proverb · Words worth keeping
Be not weary of well-doing.
Be not weary of well-doing.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Continue worthwhile action without letting discouragement alone decide its end. The appeal to well-doing needs to include the limits of a person’s capacity.
What the words are saying
The saying encourages persistence in conduct judged to be good. It can acknowledge that useful work may be tiring or slow to show results. Yet goodness does not require endless labour, and the value of the activity should remain open to review. A careful reading allows rest, shared responsibility and changes of method while asking whether the purpose still deserves support.
Everyday example
Volunteers take turns and rest between tasks so that a useful service can continue without relying on one exhausted person.
When to use it
Use it to encourage sustainable persistence in a worthwhile activity.
What it does not mean
Rest and boundaries are compatible with doing good; persistence is not always the right decision.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1751 · Well-doing
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English