proverb · Words worth keeping
He is wise enough that can keep himself warm in winter.
He is wise enough that can keep himself warm in winter.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Practical provision for a basic need is one form of wisdom. Winter warmth draws attention to everyday care rather than impressive claims of knowledge.
What the words are saying
The saying credits someone who manages an essential practical need. It can encourage respect for ordinary competence and preparation. It should not imply that a person without adequate warmth lacks wisdom, since resources and conditions can prevent provision. A useful reading recognises the need and the support that meets it instead of turning comfort into a test of merit.
Everyday example
A group values the practical planning that makes a shared space usable during a demanding season.
When to use it
Use it to recognise practical care for a basic need.
What it does not mean
Lack of adequate provision is not proof of poor judgment; this is not medical advice.
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 1720 · Warm
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English