"The young die young that they may avoid corruption. The old live long that they may repent."

July 30, 2007 9:42 AM

Can anyone identity the source of this saying? "The young die young that they may avoid corruption. The old live long that they may repent."

That may not be the exact wording. Do you know of a line like it? That's all the information I have. TIA

posted by Pater Aletheias to Grab Bag (2 answers total)

Google Answers thread on this (slightly different wording in quote.)
posted by beagle at 10:40 AM on July 30, 2007

Best answer: Supposedly from the Zohar, Genesis 56b: The good die young that they may not degenerate; the wicked live on that they may have a chance to repent, or to produce a virtuous progeny.

Apparently the line as you've written it was used at the end of an episode of Have Gun, Will Travel called The Fatalist.
posted by JaredSeth at 10:52 AM on July 30, 2007