proverb · Words worth keeping
We must do as we may, if we cannot do as we would.
We must do as we may, if we cannot do as we would.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
When the preferred course is unavailable, choose a workable response within the circumstances. The saying encourages adjustment, while leaving room to question a restriction or improve the conditions rather than treating every limit as permanent.
Example
A workshop cannot use its preferred hall, so organisers hold a smaller session elsewhere while continuing to look for an accessible venue for the full event.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The contrast is between what someone would like to do and what they can presently do. A useful reading begins by identifying the actual constraint, then considers which part of the purpose can still be served. An alternative may be smaller, slower or differently arranged without abandoning the reason for acting. This is not a demand to approve every obstacle or accept an unfair limit. Some constraints can be changed, and some alternatives would compromise the purpose too much. The saying encourages a considered response to current conditions while allowing work toward a better set of options later.
When to use it
Use it when a blocked preference needs a practical alternative.
Keep in mind
Check whether the constraint is real or changeable, and whether the alternative still serves the purpose.
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