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Don't put the cart before the horse

Meaning: Do things in the correct order.

Origin: Latin proverb (Currus bovem trahit), used since the 16th century in English.

Translations

  • French: Ne mets pas la charrue avant les bœufs (literally: Don't put the plow before the oxen)
  • Spanish: No empieces la casa por el tejado (literally: Don't start the house from the roof)
  • Japanese: 本末転倒 (Honmatsu tentō) (literally: Reversing root and branch)

More proverbs about Wisdom

  • Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do — Sometimes unconventional paths lead to correct outcomes.
  • Great minds think alike — Intelligent people often reach the same conclusions.
  • Cross that bridge when you come to it — Deal with problems only when they arise.
  • All roads lead to Rome — There are many ways to reach the same goal.
  • You're never too old to learn — Learning is a lifelong process.
  • There's no such thing as a free lunch — Everything has a hidden cost.

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