Wit may be bought too dear.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

A lesson gained through difficulty may cost more than its benefit justifies. The saying questions praising every painful experience as useful learning, rather than denying that experience can improve judgement.

What the words are saying

Wit represents practical understanding, while bought too dear makes the price of obtaining it the issue. A person may learn from a mistake and still reasonably wish its consequences had been avoided. The proverb separates the value of a lesson from approval of the cost that produced it. It does not mean that all difficult learning is wasted or that a person should be blamed for what happened. A useful reading asks whether the same understanding could be gained through advice, preparation or a less costly trial. Learning from a consequence need not turn the consequence into something good or necessary.

Everyday example

A hobby group discovers that an untested display design is unstable and uses a small prototype next time instead of treating the ruined materials as a desirable lesson.

When to use it

Use it when the value of a lesson is being used to excuse an avoidable cost.

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