proverb · Words worth keeping
Do not set the forest on fire to drive out the wolves.
Do not set the forest on fire to drive out the wolves.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Burning a forest to remove wolves pictures a remedy destroying the surrounding good with the perceived problem. The saying warns against disproportionate action.
Example
A team considers whether a proposed solution would harm more than the specific issue it aims to address.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The fire-and-animal scene is an analogy rather than a procedure. A useful application identifies actual costs and alternatives without assuming a group of people is comparable to pests. A concern may need a response, but the desired result does not justify indiscriminate damage.
When to use it
Use it to discuss proportionate response with alternatives assessed.
Keep in mind
No fire method, animal-control instruction or permission for indiscriminate harm is established.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
China
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.- Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- China