He that grasps at too much, holds fast nothing.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

Trying to secure too many things at once can prevent keeping any of them well. The grasping image cautions against overextension, without proving that every ambitious or varied undertaking is beyond a person’s capacity.

What the words are saying

The hands are imagined reaching for more than they can hold securely. The proverb transfers that failed grasp to commitments, opportunities or desired possessions whose combined demands exceed the available support. A person may lose the benefit of each by trying to retain them all at once. The useful response is to compare priorities and capacity, then decide what can be sustained or shared. Capacity is not fixed: preparation, collaboration or a changed schedule can make more possible. The warning concerns an unsuitable combination, not a moral rule against wanting several good things or a guarantee that choosing less will always succeed.

Everyday example

A hobby group schedules three exhibitions for the same weekend, then chooses one to prepare properly and moves another to a later date.

When to use it

Use it when combined commitments are undermining the ability to carry any of them through.

Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.