The voice once uttered flies away, the written letter remains.

Explanation

Spoken words vanish; written instruments endure — the law therefore favors written evidence over oral testimony, and a written contract over a verbal agreement. (Duplicate maxim — see also 10.2.39.)

Where this applies

• A landlord and tenant have a verbal agreement about maintenance responsibilities, but when a dispute arises, the court enforces the written lease because oral promises fly away while the written word endures.
• A business partner claims they were promised a larger share of profits during a phone call, but the written partnership agreement controls because spoken words vanish while written terms remain.
• A government official testifies that a regulation was discussed differently in committee than how it was published, but the court applies the published text because the written law survives while oral discussions are lost.

See also

• 1.5.328 The written letter remains.
• 10.2.39 The spoken word flies; the written letter remains.