proverb · Words worth keeping
Be slow in choosing, but slower in changing.
Be slow in choosing, but slower in changing.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying asks for slow choosing and even slower changing. It values care in a decision and steadiness after it is made.
What the words are saying
The comparison makes changing carry a higher threshold than initial choice. A qualified application checks reasons before either step rather than treating persistence as always right. New information, harm or altered circumstances may justify prompt change, especially in relationships or commitments.
Everyday example
Someone considers a choice carefully but remains willing to revise it when important new information appears.
When to use it
Use it to discuss deliberation and commitment with revision still possible.
What it does not mean
Stability does not require remaining in a harmful or unsuitable situation.
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 proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 459; PDF page 68
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.