A good archer is known by his aim, not his arrows.

A good archer is known by his aim, not his arrows.

You can buy all the fancy equipment in the world but if you can't make use of it to get a result it is money down the drain.

Have you ever known a would-be artist who spends a fortune on brushes and paint and goes on course after course but still churns out rubbish? Spending money on equipment that you are just not talented to use well won't do you much good. If you have potential to develop a skill then work on it and find the training and tools that you really need. Flashy expensive stuff might impress the impressionable but anyone with sense will see through the glitz to the real or lack of talent that you have.

There is no point in flogging dead horses or buying them fancy saddles for that matter. If you haven't got what it takes find another activity where you might make the grade. Get your life on target.


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Better an ass that carries than a horse that throws.

Better an ass that carries than a horse that throws.

Who would not wish to own a fine thoroughbred stallion full of fire and haughty pride? But if it always threw its rider you would not go very far. In life people are often attracted to the glamorous and showy - be it cars, careers or companions; but how many live to rue the day?

If we get above ourselves and desire the impractical we are often set for a tumble. The ass is an ungainly, ugly beast of burden but will patiently plod along in all sorts of adverse conditions getting you and your load to the desired destination. Similarly, if you are prepared to consider the practical and available goods in your life you might be better off in the long run rather than choosing the high maintenance, showy, expensive alternatives. "Cut you coat according to your cloth" is another way of putting it.


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If you have two loaves, sell one and buy a lily.

If you have two loaves, sell one and buy a lily.

We struggle to earn our daily bread, sometimes muttering to ourselves that "Half a loaf is better than none" when things are not too good. We seek inspiration to carry on when everything seems uphill from sayings such as: "Where there's a will there's a way" or "Rome wasn't built in a day". Through history humans have had a hard job getting enough of the necessities of life.

Today the pursuit of material possessions has become an obsession for many and they have achieved a lot more than two loaves. Indeed, obesity is fast becoming a major problem. This proverb is telling us that we need more than goods that satisfy the physical side - we need to find happiness in beauty. You can't eat a lily but when you are adequately fed search not for further consumable pleasures but seek satisfaction for the mind and soul.



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It is too late to cast anchor when the ship is on the rocks.

It is too late to cast anchor when the ship is on the rocks.

In other words take action before a disaster, not after. This is a recurring theme in proverbs and wise sayings - the importance of remaining alert and taking precautions to avoid the unpleasant consequences. "It is too late to lock the stable door when the horse has bolted" is much the same idea.

"A stitch in time saves nine". "Be prepared". "Have not your lamp to light before the dark". All tell us of the importance of foresight and preparation - know what you have to do and be sure and see that it is done because "There is no point in crying over spilt milk".

"There is no time like the present" - so no more excuses - do it now!


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If you run after two hares you will catch neither

If you run after two hares you will catch neither.

Most readers of this blog will never have chased hares and probably have no desire to do so, but probably all of us have pursued more than one goal at the same time and come unstuck through lack of time and resources.

Focussing on the most important objective and making secondary forfeits is often the road to success. Avoiding unnecessary distractions means greater economy of energy and less time wandering off the true path. Just make sure that the "hare" you are chasing is really the one you want and don't waste your life pursuing a goal that eventually turns out to be not worth the effort.



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He will burn his house to warm his hands

He will burn his house to warm his hands.

Very short term thinking might induce a lunatic to do this but how many times does the ordinary person do the equivalent through a lack of understanding?

How many politicians make it impossible for themselves to govern well by betraying their principles in order to win an election? How many men risk a good marriage in order to have a brief, unimportant fling? How many young men risk their lives in the pursuit of a passing thrill of daredevil excitement and end up dead or crippled?

This saying warns us of the folly of a short-sighted action that will gain a little advantage but cost greatly in the long run. We are being urged to show some forethought and judgement in our actions lest they cost us dear



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He that hath some land must have some labour.

He that hath some land must have some labour.

Most of us are descended from people who worked on the land a few generations ago. Some would have been farm owners and some labourers and they had to co-operate to produce the harvest so that everyone could eat. A small farm would be worked by a single family. After the industrial revolution vast numbers of people were forced off the land and had to find employment elsewhere.

