Meaning & Analysis
A message or text is so large, clear, and legible that it can be easily read by someone who is moving quickly, such as a person running past.
Insights
Manifest Truth
The proverb signifies a truth or situation that is so patently obvious and self-evident that it requires no special attention or deep analysis to be understood.
Ideal Clarity
It represents the ideal of perfect clarity in communication, where a message is conveyed so effectively and unambiguously that it can be grasped instantly and without effort.
Inescapable Reality
The phrase can imply a reality or fact that is so conspicuous and unavoidable that it imposes itself upon the consciousness of even a casual or hurried observer.
Evolution from Biblical Origin
Originating from the Book of Habakkuk, the proverb's meaning has evolved. The biblical sense was that a message should be clear so that one could read it and then run to spread the word. The modern interpretation suggests the message is so plain that even a person running past can read it, reflecting a cultural shift towards valuing immediate comprehension.
Rhetorical Assertion of Truth
The proverb has been historically employed as a rhetorical device to assert the undeniable truth of a political or moral argument, framing it as self-evident to any observer, no matter how preoccupied.
Psychology of Perception
Psychologically, the phrase speaks to the power of a clear, potent message to cut through the noise of a distracted mind. It suggests that certain truths are so salient they command attention and can be grasped intuitively, without focused effort.
Rhetorical Devices
Juxtaposition
The proverb juxtaposes the dynamic, unfocused state of 'running' with the typically stationary, focused act of 'reading' to emphasize the extraordinary clarity of the subject.
Alliteration
The alliteration of the 'r' sound in 'runs' and 'read' creates a rhythmic link between the two words, enhancing the proverb's memorability and phonetic appeal.
Hyperbole
The idea of effortlessly reading while at a full run is an exaggeration used to underscore the extreme and undeniable obviousness of the information being presented.
Transcription
Quotations
It is that great Booke, of so large a Character, that a man may run and read it.
To this temper these Court-Officers are now a moulding, he that runs may read, and fore-see the intent.
(may read it).
Bible Citations
Write the vision .. that he may run that readeth it.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.