Rushed decision

Take your time, as long as what arrives is sound.

The saying weighs lateness against soundness and settles in favour of soundness. A late arrival, a delayed piece of work or a slow decision is acceptable on one condition: that what finally comes is whole and right. Delay is treated as the lesser fault beside a hurried result that turns out broken or mistaken.

Haste is from Satan.

The saying condemns haste by associating it with Satan. It presents impulsive action as blameworthy and urges people to pause before acting.

They had already decided he was as fine as his father before they ever laid eyes on him.

The saying mocks people who issue a verdict before they have any evidence. They declare that someone takes after his father, and is just as good, without ever having seen him, so their judgment rests on expectation rather than observation. The father-and-son image is illustrative, not a literal comment on family resemblance.

Look all through your house before asking the neighbors.

Before suspecting or questioning other people, check the places under your own control carefully. What seems missing may still be nearby, overlooked in a corner rather than taken by someone else.

Know where a deed will lead before you set your hand to it.

The saying urges foresight. A person should weigh where an action is likely to lead before committing to it, rather than discovering the results only after acting. Thinking ahead is presented as the sensible precondition for any undertaking.

Measure before you cut, and make yourself worthy before you wear it.

The saying urges careful assessment before any irreversible step. Just as a tailor checks the measurements before the scissors touch the cloth, a person should weigh a matter thoroughly before committing to it, since a hasty cut cannot be undone.

Be patient, Sittet, until you have the house to yourself.

The saying tells someone not to rush into a matter before the circumstances are ready. It urges patience until the moment is genuinely open for the person to proceed.

Haste leads to delays.

Acting too quickly can create mistakes, confusion, or overlooked steps that interrupt the work and require it to be done again.

Acting too quickly can cause avoidable loss. That loss may create need, and need may then place damaging pressure on a household relationship.

Check dimensions, facts, or plans before taking an action that cannot easily be undone. A little preparation can prevent costly mistakes, wasted materials, and repairs later.

The saying advises reconsidering an initial judgment or plan before acting, because reflection may reveal a better choice.

It advises restraint before attempting to exceed another person's offer, rather than acting from immediate eagerness.

Consider the likely consequences and possible risks before committing yourself to an action, choice, or plan that may be difficult to reverse.

The saying warns that acting too quickly brings trouble. It links haste with harmful consequences rather than with success.

The saying warns that entering marriage too quickly, without adequate thought, can lead to regret that lasts far longer than the rushed decision.

Commit only after considering whether you can truly meet an obligation. Careful promises protect others from disappointment and protect your word from becoming unreliable.

The saying advises against rushing ordinary tasks. It treats haste as rarely worthwhile, reserving it humorously for a small, fleeting target that may escape at once.

Decisions made hastily seldom turn out well. Here, "speed well" means to succeed or fare well, so the warning concerns the outcome of a rushed decision rather than the time it takes.

Rushing can cause mistakes that obstruct the very progress a person wants to make. The image presents haste as tripping itself: hurried action creates its own setback.

Initial appearances offer too little information for a fair assessment. A person's character, or the worth and nature of an object or situation, may become clearer after closer attention.

Moving upward too quickly can leave a person vulnerable to a sharp setback. The physical image of an unsafe climb gives the warning its force: eagerness can outpace care.

The proverb presents silence as a safeguard: someone who does not speak cannot let an unwise remark slip out.

The proverb warns that drinking can cloud judgment, making advice offered at the time less likely to be wise or helpful.

Do not take on a challenge that exceeds your present abilities before learning the skills needed to handle it safely. Confidence alone is no substitute for competence.

The image is of securing one nail firmly before driving another, so the work already begun is not left loose or unfinished.

The proverb urges a person to listen more attentively and speak less. Understanding others should take priority over adding one's own words.