ProverbWisdomSpanish origin

Pecado confesado, medio perdonado

Meaning: Admitting a fault goes a long way toward being forgiven.

Literally: A sin confessed is half forgiven

Example: “Dile la verdad a tu madre. Pecado confesado, medio perdonado.” — Tell your mother the truth: a fault confessed is half redressed.

Equivalents in English, French, and Japanese

  • English: A fault once denied is twice committed.
  • French: Une faute niée est deux fois commise (literally: A fault denied is twice committed)
  • Japanese: 過ちて改めざる、是を過ちと謂う (Ayamachite aratamezaru, kore o ayamachi to iu) (literally: To err and not correct it — that is what is called an error)

Origin: An image from confession: owning up to the sin is already half the pardon.

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