
ProverbWisdom
English origin
Make not your sail too large for your ship.
Meaning: Ambition must match your actual resources, or you'll capsize under the weight of your own aspirations.
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.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- حمار (ḥimār) A stubborn fool — the donkey being the universal symbol of obstinacy in Arabic culture.
- Je bent een kanjer You're a star — a champ and a wonderful person.
- Золотые руки (Zolotye ruki) You're wonderfully skilled with your hands — a true master at making and fixing things.
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