- English translation
Anyone who refuses to heed advice may have to endure the consequences.
- Literal wording
Whoever does not listen will eat until he is full.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying warns that ignoring counsel or a warning can leave a person exposed to trouble. Its image of “eating” is figurative: it refers not to food but to undergoing an unwelcome share of harm or hardship.
It stresses that stubbornness can have a cost: refusing guidance may lead to an unpleasant outcome that might have been avoided. The saying presents this as a likely consequence, rather than as random misfortune.
- When it is used
Say it when someone dismisses sensible advice and may face avoidable difficulty. It can be a warning beforehand or a pointed remark after consequences appear; when addressed to someone already in trouble, it may sound reproachful rather than sympathetic.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Anyone who refuses to heed advice may have to endure the consequences.