Rhetorical Figures in Sound: Antimetabole

Antimetabole: Figure of emphasis in which the words in one phrase or clause are replicated, exactly or closely, in reverse grammatical order in the next phrase or clause; an inverted order of repeated words in adjacent phrases or clauses (A-B, B-A). Example: "The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence." - Carl Sagan
More Examples
"The poet only desires exaltation and expansion. The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head -- and it is his head that splits. -- G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy	Click for Audio
"1999 and the illusion continues. In the name of freedom, many have used art as a means to destroy the human mind. As an excuse to continue we hear, "Art reflects society." In the name of recreation these people, in fact, are re-creating themselves in their own images; society then reflects art. -- Prince	Click for Audio
"Tonight, we are a country awakened to anger and called to defend freedom. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done." -- George W. Bush, 9-20-01 Address to Congress and the Nation	Click for Audio
Sybil Gordon: "He won fair and square." Harold Abrahams: "Well, that's that, Abrahams." Sybil Gordon: "Well if you can't take a beating, perhaps it's for the best." Harold Abrahams: "I don't run to take beatings! I run to win. If I can't win, I won't run." Sybil Gordon: "If you don't run, you can't win." -- delivered by Ben Cross and Alice Krige (from the movie Chariots of Fire)	Click for Audio
"How about this one on the international front. I don't know if you saw this -- just a few weeks ago -- the German Parliament passed legislation giving animals the same rights as humans. I can't resist the irony: A Nation that once declared people animals now declares animals people ." -- Pastor Gary Brandenburg, 2003 sermon entitled 'Whirled Views' (Grace Community Church, Tyler TX)	Click for Audio
"I, too, was born in the slum. But just because you're born in the slum does not mean the slum is born in you, and you can rise above it if your mind is made up." -- Jesse Jackson, 1984 Democratic National Convention Address	Click for Audio
"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." -- John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address	Click for Audio
"We say to our children 'Be like grownups.' But Jesus said to us grownups, 'Be like children.'" -- Billy Graham, Harvard University Address	Click for Audio
"Jesus Christ came to pay a debt he did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay.'" -- Greg Laurie, Harvest Christian Fellowship	Click for Audio
IMF Contact: "And Mr. Hunt, the next time you go on holiday please be good enough to let us know where you're going." Tape Message: "This message will self destruct in five seconds." Ethan Hunt: "If I let you know where I'm going, then I won't be on holiday." -- delivered by Anthony Hopkins and Tom Cruise (from the movie Mission Impossible 2)	Click for Audio