- English translation
He built the feeding trough before he had even bought the cow.
- Literal wording
Before he buys the cow, he built the manger.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying pictures someone who builds a feeding trough before owning the animal it is meant for. It targets work done too early, before the thing that would make that work worthwhile is actually in hand.
More broadly, it criticizes haste and misplaced confidence. Preparing for a result that remains uncertain can waste effort, so the proverb advises securing the essential prerequisite first and building around it afterward.
- When it is used
Use it to tease or caution someone who invests effort, money, or planning in something that depends on an outcome not yet secured, such as furnishing a home before the purchase is final.
- Register
- Colloquial Arabic
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: He built the feeding trough before he had even bought the cow.