proverb · Words worth keeping
Hasty resolutions seldom speed well.
Hasty resolutions seldom speed well.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Decisions made too quickly may overlook what would help them succeed. The proverb questions rushed commitment, without proving that a slow decision is always better or that urgent action must wait.
Example
A group nearly confirms a new meeting date on impulse, then checks the room and participants’ availability before announcing the change.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Hasty resolutions are decisions settled before enough attention has been given to the circumstances. Their difficulty may appear later, when an overlooked requirement makes the original plan less workable. A useful reading identifies which questions need an answer before commitment and which can be dealt with as the work proceeds. Not every choice needs a long discussion, and delay can also have consequences. The saying therefore asks for care proportionate to the decision rather than slowness for its own sake. A prompt choice can be considered when its basis, limits and next steps are clear.
When to use it
Use it when a decision’s speed is replacing attention to its relevant conditions.
Keep in mind
Urgency and simple choices can justify prompt action; examine what care is actually needed.
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