Five of Swords
The Five of Swords warns of a tainted victory where winning comes at the cost of relationships and personal integrity. The figure's smirk and the defeated people in the background symbolize alienation and dishonorable behavior that can follow short-sighted gains. This card points to bullying, manipulation, and profit at others' expense, often resulting in humiliation and backlash. The guidance is to broaden your perspective, honor your principles, and prioritize long-term integrity over hollow success.
Keywords
Title
FIVE OF SWORDS
Keyword
Tainted Victory
Description
In the Five of Swords, two glum figures stand in the background defeated, while the victor balances on his spoils. The smirk on his face reveals a prideful lack of humility, while the distance between him and the others highlights the alienation he has created by winning. Victories get polluted when your personal integrity is compromised. Nobody actually wins in this scenario, and the backlash can be horrible. Make sure you are paying attention to the whole picture. Broaden your vision and honor your principles. It will pay off in the long run.
Meaning
a tenuous victory, bullying, shortsightedness, profit at others' expense, manipulation, dishonorable behavior, humiliation
Reversal
cunning, ambiguity, meaningless achievement, weakness
Visual Description
A lone man perches on a horizontal sword set above a pale ground while three thin blades or shafts of light angle downward beneath him. Two shadowy figures stand in the darker background, facing away and appearing small and distant. The upper part of the card is deep and textured dark green-black while the lower field is bright and shows elongated sword shadows on the surface.
Fountain tarot
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