This proverb highlights the challenges of old age and personal sacrifices. It can be interpreted as a warning against attempting tasks that are beyond one’s current abilities. When someone old or physically limited tries to undertake a difficult job usually reserved for the younger or stronger, they risk significant losses, implying that it is often wiser to acknowledge and respect one’s own limitations. An equivalent proverb in English might be: ‘A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?’.