Never chase a lie. Let it alone, and it will run itself to death.

Beecher’s aphorism counsels strategic restraint in the face of falsehood. Rather than expending energy “chasing” a lie—repeating it, amplifying it, or getting drawn into endless rebuttal—the speaker recommends letting it stand unpursued, trusting that inconsistency, lack of evidence, or changing circumstances will expose it. The image of a lie “running itself to death” suggests that deception requires continual motion and reinforcement to survive; without attention and fuel, it collapses under its own contradictions. The saying also implies a moral posture: truth need not be frantic or reactive, and dignity can be preserved by refusing to be governed by an opponent’s misinformation.