proverb · Words worth keeping
Do not praise the beginning until you see the end.
Do not praise the beginning until you see the end.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying postpones praise for a beginning until its ending is known. It warns against treating a promising start as proof of a successful whole.
What the words are saying
Beginning and end contrast early appearance with a completed result. A qualified interpretation can keep an overall verdict provisional without refusing encouragement for work already done well. The ending may reveal relevant consequences, but it is not the only possible basis for appreciating effort or conduct.
Everyday example
A reviewer praises a project’s promising opening while reserving judgment on whether the completed work fulfils it.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish provisional encouragement from a final assessment.
What it does not mean
Early merit can be recognised, and a final result does not alone determine the worth of all preceding work.
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 807; PDF page 114
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.