proverb · Words worth keeping
If youth knew what age will crave, It sure would strive to get and save.
If youth knew what age will crave, It sure would strive to get and save.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Anticipating later needs can encourage preparation earlier in life. The saying imagines future wants becoming visible before resources are committed elsewhere.
What the words are saying
Youth is asked to consider what age may require. This can motivate a thoughtful plan without pretending that one can foresee every change. It should not assume that young people have spare resources or that older people’s needs are identical. A useful interpretation considers current and future needs together, recognising uncertainty and the value of support across generations.
Everyday example
Someone plans a useful skill for a later responsibility while still meeting present needs.
When to use it
Use it to discuss preparation for foreseeable future needs.
Put a useful idea into practice: try the free seven-day guide ↗
What it does not mean
Future needs vary, and this is not financial advice or a guarantee of later security.
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 1390 · Save
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English