You can sail around the sea, but not around a man.

What it means

You can avoid a stretch of water, but not a person you have wronged. Grudges find their way to you sooner or later. Deal fairly with people, because you cannot steer around them forever.

The source

"You can sail around the sea, but not around a man." This Finnish proverb is recorded in Lönnrot, Suomalaisia sananlaskuja (Mehiläinen 1836-37; ed. 1892), no. 91. Translated from the original Finnish by Spartan Surfers.

"Meren kierrät, miest' et kierrä."

Original Finnish, Lönnrot, Suomalaisia sananlaskuja (Mehiläinen 1836-37; ed. 1892), no. 91. Text read at gutenberg.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 "You can sail around the sea, but not around a man." mean?

You can avoid a stretch of water, but not a person you have wronged. Grudges find their way to you sooner or later. Deal fairly with people, because you cannot steer around them forever.

Who said "You can sail around the sea, but not around a man."?

Finnish proverb. Source: Lönnrot, Suomalaisia sananlaskuja (Mehiläinen 1836-37; ed. 1892), no. 91.

What is the original Finnish?

Meren kierrät, miest' et kierrä. Translated from the original Finnish by Spartan Surfers.

Is "You can sail around the sea, but not around a man." on a shirt?

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

"You can sail around the sea, but not around a man." (Finnish proverb, Lönnrot, Suomalaisia sananlaskuja (Mehiläinen 1836-37; ed. 1892), no. 91, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/you-can-sail-around-the-sea-but-not