The truth is rarely pure and never simple

Meaning: Reality is complex and nuanced; anyone claiming simple certainty should be viewed with skepticism.

Origin: Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), Act I.

Translations

• French: La vérité est rarement pure et jamais simple (literally: The truth is rarely pure and never simple)
• Spanish: La verdad raramente es pura y nunca es simple (literally: The truth is rarely pure and never simple)
• Japanese: 真実はほとんど純粋でなく、決して単純ではない (Shinjitsu wa hotondo junsui de naku, kesshite tanjun de wa nai) (literally: The truth is rarely pure and never simple)

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