A generalisation from land and labour leads us to the idea of capitalists and workers and how to generate income. Capital takes many forms: money, land, machinery, buildings and even mental capital i.e. a good education or skill. But the thing all of these have in common is that they need to be used.

This saying is reminding us of the need to put in the effort and use our assets to best advantage.


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When fortune smiles, take advantage

When fortune smiles, take advantage.

Have you ever fished a spot many times and some days you catch nothing others your first cast is rewarded, and you soon have as big a catch as you wished for?

Chance or good luck plays its part in human endeavours - when the time is right it is easy to succeed. As Shakespeare said, "Their is a tide in the affairs of man which taken at the flood leads on to fortune". Being in the right place at the right time is often the key to success.

However, a fisherman without the right tackle and some experience in using it plus the accumulated wisdom of years is unlikely to catch any supper - even if the conditions are fortuitously ideal.

So it is important to be prepared and wait for the right moments to come along - when fortune smiles, be ready.


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A dead bee makes no honey.

A dead bee makes no honey.
Well, that is pretty obvious so just what is this saying trying to tell us? Bees are renowned for their industriousness, and people who work hard are often described as being "busy as a bee". Hard workers are generally praised, and very popular with their bosses, but is it an entirely good thing? Japanese people are regarded as some of the hardest-working people on the planet but in their vocabulary we find a word - Karoshi - meaning to work yourself to death. Dead workers, like dead bees, are not productive. So, perhaps this saying is telling us not to overdo things. "Moderation in all things", says another proverb and "A little goes a long way" is another. The conclusion would appear to be that work is good but should not be excessive - too much honey is probably bad for you anyway!

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In much corn there is some cockle.

In much corn there is some cockle.
The corn cockle is a weed identified with the Biblical tares. No doubt our agricultural ancestors would have been satisfied with this statement at face value being happy to see a good yield even if the crop had a drop of weeds among it. They might then have gone on to observe that persons of outstanding ability often had flaws, faults and follies that went with their greatness and realise the generality of what they had learned in the cornfield. It is rarely in life that anything is all good there is usually a downside that you have to put up with in order to get the benefits. In a modern field the weeds might have been suppressed by weed killer, but we then have to worry about pesticides in our food. It seems that perfection doesn't exist this side of Heaven.


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Labour as long lived; pray as ever dying.

Labour as long lived; pray as ever dying.
If you take this saying to heart you will always give of your best, knowing that effort today means reward tomorrow. People coming close to retirement might lose heart and wonder why they bother but this is likely to lead to depression and carelessness. Thus their standing with colleagues will diminish and much of the good work done in earlier years will be forgotten, and who knows, perhaps someone had them earmarked for an exciting opportunity in their leisured future.

For those who are religious this saying is probably easier to follow than those who see nothing beyond the grave. But we should all learn to think of the importance of the survival of the family, the tribe, the country, and the human race, and contribute to it as long as we can, knowing our work will be carried on by someone else. This way your declining years will still have hope and meaning.



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"Pray as ever dying" suggest the importance of being prepared for the eventuality of demise and putting your affairs in order. Follow this saying and you will fade away gradually and without remorse, like a glorious sunset.

Tie the sack before it fills.

Anyone bagging corn or flour would immediately understand the wisdom of this saying as it is necessary to have enough slack to gather together to allow the cord to get a grip. A greedy person who filled his sack to the top would be unable to close it, and spillage and spoilage would leave them with a lot less. Our farming ancestors would smile knowingly on hearing this observation.

So, what wisdom has it to teach us today? In general we are being told of the folly of trying to grab too much and being left with less. An example from the world of the stock market is the advice to always leave something for someone else - meaning sell out before the market tops - that way you are guaranteed a buyer.

People who build up a business are advised to have an exit strategy and not to wait till they are about to retire and then desperately seek to sell, and find it is a bad time as demand is currently low.

It could also suggest the idea of stopping eating before you are full and therefore avoiding a bad stomach and the dangers of obesity.

