proverb · Words worth keeping
Eat at pleasure, Drink by measure.
Eat at pleasure, Drink by measure.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying contrasts freedom in eating with restraint in drinking. Pleasure and measure give two activities different limits rather than one shared rule.
Example
A reader notices the two different standards in the verse rather than turning both lines into a universal daily routine.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The paired commands make the second activity sound especially in need of moderation. A useful reading identifies the contrast without treating either command as a complete guide to wellbeing. The verse can open a discussion about enjoyment and chosen limits, but a person’s actual needs cannot be settled by a rhyme.
When to use it
Use it to examine the contrast between enjoyment and restraint.
Keep in mind
This is interpretation of a historical rule, not dietary or drinking advice.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their 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
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English