again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/we-all-know-what-a-big-giant-sword-you-have-i-m-sure-no-need-for-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“She said sorcery is a sword without a hilt. There is no safe way to grasp it. A wise woman...A sword without a hilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/she-said-sorcery-is-a-sword-without-a-hilt-there-is-no-safe-way-to/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“... a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if-it-is-to-keep-its/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“A knight's a sword with a horse. The rest, the vows and the sacred oils and the lady's favors, they're silk ribbons tied round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-knight-s-a-sword-with-a-horse-the-rest-the-vows-and-the-sacred-oils/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## More by George R.R. Martin > [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“It is my look they will flinch from now, my frown that they must fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-my-look-they-will-flinch-from-now-my-frown-that-they-must-fear/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“This wine is very choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-wine-is-very-choice/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/everything-syrio-forel-had-ever-taught-her-vanished-in-a-heartbeat-in/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Megga couldn’t sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/megga-couldn-t-sing-but-she-was-mad-to-be-kissed-she-and-alla-played/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The rain feels good against my face, Sam. It feels like tears. Let me stay a while longer, I pray you. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-rain-feels-good-against-my-face-sam-it-feels-like-tears-let-me/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Every man who walks the earth casts a shadow on the world. Some are thin and weak, others long and dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/every-man-who-walks-the-earth-casts-a-shadow-on-the-world-some-are/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-shy-girl-she-had-known-at-riverrun-had-grown-into-a-woman-who-was/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-won-the-war-on-the-battlefield-and-lost-it-in-a-bedchamber-poor/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“On the morning after battle the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth when a crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/on-the-morning-after-battle-the-crows-had-feasted-on-victors-and/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The little man gave the big one a look. One of his eyes was green, one was black, and both were cool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-little-man-gave-the-big-one-a-look-one-of-his-eyes-was-green-one/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a...good purpose? - Samwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/jon-could-there-be-honor-in-a-lie-if-it-were-told-for-a-good-purpose/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) [Explore all 1,761 George R.R. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## More Good man quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Good manners are not bred in moments, but in years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mcnair-wright/good-manners-are-not-bred-in-moments-but-in-years/) [Julia McNair Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mcnair-wright/) > [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [The life of a good man was a continual warfare with his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-life-of-a-good-man-was-a-continual-warfare-with-his-passions/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/i-put-no-stock-in-religion-by-the-word-religion-i-have-seen-the/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [To follow good manners willingly is like paving the road and to tell somebody to follow them is like the road which is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-follow-good-manners-willingly-is-like-paving-the-road-and-to-tell/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“It is said that the hallmark of a gentleman is that he is only ever rude intentionally. Arthur Bryant was no gentleman. His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [I'm a good man with a good heart had a tough time, got a rough start But I finally learned to let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-a-good-man-with-a-good-heart-had-a-tough-time-got-a-rough-start/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [ I've often thought about that and the only suitable member to join me on that climb \[to Everest\] was George Lowe: he was strong,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-hillary/i-ve-often-thought-about-that-and-the-only-suitable-member-to-join-me/) [Edmund Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-hillary/) > [Of course, when you play football yourself you can think you want to become a manager but it does not make you a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/of-course-when-you-play-football-yourself-you-can-think-you-want-to/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [“Falsehood of a good man is better than truth of a bad one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/falsehood-of-a-good-man-is-better-than-truth-of-a-bad-one/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“Atticus adjusted his glasses as he peered down at the blanket. “Hey, is that the book Nellie told us about?” Jake’s eyes flicked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-watson/atticus-adjusted-his-glasses-as-he-peered-down-at-the-blanket-hey-is/) [Jude Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-watson/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) [Browse all 2,081 Good man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A sword is only as good as the man who wields it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George R.R. Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-wields-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-wields-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/george-r-r-martin-48_good-man_a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-w_1238035.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/george-r-r-martin-48_good-man_a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-w_1238035.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/george-r-r-martin-48_good-man_a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-w_1238035.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A sword is only as good as the man who wields it.” — George R.R. Martin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George R.R. Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A sword is only as good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-wields-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-sword-is-only-as-good-as-the-man-who-wields-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```