proverb · Words worth keeping
Patch and sit long, build and soon flit.
Patch and sit long, build and soon flit.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Repairing an existing arrangement may support continued use, while a larger new undertaking may create pressures that force a move. The contrast questions whether novelty is worth its cost.
Example
A group repairs a suitable shared space instead of beginning a larger project it cannot realistically maintain.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Patching and sitting long are set against building and soon leaving. The saying can favour a manageable repair over an ambitious change whose demands have been underestimated. It does not prove that repair is always cheaper or better. A useful reading compares the actual condition, purpose and ongoing requirements of each option rather than judging by whether it is old or new.
When to use it
Use it to compare continued use with the demands of a new undertaking.
Keep in mind
Some arrangements need replacement; this is not construction or property advice.
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