two-edged sword

The Greek that is translated as “two-edged sword” in English is translated in Alekano as “like a knife that is sharp at its mouth and its back” (source: Larson 1998, p. 170) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as “the sharpest knife.”

The now commonly-used English idiom “two-edged sword” (meaning something that offers both a good and bad consequence) was first coined in 1560 in the Geneva Bible. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 279)

Other languages that use this phrase idiomatically, include:

  • Spanish: espada de doble filo
  • French: épée à double tranchant
  • German: zweischneidiges Schwert
  • Italian: spada a doppio taglio
  • Portuguese: espada de dois gumes
  • Russian: обоюдоострый меч (oboyudoostryy mech) or двуострый меч (dvuostryy mech)
  • Czech: dvojsečná zbraň
  • Polish: miecz obosieczny

See also sword.

Translation commentary on Sirach 21:3

All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword; there is no healing for its wound: All lawlessness refers to “Every lawless act” (Good News Translation), any act that goes against the Law of the Lord. Committing such an act leaves you like a two-edged sword leaves you—badly sliced up. The sword pictured here was long, broad, and pointed. It was sharp on both edges to allow it to kill by slashing back and forth. It would have been held with both hands so as to put the whole strength of one arm behind the slash in each direction. It was also made of iron, and heavy. In English this weapon is called a “broadsword.” Rather than compare lawlessness to a sword, Good News Translation says that it leaves a wound, and then compares its fatal wound to the wound left by the sword: “Every lawless act leaves an incurable wound, like one left by a double-edged sword.” Since it did its damage by slicing through a person rather than by piercing, few victims would survive. An alternative model for this verse is:

• Every time a person disobeys the Law of the Lord, the disobedience kills, just like a sword with two edges that a soldier swings this way and that [or, to and fro].

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Sirach. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.