This all boils down to giving yourself time and opportunity to bring any activity to a sensible close, and not be caught short.




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In excess, nectar poisons.

You can have too much of a good thing is the lesson here. Most children learn the hard way that eating too much makes them sick. Just being told by their elders is never enough - it is the actual experience that teaches the best lesson.

The above applies to most if not all areas of human life. How often do we read of the rich person who has inherited a vast fortune, and has a totally miserable life? The excess of wealth becomes a burden to them and they are not constrained by lack of money in indulging their follies in the way the rest of us are.

Tell people that something is good for them and they will overdose on it. Exercise freaks will run till they develop fractures or suffer heart attacks. The counsel to practice moderation in all things is an excellent one. Addictions are numerous - we have alcoholics, gambling addicts, drug addicts, sexaholics - anything pleasurable seems to lead some individuals to excess. This should act as a warning to everyone else. Enough is as good as a feast.


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Men given to tears are good.

There has been a traditional image of western men as macho "John Wayne type" characters swaggering dry-eyed through life with weeping frail women clinging to their strong arm. In fact pioneering women in the Old West were probably as tough as old boots with little time for copious weeping.

So, is crying for men sissy, or just a natural phenomenon that has its place and purpose? As little children, boys cry as much as girls in order to alert their parents to hunger, discomfort and pain, but as we grow we begin to get criticism. "Don't be a cry baby". "Big boys don't cry". We come to regard ceasing to cry as being grown up. But is it a good thing to stifle tears? Medical opinion would appear to be that over-repressing emotions can lead to stress and heart attacks.

It seems that it really all depends on the type of crying - babyish whining in a grown man or woman is unbecoming, but real emotion expressed in a few tears communicates genuineness. Most adult males are moved to tears by severe emotional onslaughts such as the death of a close friend or relative, and, generally speaking, women are probably more given to expressing their feelings with tears.

Does this mean that a man who cries more easily than average is effeminate, or even cowardly, as some might imply? Well, this blog was inspired by Sir Winston Chuchill and he was regularly in tears. Now, who would say that someone who was involved in most of the wars of his century, took part in cavalry charges, rescued wounded soldiers from the Boers, escaped single-handedly from prisoner-of-war camp, and finally became the great hero who defeated the Nazis, was effeminate?

Strong men can have strong emotions and a few tears show how genuine they are. The important thing is that tears should not stop a man from doing his duty. Who cares if a hero's eyes are full of tears as he saves the day - better a wet-eyed saviour than a dry-eyed skulk.


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Love makes passion, but money makes marriage

This old French proverb" L'amour fait rage, mait l'argent fait marriage" could be the gold digger's favorite saying but it makes a lot of sense. In days gone by in the western world (as in some eastern countries today) marriages were contracted for mutual advantage of the families involved - love came by chance if at all.
Some people say that all the secret passages in old castles were not so much for escaping your enemies but were mostly used by those in lovelorn marriages slipping off to their lovers. Today most people fall in love and worry about the practical problems later. Marriage for many is a non starter.
If we were perfectly balanced people our reasoning half would insist on putting the practical foundations of life in order first i.e. job, steady income, place to live, before allowing emotions any freedom, but most people want love to spring into their lives uninvited and to carry them off in a torrent of passion with fate left to take care of the nitty-gritty. Nice work if you can get it!


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You may gape long enough ere a bird fall into your mouth.

Looking and wishing will not get you very far if you really want something you need to put in the effort to get it. Too many people spend their lives waiting for something good to happen and end up disappointed. So how do you get going? Shakespeare said "There is a tide in the affairs of man, which, taken at the flood, leads on to success". Getting you timing right is essential for most enterprises: "Sow when dry, set when wet" our agricultural ancestors would murmur, or note: "The early bird gets the worm". Lessons from nature are all around us and from time to time someone crystallises them into a saying or proverb. Stay alert, be active seek wisdom and one day you might discover your own proverb, to be passed down the generations. Standing gaping will not get you very far.


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Knowledge is a treasure, but practise is the key to it.

