He that will not be ruled by the rudder must be ruled by the rock.
Meaning: Ignoring gentle guidance leads inevitably to destruction, as a ship resisting the helm crashes upon stones.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Challenge
- He that runs fast will not run long. — Unsustainable pace exhausts resources quickly, making endurance impossible without modera…
- It's a bad sack will abide no clouting. — A person fundamentally flawed resists improvement despite all efforts to patch and repair…
- A scalded cat fears cold water. — Past trauma causes excessive caution even toward harmless situations resembling the origi…
- A Scotch mist will wet an Englishman through to the skin. — Light drizzle, when underestimated, soaks you more thoroughly than dramatic downpours bec…
- It's ill shaving against the wool. — Forcing work against natural resistance creates unnecessary difficulty and poor results.
- Ships fear fire more than water. — Sailors know that uncontrolled fire destroys vessels faster than the ocean itself threate…
From our tongue twisters
- Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa. — A beloved 'c' / 'p' rhythm trap.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? — A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- El cielo está enladrillado, ¿quién lo desenladrillará? — A brutal test of the rolled 'r' and 'l'.