Franklin places greater moral weight on causing harm than on suffering it. A person who is wronged may experience loss or pain, but deliberately inflicting an injury makes that person responsible for a new wrong. The saying therefore values restraint and suggests that preserving one’s own conduct can matter more than answering every offence in kind.

The statement should not be read as requiring people to accept abuse, injustice or danger without seeking protection or lawful redress. Its focus is on the moral difference between being harmed and choosing to harm another, particularly in retaliation. Franklin’s broader lesson is that suffering a wrong does not automatically justify committing one. Maintaining self-control and avoiding unnecessary injury can preserve moral responsibility even when another person has acted badly.