Meaning & Analysis
The proverb describes a physically absurd and contradictory action: tripping over a tiny, insignificant object like a piece of straw, yet effortlessly jumping over a large, solid obstacle like a block of wood or stone.
Insights
Misplaced Priorities
This illustrates the practice of focusing on trivial faults, minor errors, or insignificant details while completely ignoring major, consequential problems or moral failings. It points to a flawed sense of proportion and inconsistent judgment.
Moral Hypocrisy
The proverb serves as a powerful critique of hypocrisy, describing individuals who apply extreme scrutiny to minor infractions in others (or themselves) while conveniently disregarding significant ethical or practical transgressions.
Willful Blindness
It suggests a form of willful blindness, where someone deliberately concentrates on small, manageable issues to create a facade of diligence or morality, while intentionally avoiding larger, more challenging responsibilities.
Religious and Moral Critique
The proverb has deep roots in religious critique, closely paralleling the biblical admonition against 'straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel' (Matthew 23:24). This highlights its historical use as a tool for criticizing moral hypocrisy, particularly within established authority.
Psychological Avoidance
Psychologically, this behavior can be seen as a defense mechanism or a form of cognitive bias. Individuals may focus on trivial, manageable issues to avoid the anxiety and complexity of confronting larger, more significant problems, a phenomenon known as the 'law of triviality'.
Critique of Bureaucracy
As a form of social commentary, the proverb effectively critiques bureaucratic inefficiency and political misdirection. It highlights how systems or leaders can become obsessed with minor regulations or distractions while ignoring fundamental systemic flaws or crises.
Rhetorical Devices
Antithesis
The proverb's structure is built on the stark contrast between 'stumble at a straw' and 'leap over a block'. This juxtaposition of a minor action with a major one effectively highlights the absurdity of the behavior.
Vivid Imagery
The imagery is simple, concrete, and universally understood. A 'straw' immediately conveys insignificance, while a 'block' signifies a substantial obstacle, making the abstract concept of flawed judgment instantly accessible.
Irony
There is a deep situational irony in the proverb. The expected actions are reversed—one should step over a straw and stumble at a block. This ironic reversal powerfully underscores the illogical and irrational nature of the behavior being criticized.
Transcription
Quotations
(As the common prouerbe is, they stumble at).
Thou lepest ouer a bloke and stomblest at a strawe.
(Ye stumbled and lept).
They were of so blynde iudgemente, that they stumbled at a strawe, and leped ouer a blocke.
(Stumble at).
Whilest you studie on the starres with loftie lookes, and scale the skies with taratant tearms, you stumble at a straw for want of good footing, and diue in the ditche, where I feare you sticke faste.
(He stumbles and leapes).
(To stumble over).
He stumbles at ane strae and loups over ane brae.
Some stumble ouer strawes and leape ouer blockes.
(Many stumble).
(Many stumble).
(Hee stumbleth and leapeth).
(Some stumble).
(Stumble at).
(He stumbles and leapes).
He stumbles at a strea and loupes at a brea.
(and jump over a stile).
(To break ones neck at a straw; The English say, to stumble at).
Whether they who stumble at a straw, and leap over a block are not like those Beggars who halt before they are Cripples.
He stumbled at a Straw, and leap'd o'er a Bink [bench].
(Stumble at).
Cross References
- See St., no. 2202.
Annotations
- Spoken of them who are scrupulously doubtful about a small Thing; and yet have large Consciences in Things of a higher Nature.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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