proverb · Words worth keeping
To love and be wise is not easy.
To love and be wise is not easy.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Loving while being wise is described as difficult. The saying recognises a possible tension between strong affection and considered judgment.
Example
Someone considers a relationship decision with care for their feelings and its actual circumstances.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Not easy does not mean love inevitably prevents insight. A useful interpretation can encourage attention to both feelings and evidence without treating a relationship as irrational by definition. Consent, boundaries and support remain important, and neither emotional intensity nor detachment alone proves wisdom.
When to use it
Use it to discuss affection alongside judgment.
Keep in mind
No inevitable foolishness in love or superiority of emotional detachment is established.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
Colombia
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.- Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- Colombia