A man may hap to bring home with him what makes him weep.
A man may hap to bring home with him what makes him weep.
Meaning in plain English
Something brought home can later become a cause of sorrow. The saying invites thought about a choice’s consequences while leaving room for disappointment that could not reasonably have been foreseen.
Example
A household discusses the continuing care a new commitment requires before accepting it on the strength of an attractive first impression.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The homeward movement usually suggests gaining or welcoming something, but the outcome here is weeping. That contrast asks whether an apparent acquisition will serve the life into which it is introduced. Consider responsibilities and consequences alongside immediate appeal. The word may leaves the outcome uncertain rather than declaring that every new arrival brings regret. It is also possible for sorrow to arise despite a thoughtful choice. Use the image to encourage careful consideration, not to make a person responsible for everything painful that later happens.
When to use it
Use it to consider continuing responsibilities behind something initially appealing.
Keep in mind
Do not blame someone for unforeseeable sorrow or assume that every new commitment will go badly.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 196; Spanish section, paragraph 4080; source wording: A las veces lleva el hombre á su casa con que llore.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
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