If only he comes back home safe and sound

[joham]

If only he comes back home safe and sound. I don't care if he has lost his job or whatever. This sentence is taken from THE LITERARY REVIEW 1962).

Does the sentence 'If only he comes back home safe and sound' equal'How I hope he comes back sage and sound'?

(Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 2nd edition also includes this sentence: If only he arrives in time!)

Thank you in advance.

 

[BobK]

If only he comes back home safe and sound. I don't care if he has lost his job or whatever. This sentence is taken from THE LITERARY REVIEW 1962).

Does the sentence 'If only he comes back home safe and sound' equal'How I hope he comes back sage and sound'?

(Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 2nd edition also includes this sentence: If only he arrives in time!)

Thank you in advance.

The second one is a wish for the future.

As to the first one, are you sure about the punctuation? If the first sentence is separated it's also a wish for the future. But if there's either a comma or nothing the wish is less clearly expressed, and can be used to mean the same as 'My only concern is that he come home safely. If he does that, I don't care about...'. Sometimes this would be worded as If he only comes back home safe and sound, I don't care.... In fact, that word order is clearer, but I think the example is badly chosen anyway (if your '.' is right).

b

 

[joham]

Thank you very much for your help, moderator. I've got a lot clearer now.
This is the url from which I copied the sentence:
[h=3]The Literary review: 第 6 卷 [/h]

books.google.com.hkFairleigh Dickinson University - 1962 - 阅读内容摘录 If only he comes back home safe and sound. I don't care if he has lost his job or whatever. If only he would never have to leave this house again . . .") The pool was quiet once more. The course dividers had been removed and in the