He that waits for a dead man's shoes may go long enough barefoot.

The proverb warns against relying on a benefit that becomes available only after someone else dies. The expected gain may arrive too late to meet a present need.

It also challenges the assumption that another person's future possessions or position can be treated as one's own. A hoped-for opportunity is no substitute for taking care of one's circumstances now.

Use it to question a plan that depends on an inheritance or on taking over a position after its holder dies, especially when the person making the plan has an immediate need to address.