ProverbPerseveranceSpanish origin

A burro muerto, la cebada al rabo

Meaning: Help that comes too late is useless.

Literally: When the donkey is dead, the barley at its tail

Example: “Ahora que ha cerrado la tienda le ofrecen un préstamo. A burro muerto, la cebada al rabo.” — Now that the shop has closed they offer him a loan: advice comes too late when a thing is done.

Equivalents in English, French, Japanese, German, Italian, and 3 more languages

  • English: Advice comes too late when a thing is done.
  • French: À chose faite, conseil pris (literally: When a thing is done, advice is taken)
  • Japanese: 後の祭り (Ato no matsuri) (literally: After the festival (too late to be of use))
  • German: Rat nach der Tat kommt zu spät (literally: Advice after the deed comes too late)
  • Italian: Dopo il fatto il consiglio non vale (literally: After the deed, advice is worthless)
  • Portuguese: Casa roubada, trancas à porta (literally: House robbed, then bolts on the door)
  • Dutch: Als het kalf verdronken is, dempt men de put (literally: When the calf has drowned, they fill in the well)
  • Russian: После драки кулаками не машут (Posle draki kulakami ne mashut) (literally: You don't swing your fists after the fight)

Origin: Feed brought once the donkey has died is no use, and placed at the wrong end at that.

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