Meaning & Analysis
One should speak positively about the physical bridge that has allowed them to safely cross an obstacle, acknowledging its utility and benefit.
Insights
Gratitude and Acknowledgment
The 'bridge' symbolizes any person, institution, or resource that provides support or helps one overcome a challenge. The proverb is a call to express gratitude and give credit to those who have aided your progress.
Prudence and Self-Interest
It serves as a piece of pragmatic advice: do not criticize or speak ill of the people or systems you rely on, as you may need their help again in the future. It is a warning against burning bridges.
Loyalty to Benefactors
The act of 'praising the bridge' reinforces a sense of loyalty to one's benefactors, whether they be family, patrons, or mentors. It suggests that disparaging one's source of support is a form of betrayal.
Social and Strategic Wisdom
This proverb underscores the social importance of reciprocity and public acknowledgment. In historical contexts dependent on patronage and reputation, failing to praise a benefactor was not just ungrateful but also a strategic error that could sever future opportunities.
Psychological Integrity
The proverb has a strong psychological dimension, cautioning against the common human tendency to 'kick down the ladder' after achieving success. It advises aligning one's public statements with the benefits one has received, fostering integrity and preventing cognitive dissonance.
Modern Professional Ethics
In a modern professional context, the 'bridge' can be a former employer, a mentor, or a networking contact. The advice remains highly relevant, warning that disparaging those who have helped you can damage your reputation and close doors to future advancement.
Rhetorical Devices
Metaphor
The 'bridge' serves as a powerful and universally understood metaphor for any means of support, connection, or assistance that helps a person overcome an obstacle.
Imperative Mood
The proverb is phrased as a command or strong recommendation ('Let every man...'), giving it a prescriptive and authoritative tone that frames it as a moral or practical rule to live by.
Symbolism
The act of 'going over' a bridge is symbolic of making progress, overcoming a difficulty, or transitioning from one stage of life to another, enriching the proverb's meaning.
Transcription
Quotations
*Speak not ill of him who hath done you a courtesy, or whom you have made use of to your benefit; or do commonly make use of.
Let every one praise the Bridge, that carries him over.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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