proverb · Words worth keeping
Distance tests a horse’s strength; time reveals a marls character.
Distance tests a horse’s strength; time reveals a marls character.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Distance testing a horse is paired with time revealing character. The comparison asks for evidence over an extended course rather than an instant impression.
What the words are saying
The source’s marls spelling is retained; the supplied gloss reads the second half as a person’s character. That contextual reading explains the parallel without silently correcting the wording or claiming a verified original. A useful application observes conduct while recognising that duration alone does not make a judgment complete.
Everyday example
Someone assesses a collaborator’s repeated conduct rather than relying only on a favourable first meeting.
When to use it
Use it with the supplied character reading and source irregularity explicit.
What it does not mean
No animal-testing method or guaranteed complete knowledge of character is established; the source wording is irregular.
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 873; PDF page 122
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.