He that can have PATIENCE can have what he will

Meaning & Analysis

Literally, the proverb claims that anyone who is able to remain patient will ultimately obtain whatever they desire.

Insights

Power of Endurance

Patience is portrayed as a foundational strength, empowering individuals to persist through obstacles and delays, ultimately achieving their aims.

Mastery over Circumstance

The proverb suggests that self-mastery—specifically, mastery over one’s impulses and frustrations—grants a person control over the unfolding of events and, by extension, their own destiny.

Delayed Gratification

It extols the virtue of forgoing immediate rewards in favor of greater, long-term successes, emphasizing that endurance is often rewarded in the end.

Historical Symbolism

Patience has been regarded as a cardinal virtue across cultures and eras—central in Stoic, Christian, and Eastern philosophies alike. The proverb captures the wisdom that great achievements and deep fulfillment are often the fruit of steady, patient effort.

Cultural and Literary Resonance

Variants of this sentiment appear in numerous traditions: 'He that can stay obtains,' 'All succeeds well to him who hath patience,' and even in Shakespearean characters who advocate for 'bearing the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.' The message endures as a counterpoint to the human tendency for haste.

Psychological Insight

The proverb reflects modern psychological research on self-regulation and delayed gratification, suggesting that patience is closely linked to personal success, resilience, and satisfaction.

Rhetorical Devices

Hyperbole

The sweeping claim—'can have what he will'—exaggerates to emphasize the immense, almost magical, power attributed to patience.

Parallelism

The balanced structure ('He that can have patience / can have what he will') gives the statement a memorable, aphoristic quality.

Alliteration

Repetition of the soft 'h' sounds in 'he,' 'have,' and 'his' contributes to the proverb's rhythm and mnemonic force.

patienceendurancevirtuesuccessselfmasterydelayedgratification

Analyzed with gpt-4.1 on July 10, 2025

Transcription

Quotations

He that can wait long shall haue a good houre.

— 1611, COT., s.v. Venir

All succeeds well to him who hath patience.

— 1659, HOW., Fr. Prov., p. 9

Who can have patience, hath what he will.

— 1659, HOW., It. Prov., p. 11

— 1736, FRANKLIN, p. 10

Cross References

Related Proverbs

M554 MEN must do as they may (can), not as they would 86.9%C626 CONTENT lodges oftener in cottages than palaces 86.3%M440 You may know the MAN by his manners 86.0%C252 CHARITY construes all doubtful things in good part 86.0%C325 Be patient and you shall have patient CHILDREN 85.9%R105 The more that RICHES are honored the more virtue is despised 85.8%C601 CONSCIENCE is a thousand witnesses 85.8%W195 He that marries for WEALTH sells his liberty 85.7%P468 The POOR have few friends 85.5%L564 He that LOVES well does punish well 85.5%W513 He that passes a WINTER's day escapes an enemy 85.5%M1143 It costs MORE to do ill than to do well 85.5%C804 Of all CRAFTS to be an honest man is the master CRAFT 85.5%C474 It is not the gay COAT that makes the gentleman 85.4%F531 FOOLS are wise as long as silent 85.3%T265 He that will THRIVE must rise at five, he that has thrived may lie till seven, he that will never thrive may lie till eleven 85.3%C812 Every CREATURE thinks her own fair 85.3%A191 He that will have ALL dies of madness 85.3%F92 Such a (Like) FATHER such a (like) son 85.3%P177 Never inquire the PEDIGREE of a good man 85.2%

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