Better lose the anchor than the whole ship.

What it means

Sometimes you have to cut a loss to survive. Holding on to one part can sink everything. Let go of what you must to save what matters.

The source

"Better lose the anchor than the whole ship." This Dutch proverb is recorded in Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dutch Proverbs. Translated from the original Dutch by Spartan Surfers.

"Beter nog een anker kwijt dan het geheele schip."

Original Dutch, Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dutch Proverbs. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "Better lose the anchor than the whole ship." mean?

Sometimes you have to cut a loss to survive. Holding on to one part can sink everything. Let go of what you must to save what matters.

Who said "Better lose the anchor than the whole ship."?

Dutch proverb. Source: Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dutch Proverbs.

What is the original Dutch?

Beter nog een anker kwijt dan het geheele schip. Translated from the original Dutch by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Better lose the anchor than the whole ship." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Better lose the anchor than the whole ship." (Dutch proverb, Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dutch Proverbs, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/better-lose-the-anchor-than-the-whole-ship