Count not your chickens before they be hatched.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

Do not treat an expected result as already secured. Plan with uncertainty in view rather than making commitments that depend entirely on an outcome that has not yet happened.

What the words are saying

The eggs represent a possible future benefit, while the chickens are what the person hopes to obtain. Counting them beforehand turns that expectation into a possession that does not yet exist. Figuratively, an anticipated place, delivery or successful application may be spoken of as though it were confirmed. The warning does not forbid hope, preparation or estimating likely outcomes. It asks which parts of a plan remain conditional and what would happen if the expectation were not met. Distinguishing confirmed resources from possible ones helps a person prepare without promising others more than can responsibly be assured.

Everyday example

An organiser waits for written confirmation of a room before issuing invitations that depend on that location, while preparing an alternative if it falls through.

When to use it

Use it when a future possibility is being treated as a confirmed resource or result.

Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.