proverb · Words worth keeping
He who drinks when he is not dry, will be dry when he has no drink.
He who drinks when he is not dry, will be dry when he has no drink.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying warns that drinking without thirst may leave someone thirsty when no drink remains. Its sequence contrasts present use with later need.
Example
A group avoids using all its materials for an optional task before considering the work that still needs them.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Not dry and no drink turn a present surplus into a possible future shortage. As an explicit analogy, using a resource unnecessarily now can leave less available when it is needed. The text does not establish a physiological rule about thirst or specify what is being drunk. A careful application focuses on the actual resource and circumstances.
When to use it
Use it as a stated analogy about present use and later provision.
Keep in mind
The rhyme is not health guidance or a complete rule for managing supplies.
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