idiom requests - In my native language, we have this proverb: when an ox cart is turned over (or turns over) only then one will see the road


The implication is that when something bad happens, only then one will see the results. Is there a semantically identical idiom in English? Can this idiom be considered as an equivalent to the above-mentioned one ? - Shut the stable door after the horse has bolted ?



Answer



It appears that the proverb warns one to not wait until an unfortunate incident to see the results helplessly (the "harsh" reality of the "road" after the cart has overturned) but be prepared to prevent it (make sure the cart is moving smoothly by "driving" it gently, maintaining it in a good state of repair, etc). In that sense, a good English counterpart may be "Foresight is better than hindsight".


TFD(idioms):



Foresight is better than hindsight.
cliché It is better to anticipate and prevent future problems than to realize how they could have been avoided after the fact.
If I were you, I would pay the extra $50 for full insurance coverage while you're traveling. You never know what might happen, and foresight is better than hindsight.


Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.



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