Be prepared for crisis before hand: It is too late to be digging a well in the light of your burning house



चिन्तनीया ही विपदां  आदादैव प्रतिक्रिया |

न कूपखननं युक्तं प्रदीप्ते वह्निना गृहे  ||



चिन्तनीया ही  one must indeed think
प्रतिक्रिया   response
विपदां  of crisis
आदादैव  ahead of time

न युक्तं  it is not optimal
कूपखननं  to be digging a well
प्रदीप्ते  in the brilliant light
गृहे  of  your home
वह्निना being burnt by fire

It is important to be prepared for crises ahead of time. When the crisis is at the door, is not the appropriate time to begin preparations on how to meet it. This aphorism is thousands of years old, but would constitute sage advice to our leaders today, don't you think?


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