Korean Proverb Series 57
Stretch Your Legs According to Your Bed
“누울 자리를 보고 다리를 뻗어라”
(Nuul jarireul bogo darireul ppeodeora)
🕰️ 1. The Proverb’s Core Meaning
The Korean proverb “누울 자리를 보고 다리를 뻗어라” literally means
“Stretch your legs after seeing where you will lie.”
It teaches the wisdom of acting within one’s means and circumstances.
In other words — before taking action, understand your situation.
Those who overreach without preparation often face unnecessary hardship.
This proverb encourages self-awareness, prudence, and humility.
True wisdom lies in knowing your limits and walking steadily within them.
🪄 2. Meaning & Key Lesson
▪️ Don’t act beyond your capacity.
▪️ Plan according to your resources.
▪️ Knowing your limits is strength, not weakness.
The proverb reminds us that ambition is valuable only when balanced with realism.
Living modestly within one’s means builds lasting peace and stability.
👀 3. Real-Life Applications
▪️ A person with limited income buying luxury goods may later struggle with debt.
▪️ Someone accepting too much work at once may lose focus and burn out.
▪️ In relationships, promising more than one can give often leads to disappointment.
Just as one must adjust their posture to the size of the bed,
we must align our choices with the size of our abilities and reality.
🌏 4. Similar Proverbs Around the World
▪️ United Kingdom — “Cut your coat according to your cloth.”
→ Make your plans based on the material you have.
▪️ United States — “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
→ Don’t take on more than you can handle.
▪️ France — “Qui trop embrasse mal étreint.”
→ He who embraces too much, holds nothing well.
Across cultures, moderation and self-knowledge are seen as keys to wisdom.
💬 A Warm Saying
“Peace doesn’t come from having more —
it comes from knowing what’s enough.”
📌 Note
This is a creative cultural content from the Misojieum Story Blog (kor-telling.com).
Please do not copy without permission.
Sharing is welcome with proper source citation.
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