Grasp all, lose all.
Meaning and origin
This proverb means that if you try to hold on to everything or be too greedy, you may end up losing everything in the end. It suggests that it is important to be content with what you have and not be overly ambitious or greedy.
The origin of this proverb is unclear, but it has been used in literature and proverbs for centuries. It is a common theme in many cultures and has been used to caution against the dangers of excessive ambition and greed.
Proverbs on a similar topic
- The more you get, the more you want.
- Too much of one thing is good for nothing.
- Never too much of a good thing.
- Money will do anything.
- Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves.
- Little drops of water, little grains of sand, make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land.
- Cut your coat according to your cloth.
- Money is a good servant, but a bad master.
- Money makes the mare go.
- If you run after two hares, you will catch neither.
- All is fish that comes to the net.
- Money gets money.
- A silver key can open an iron lock.
- Appetite comes with eating.
- He that goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing.
- Give him an inch and he'll take an ell.
- Money has no smell.
- A pin a day is a groat a year.
- As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.
- Many small make a great.
- A pound of care will not pay an ounce of debt.
- Penny and penny laid up will be many.
- Self comes first.
- Store is no sore.
- He that has no money, needs no purse.
- The camel going to seek horns, lost his ears.
- I gave the mouse a hole and she is become my heir.
- You can have no more of a cat but her skin.
- Envy never enriched any man.
- Two bigs will not go in one bag.