proverb · Words worth keeping
A person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the man doing it.
A person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the man doing it.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The person declaring a task impossible is asked not to interrupt someone attempting it. The saying favours practical initiative over dismissive commentary.
What the words are saying
Doing something does not establish that it will succeed or that every concern is wrong. A useful reading distinguishes unsupported discouragement from relevant evidence and necessary objections. Constructive questions can improve an attempt rather than merely obstruct it.
Everyday example
A team tests a proposed solution while listening to a colleague’s specific concern about its feasibility.
When to use it
Use this as an editorial reading of the source image, with its stated limits retained.
What it does not mean
Activity is not proof of success or a reason to silence relevant criticism.
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
China
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 304; PDF page 32; collection label: China
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- China