proverb · Legacy record
Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse. –Wolof
Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse. –Wolof
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Not wishing to know called worse than not knowing contrasts an information gap with unwillingness to learn. The supplied sentence includes a Wolof label.
What the words are saying
The source label is preserved without independently verified origin. A responsible reading does not assume lack of participation means refusal; access, trust and circumstances can matter. A useful application supports relevant opportunities to learn without shaming people for a gap or demanding inquiry into everything.
Everyday example
Someone offers accessible information and asks about barriers rather than blaming an unfamiliarity.
When to use it
Use it to encourage relevant learning with access and limits considered.
Put a useful idea into practice: try the free seven-day guide ↗
What it does not mean
No unwillingness inferred from every knowledge gap or participation barrier is established.
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
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 993; PDF page 85; collection label: Miscellaneous Proverbs
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Miscellaneous Proverbs