Meaning & Analysis
One should contemplate the final outcome, consequences, or goal of an endeavor before initiating it. It is a direct instruction to engage in foresight and planning.
Insights
Strategic Foresight
The proverb advocates for strategic foresight, where the 'end' symbolizes not just the completion of a task but its long-term ripple effects and ultimate impact. It is a call to think several steps ahead.
Ethical Deliberation
On a deeper level, it calls for moral and ethical deliberation. The 'end' represents the ultimate moral character of an action, urging a person to consider its ethical ramifications before committing to a path.
Purposeful Action
The 'end' can be interpreted as one's ultimate purpose or 'telos'. The proverb suggests that all actions should be aligned with a clear and meaningful objective, ensuring that one's efforts are purposeful rather than aimless.
Emotional Preparedness
It serves as a warning about emotional and psychological preparedness. By thinking of the end, one can anticipate and prepare for potential feelings of regret, satisfaction, or disappointment, thus managing expectations.
Moral and Religious Origins
Originating in late medieval morality plays like 'Everyman', the proverb is deeply rooted in a Christian worldview emphasizing final judgment. It urges individuals to consider the ultimate spiritual and moral consequences of their actions before undertaking them.
Principle of Strategy
The proverb is a timeless principle of strategic thinking, from ancient military planning to modern business theory. It champions foresight over impulsivity, advocating for a goal-oriented approach where the desired outcome dictates the initial steps.
Cognitive Discipline
Psychologically, this maxim serves as a cognitive tool to counter impulsivity and short-term thinking. It encourages a shift from reactive decision-making to a more deliberate, consequentialist mindset, weighing long-term gains and losses against immediate desires.
Rhetorical Devices
Antithesis
The proverb is structured around the direct contrast between 'END' and 'begin', creating a powerful and memorable opposition that highlights the core message.
Imperative Mood
Presented as a direct command ('Think'), the proverb adopts an authoritative and instructive tone, making it a clear piece of actionable advice.
Symbolism
The 'END' functions as a potent symbol for consequences, destiny, and ultimate purpose, elevating the proverb from a simple instruction to a profound philosophical statement.
Transcription
Quotations
This story sayeth man in the begynnyngge Loke well and take good hede to the endynge.
Alwaye or ye begyn thynke on the endynge For blame.
This sage saying, the wyse haue saide and saie. Haue an iye to the ende, ere thou ought begin.
We must thinke vpon, before we execute.
Think and then do.
It is Wisdom to Consider the End of Things before we Embark, and to Forecast Consequences.
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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