Sell not the hare's skin before you have caught him.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

Do not make commitments that depend on a result you have not secured. The hare’s skin still needing to be caught pictures counting an uncertain benefit as though it were already yours to promise.

What the words are saying

The sale assumes possession of a skin while the hare is still beyond reach. Figuratively, a person may promise a resource or arrange its use before the condition that supplies it has been met. The useful response makes that dependency clear and distinguishes a provisional plan from a confirmed commitment. Planning ahead can be sensible when everyone understands the uncertainty. The warning is against presenting a hoped-for outcome as settled, not against preparing for it. It offers no instruction about hunting or a specific financial transaction. Its concern is an honest account of what can actually be promised now.

Everyday example

A club expects donated display cases but waits for the donor’s confirmation before offering them to another group for a fixed date.

When to use it

Use it when a commitment relies on obtaining something that remains uncertain.

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