Four of Swords
Lay down your swords and rest. Stillness restores your strength.
- Card
- Minor Arcana · Swords (Air)
- Upright keywords
- Rest, Retreat, Recovery, Recharging
- Reversed keywords
- Restarting, Not enough rest, Restlessness, Returning too soon
- Yes or no
- Depends on conditions
Traditional correspondences Golden Dawn: Lord of Rest from Strife / Thoth: Truce / 3rd decan of Libra · Jupiter / Sephirah: Chesed (Mercy)
Upright meaning
Time to rest and recover. Recharge your energy.
A knight lies on a tomb as if in prayer, three swords hanging on the wall and one beneath him, with a stained-glass window above. The Four of Swords is rest and recovery after stress. Upright, it asks you to pause, meditate and recharge.
Reversed meaning
Getting back to action, or not resting enough. Don’t rush back.
Reversed, rest is cut short or you’re ready to return. Make sure you’re truly recovered before you go back.
For ways of reading reversed cards, see how to read reversals.
Love
Taking a break or giving each other space.
Ready to reconnect, or restlessness.
Work
A break, holiday or time to think.
Returning to work too soon.
Money
A pause in financial decisions.
Restarting plans.
Relationships
Time alone.
Coming back to social life.
Health
Rest and recovery. Sleep heals.
Not resting enough.
Tarot does not diagnose physical conditions. If you have symptoms that worry you, please see a doctor.
Mind and spirit
Meditation and contemplation.
Restless mind.
As a person
Someone resting or recovering.
Someone who can’t slow down.
Timing
Allow a few weeks of rest. In the calendar, mid to late October is also a guide (roughly October 13–22).
Advice
Rest and recover.
Don’t rush back too soon.
Questions to ask yourself
- What do I need to rest from?
- How can I recharge?
- Am I ready to return?
A common misreading
The Four of Swords doesn’t mean death or illness. It is rest and recovery.
The story of this card
Four brings stability to the mind: a truce after the sorrow of the Three.
The Waite deck’s picture and symbols
In the Waite deck the effigy of a knight lies on a tomb in a church, hands in prayer. Three swords hang on the wall and one lies along the tomb.
History and differences between traditions
The Golden Dawn named it Lord of Rest from Strife. Crowley called it Truce.
Words for today
I allow myself to rest.
I return when I’m ready.