To anyone struggling to play a musical instrument this is painfully obvious. The treasure houses of knowledge are usually very well fortified and to gain entry and enjoy the good things within takes time and regular effort. People are not born wise, "you cannot put a young head on old shoulders". Nowadays with the Internet knowledge is everywhere and available at the click of a button but in order for it to be of any use it is necessary to be selective and to work regularly at absorbing facts and methods into the mind. Only then will you have the key to unlock the treasure chests of knowledge and gain the many benefits of attainment.


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Those who make best use of their time have none to spare.

A lack of time seems to be a modern complaint - we have romantic images of a bucolic past when everyone had loads of time to chat with neighbors, potter in the garden and leisurely chew on a straw. This old saying appears to suggest otherwise - for busy people lack of time has always been a problem.

Another saying "Work expands to fill the time allocated to it" is supposed to be a practise of the lazy who will dawdled and delay until the last minute and then complain of a lack of time. So there appears to be two types of people who are short of time - the over workers and the under workers - but how does the ordinary individual with a balanced approach to life cope with time management? Do proverbs give us any guidance?

Well how about: "Don't bite off more than you can chew"? Keep your workload to sensible levels and learn your limits and try to work within them.

"Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today". Work efficiently and don't let small tasks accumulate. Try to deal with them as they come up if possible - visiting the same task twice is a waste of time.
"Lost time is never found again" This we all know but is a reminder to use time effectively.

"Where there's a will there's a way" Many an individual has pitted their wits against a problem when all others have passed it by and eventually they have succeeded but the cost in time is usually great. Be determined but be wary of pigheadedness leading you to horrendous time costs. Even if you do succeed will it be worth it?

"Time and tide wait for no man" This being so it is essential to be like the Boy Scout and "be prepared" so that your precious time is used as it should. Having to go back to base because you have forgotten a tool etc. wastes everybody's time.

"Time brings roses" Most worthwhile things take time and we need to cultivate patience. Waiting for something can be agonising, especially for the young who are often wishing their time away, but whilst waiting for a main event try filling in the gaps with something useful. Having an improving book to hand helps to use spare moments productively as they come up.

Time destroys all things" As we grow older we realise that our time is limited and we often wish we had spent it more wisely - there seemed so much of it when we were young. Change is constant and we see the things that were an important part of our life fade and disappear. Time never stands still and where there is time there is change.

"Time is money" This saying is a rod for our backs. Self-employed people soon realise the truth of this and it can drive some people to wreck their health whilst it spurs others to wealth achievement and fulfilment. Don't let it become your master.

Time is the great teacher. How often do we wish we had known something when we were young? Some lessons are painfully learned over a period of time and the realisation that, if only you had had the right instruction much of the pain could have been avoided, can be quite bitter.

"Time is the rider that breaks in youth". This is much the same as above - with the passing of time we experience and learn often from "the school of hard knocks".

"Time tries truth" Things we believed in passionately in youth can seem less certain with age and experience. Mass movements that enthral a generation can seem clearly flawed to the next one. With the passing of time and new perspectives apparent certainties crumble to dust and blow away on the wind of knowledge and understanding.

"Time passes, sayings endure" This is surely one to end on. Use your time wisely - you only get one allocation!


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He that counts all costs will never put plough to earth.

Our agricultural forebears would have known the literal wisdom of this observation. Today it might apply to starting a business where looking at all the things that might go wrong would put you off. At some point it is necessary for most undertakings to assess the risk and be prepared to accept that though there is a reasonable chance of success a possibility of failure exists. No enterprise is a sure thing we must have a little courage and accept the costs and problems that come along.


Due to time pressures this blog will change from daily to weekly.




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None so well shod but they may slip.

You can take all the right precautions but the unexpected can take you by surprise. This sounds like an advert for insurance and it is an awareness of unlikely accidents that presumably motivates most people to consider a suitable policy. In the modern world where we rely on our computers this leads us to think of the importance of keeping good backup. Expecting the unexpected constantly could drive a person to a nervous breakdown so common sense is required. The worst rarely happens but some sensible precautions can give peace of mind.




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