proverb · Words worth keeping
Finite to fail, but infinite to venture.
Finite to fail, but infinite to venture.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying contrasts a finite failure with an infinite capacity to venture. In this qualified reading, one unsuccessful outcome need not exhaust every possible attempt.
What the words are saying
The compressed wording sets a limit beside an open-ended prospect. Venture concerns trying or undertaking something, while the supplied gloss substitutes endless success. Infinite is an encouraging exaggeration rather than proof of unlimited options, resources or time; the exact traditional context remains uncertain.
Everyday example
After one attempt ends, someone considers whether a different feasible undertaking remains available.
When to use it
Use it to explain the contrast between a particular setback and possible further attempts.
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What it does not mean
Unlimited opportunity or success is not established, and the compressed source context remains uncertain.
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 787; PDF page 112
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.