- English translation
They set up the mangers before there were any cows to fill them.
- Literal wording
They got the feeding troughs ready before the cattle had come.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying mocks people who arrange everything for an outcome that has not yet arrived. Readying the mangers where livestock feed, with no cattle in sight, shows eagerness outrunning reality, as if the expected occupants were certain to turn up.
More broadly, it cautions against spending effort or resources on plans that hinge on uncertain events. The fault lies in premature, misplaced confidence rather than sensible foresight: preparations made too early may prove pointless if the anticipated arrival never happens.
- When it is used
Use it to tease or warn someone who commits effort, money, or space to something still uncertain, such as furnishing a home before a marriage is arranged or hiring staff before a project is approved.
- Register
- colloquial
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: They set up the mangers before there were any cows to fill them.