Meaning: There is an old proverb that says ‘prevention is better than cure.’ It is wiser to avoid a disease by following a healthy regimen of life than to contract it, and then seek remedies.
This saying is all about foresight. It encourages us to act straight away to resolve issues rather than allowing them to build up.
Prevention is better than cure is a proverb that encourages us to act wisely. This proverb argues that stopping a problem in its tracks is (for instance):
- Easier,
- Preferable,
- Cheaper,
- Quicker, and
- Less painful,
than trying to cure it once it has taken hold.
Expansion of the idea: This proverb can help us in many aspects of life. This proverb can work in both a literal and a metaphorical sense, as the discussion below will demonstrate.
- Healthcare. It is better to live a healthy life and thus prevent illness than to only pay attention to our health when we get sick.
- Medicine. It is better to go for regular medical checks and to catch problems ASAP.
- Workload. It is better to work hard from the start and not let deadlines build up.
- Relationships. It is better to talk problems through rather than allowing them to become unmanageable.
- Money. It is best to start saving right now rather than worrying about how to cover costs when they arise.
Curing or resolving a problem at a later stage involves much time, cost, and attention. Thus, it is a good idea to make arrangements to prevent a problem in the first place.
Avoid difficulties to live a peaceful life. Human life is beset with numerous difficulties, and therefore, every thoughtful man should try to avoid them as much as possible and live a peaceful life. There are difficulties and troubles for which there is no help. On the other hand, prevention is cheaper than cure. Besides saving time and money, it spares a man of many anxious thoughts.
Use the power of reasoning and foresight to prevent avoidable difficulties. Man is distinguished from the lower animals by his power of reasoning. He has the power of foresight, and can use it for his own benefit. Without foresight the principle that prevention is better than cure cannot be properly and beneficially followed. Calculate the difficulty and adopt some means to avoid it. Man is not strong enough; and, even, if he were, it would be foolishness to invite difficulties, and, then try to overcome them. Instead of awaiting and facing the troubles, it is better to be on the safe side.
Conclusion: Life is short, and, if a considerable part of it is taken up in inviting troubles and then curing them, how will man manage to live a life worth the name? Every effort should be made to prevent troubles and difficulties, and it must be applied to every respect of life. If the principle of “prevention is better than cure” is strictly and faithfully followed, much physical and mental suffering can be avoided, and a considerable amount of expense need not be incurred.
Edited with the help of input article contributed by Laura.