---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If thy desire to raise thy fortunes…"
description: "\"If thy desire to raise thy fortunes encourage thy delights to the casts of fortune, be wise betimes, lest thou repent too late; what thou gettest, thou..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thy-desire-to-raise-thy-fortunes-enco_360903.png"
---

#  If thy desire to raise thy fortunes encourage thy delights…

![“If thy desire to raise thy fortunes encourage thy delights to the casts of fortune, be wise betimes, lest thou repent too late; what thou gettest, thou gainest by abused providence; what thou losest, thou losest by abused patience; what thou winnest is prodigally spent; what thou losest is…” quote by Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thy-desire-to-raise-thy-fortunes-enco_360903.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thy-desire-to-raise-thy-fortunes-enco_360903.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/francis-quarles-1740_being-wise_if-thy-desire-to-raise-thy-fortunes-enco_360903.png)

> “If thy desire to raise thy fortunes encourage thy delights to the casts of fortune, be wise betimes, lest thou repent too late; what thou gettest, thou gainest by abused providence; what thou losest, thou losest by abused patience; what thou winnest is prodigally spent; what thou losest is prodigally lost; it is an evil trade that prodigally drives; and a bad voyage where the pilot is blind.”

[Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Pursuing wealth without wisdom leads to reckless spending, lost patience, and blind navigation, resulting in regret.

**In simple terms:** Chasing riches blindly brings loss.

Key Takeaway

Practice prudence and patience in ambition.

Themes

wealth prudence regret

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- investment decisions
- career planning
- personal budgeting
- goal setting

Key Concepts

moral philosophy economics self‑control

Questions to Reflect On

- What does true wealth mean to you?
- How can you balance desire with patience?

A Different Perspective

Wealth can be misused; patience is often undervalued.

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[Being wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Gambling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gambling/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Pilots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilots/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [Voyages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyages/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

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> [Mark, how the ready hands of Death prepare: His bow is bent, and he hath notch'd his dart; He aims, he levels at thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/mark-how-the-ready-hands-of-death-prepare-his-bow-is-bent-and-he-hath/)

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## More by Francis Quarles

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> [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/)

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