ProverbWisdom
German origin
German originWenn die Jugend wüsste, wenn das Alter könnte
Meaning: The young lack experience and the old lack strength.
Literally: If youth only knew, if old age only could
Example: “Mit zwanzig hatte ich Kraft, heute Erfahrung. Wenn die Jugend wüsste, wenn das Alter könnte.” — At twenty I had strength, today experience: if youth only knew, if age only could.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, and Italian
English: Life is half spent before we know what it is.
French: La vie est moitié usée avant qu’on ne sache ce qu’est la vie (literally: Life is half spent before one knows what life is)
Spanish: Si la juventud supiera, si la vejez pudiera (literally: If youth only knew, if old age only could)
Italian: Se gioventù sapesse, se vecchiaia potesse (literally: If youth only knew, if old age only could)
Origin: The German form of Henri Estienne's line in Les Prémices (1594): si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait.
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