- English translation
Finish the business you mean to finish; sell what you would otherwise pledge; and if you choose to work for someone, follow their direction.
- Literal wording
What you want to settle, carry through; what you want to pawn, sell; and whom you want to serve, obey.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying recommends dealing promptly with an intended task. Once a matter has been taken up, bring it to completion instead of letting it remain open, prolonging deliberation, and keeping others involved in repeated discussion.
For property that might be pledged, it favors sale because recovering a pawned item is rarely achieved. It also says that a person who elects to serve another should comply with that person's direction; otherwise, they should decline the service.
- When it is used
Use it as practical advice about finishing pending affairs, choosing sale rather than pawning property, and accepting the directions attached to serving someone. Its three-part form suits a concise warning against hesitant or half-committed arrangements.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Finish the business you mean to finish; sell what you would otherwise pledge; and if you choose to work for someone, follow their direction.