No wind helps a sailor who has no port in mind.

What it means

Effort without a goal goes nowhere. Even a fair wind is useless if you do not know where you are going. Pick the harbour first, then use every breeze.

The source

"No wind helps a sailor who has no port in mind." This French proverb is recorded in Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), French Proverbs. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.

"Nul vent ne fait pour lui qui n'a point de port destiné."

Original French, Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), French 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 "No wind helps a sailor who has no port in mind." mean?

Effort without a goal goes nowhere. Even a fair wind is useless if you do not know where you are going. Pick the harbour first, then use every breeze.

Who said "No wind helps a sailor who has no port in mind."?

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

What is the original French?

Nul vent ne fait pour lui qui n'a point de port destiné. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.

Is "No wind helps a sailor who has no port in mind." on a shirt?

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

"No wind helps a sailor who has no port in mind." (French proverb, Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), French Proverbs, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/no-wind-helps-a-sailor-who-has-no