Who said "Row with the oars you have."?

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

What is the original Dutch?

Elk moet roeien met de riemen die hij heeft. Translated from the original Dutch by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Row with the oars you have." on a shirt?

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

Elk moet roeien met de riemen die hij heeft.

Row with the oars you have.

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

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What it means

Nobody gets perfect tools or perfect conditions. Waiting for better oars keeps the boat still. Use what you have and pull.

The source

"Row with the oars you have." This Dutch proverb is recorded in Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dutch Proverbs. Translated from the original Dutch by Spartan Surfers.

"Elk moet roeien met de riemen die hij heeft."

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 "Row with the oars you have." mean?: Nobody gets perfect tools or perfect conditions. Waiting for better oars keeps the boat still. Use what you have and pull.
Who said "Row with the oars you have."?: Dutch proverb. Source: Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dutch Proverbs.
What is the original Dutch?: Elk moet roeien met de riemen die hij heeft. Translated from the original Dutch by Spartan Surfers.
Is "Row with the oars you have." on a shirt?: Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Cite this line

"Row with the oars you have." (Dutch proverb, Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Dutch Proverbs, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/row-with-the-oars-you-have