Meaning & Analysis
The proverb states that despite someone's skill or strong effort, they are still thwarted by bad luck.
Insights
Effort Versus Fortune
Highlights the painful reality that ability and effort do not always guarantee success; uncontrollable luck can still determine the outcome.
Limits of Merit
Points to the limitation of talent and diligence, suggesting that external factors—chance or fate—play a significant, sometimes overwhelming, role in life’s results.
Tragic Irony
Underscores the irony that the best runners—those who seem most deserving—can be undone not by their own failings but by ill fortune.
Universal Disappointment
The proverb resonates with anyone who has experienced frustration when hard work is not rewarded, reflecting a universal human concern with fairness and the unpredictability of outcomes.
Folk Realism
Encapsulates a pragmatic, almost stoic worldview prevalent in folk wisdom: while striving is virtuous, luck remains an essential and uncontrollable element of success.
Social Commentary
Suggests implicit critique of meritocratic ideals—reminding us that those who fail are not always at fault, and success is not always justly distributed.
Rhetorical Devices
Antithesis
Juxtaposes positive effort ('run well') with negative outcome ('ill luck'), creating a memorable, poignant contrast.
Implied Metaphor
Uses 'run well' metaphorically for striving or performing ably in any area of life, not just literal running.
Conciseness
The brevity and plainness give the proverb a direct, unvarnished power, making its lesson feel blunt but truthful.
Transcription
Quotations
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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