proverb · Words worth keeping
Don’t rely on the label of the bag.
Don’t rely on the label of the bag.
In print by 1857 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A label may describe what is offered without proving what is actually inside. Check relevant contents or evidence before relying on the description alone.
What the words are saying
The bag has a label, but the label is not its contents. The proverb makes a simple distinction between a claim and the thing the claim describes. A name, credential or category may help locate information, yet it cannot answer every question about quality, suitability or reliability. The practical response is to inspect the part that matters for the decision. This need not mean rejecting all labels or treating every seller as deceptive. Accurate descriptions are useful; verification becomes especially valuable when a mistaken description would have significant consequences.
Everyday example
A buyer checks the measurements of a replacement part instead of assuming that the words universal fit guarantee compatibility.
When to use it
Use it when a description is being mistaken for sufficient verification.
What it does not mean
Some labels have independently checked standards behind them. Consider the evidence supporting the label rather than assuming either truth or deception.
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 (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1857 AD · industrial
In print by 1857: recorded in A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857) (1857 AD)
Printed page 24; French section, paragraph 471; source wording: Il ne faut pas s’en rapporter à l’étiquette du sac.
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.