--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a common saying that a letter is a…" description: "\"“It is a common saying that a letter is a dead messenger; for it can give no more than it hath. And no letter is written so exactly, that there is noth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/martin-luther-106_quote_it-is-a-common-saying-that-a-letter-is-a_1838512.jpg" --- # It is a common saying that a letter is a dead messenger… ![“It is a common saying that a letter is a dead messenger; for it can give no more than it hath. And no letter is written so exactly, that there is nothing lacking.” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/martin-luther-106_quote_it-is-a-common-saying-that-a-letter-is-a_1838512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/martin-luther-106_quote_it-is-a-common-saying-that-a-letter-is-a_1838512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/martin-luther-106_quote_it-is-a-common-saying-that-a-letter-is-a_1838512.jpg) > ““It is a common saying that a letter is a dead messenger; for it can give no more than it hath. And no letter is written so exactly, that there is nothing lacking.”” [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words are limited; they cannot fully convey meaning, so letters are imperfect messengers. **In simple terms:** Letters can’t capture everything. Key Takeaway Accept the limits of written communication. Themes communication limitations expression Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal letters - business emails - legal documents Key Concepts semiotics message fidelity Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure your intent is clear? - When is a face‑to‑face conversation essential? A Different Perspective Letters may be misinterpreted despite precision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I've found a letter that was written to me from a girl who was getting married. And she wanted to know the secret of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-ve-found-a-letter-that-was-written-to-me-from-a-girl-who-was/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [Outside his office my father had a framed copy of a letter written by Abraham Lincoln to his son's teacher, translated into Pashto. 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Every night I wrote her novels and every morning I mailed them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/i-just-wrote-as-much-as-i-could-for-several-pages-every-night-i-wrote/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) ## More by Martin Luther > [“It was easy for you to say these things, since you either knew you were not writing to Luther, but for the general public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-was-easy-for-you-to-say-these-things-since-you-either-knew-you/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [If you could understand a single grain of wheat you would die of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-you-could-understand-a-single-grain-of-wheat-you-would-die-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“God made man out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-made-man-out-of-nothing-and-as-long-as-we-are-nothing-he-can-make/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“But the truth will win out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/but-the-truth-will-win-out/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [God wants us to pray, and he wants to hear our prayers-not because we are worthy, but because he is merciful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-wants-us-to-pray-and-he-wants-to-hear-our-prayers-not-because-we/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The works of the righteous would be mortal sins if they would not be feared as mortal sins by the righteous themselves out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-works-of-the-righteous-would-be-mortal-sins-if-they-would-not-be/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/do-not-suppose-that-abuses-are-eliminated-by-destroying-the-object/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3:28”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/for-we-maintain-that-a-man-is-justified-by-faith-apart-from-observing/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [There are only two days on my calendar... today and the day of judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/there-are-only-two-days-on-my-calendar-today-and-the-day-of-judgment/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) [Explore all 1,292 Martin Luther quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## More Letter quotes > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Letter-writing on the part of a busy man or woman is the quintessence of generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/letter-writing-on-the-part-of-a-busy-man-or-woman-is-the-quintessence/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > ['Forever Evil' is my love letter to DC super villains. 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You can't help it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-bateman/when-you-have-to-write-a-letter-you-re-automatically-put-into-a-state/) [Justine Bateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-bateman/) > [“ 134. Letters are Commonplace Letters are commonplace enough, yet what splendid things they are! When someone is in a distant province and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sei-shonagon/134-letters-are-commonplace-letters-are-commonplace-enough-yet-what/) [Sei Shonagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sei-shonagon/) > [“Clary, Despite everything, I can't bear the thought of this ring being lost forever, any more then I can bear the thought of leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clary-despite-everything-i-can-t-bear-the-thought-of-this-ring-being/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“My Dear Mrs Winter. (I had half a mind when I dipped my pen in the ink, to address you by your old natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/my-dear-mrs-winter-i-had-half-a-mind-when-i-dipped-my-pen-in-the-ink/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“LETTER FROM JOSEPH TO EMMA NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK 13 OCTOBER 1832 "I feel as if I wanted to say something to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-eschler/letter-from-joseph-to-emma-new-york-city-new-york-13-october-1832-i/) [Angela Eschler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-eschler/) > [“I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it, as I foresee that a little writing will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-have-just-received-your-letter-and-shall-devote-this-whole-morning/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“The contents of this letter threw Elizabeth into a flutter of spirits in which it was difficult to determine whether pleasure or pain bore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/the-contents-of-this-letter-threw-elizabeth-into-a-flutter-of-spirits/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“I have received the favor of your letter of August 17th, and with it the volume you were so kind as to send me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-received-the-favor-of-your-letter-of-august-17th-and-with-it/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) Browse all 944 Letter quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is a common saying that a letter is a dead messenger; for it can give no more than it hath. 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