--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He that sows his grain upon marble will…" description: "\"He that sows his grain upon marble will have many a hungry belly before his harvest.\" — John Arbuthnot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-arbuthnot-18374_agriculture_he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will_2740634.png" --- # He that sows his grain upon marble will have many a hungry… ![“He that sows his grain upon marble will have many a hungry belly before his harvest.” quote by John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-arbuthnot-18374_agriculture_he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will_2740634.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-arbuthnot-18374_agriculture_he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will_2740634.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-arbuthnot-18374_agriculture_he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will_2740634.png) > “He that sows his grain upon marble will have many a hungry belly before his harvest.” [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effort without suitable conditions yields no results; planting seeds on barren ground leads to hunger before any harvest. **In simple terms:** Hard work needs proper environment. Key Takeaway Seek supportive conditions before investing effort. Themes effort environment expectations Mood pragmatic thoughtful Type advisory reflective When to use this quote - agriculture - business ventures - education planning Key Concepts socio‑economic factors resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What conditions are missing in your project? - How can you improve the environment for better outcomes? A Different Perspective Hard work alone cannot guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) [Grain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grain/) [Harvest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harvest/) ## Related quotes > [It was just the sort of yatch you'd expect a rock promoter to have. Mirrored ceilings, marble, Jacuzzis and leopard-skin everything, it made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-was-just-the-sort-of-yatch-you-d-expect-a-rock-promoter-to-have/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [What a severe yet master artist old Winter is... No longer the canvas and the pigments, but the marble and the chisel...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/what-a-severe-yet-master-artist-old-winter-is-no-longer-the-canvas/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Fortunately, when we have all our marbles, we can shift our memories very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-stuart/fortunately-when-we-have-all-our-marbles-we-can-shift-our-memories/) [Michelle Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-stuart/) > [It occurs to me that the peculiarity of most things we think of as fragile is how tough they truly are. There were tricks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-occurs-to-me-that-the-peculiarity-of-most-things-we-think-of-as/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Man offers himself to God. He stands before Him like the canvas before the painter or the marble before the sculptor. At the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-carrel/man-offers-himself-to-god-he-stands-before-him-like-the-canvas-before/) [Alexis Carrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-carrel/) > [Don Quixote followed nature, and being satisfied with his first sleep, did not solicit more. As for Sancho, he never wanted a second, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/don-quixote-followed-nature-and-being-satisfied-with-his-first-sleep/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [“Well, we were always going to fail that one,” said Ron gloomily as they ascended the marble staircase. He had just made Harry feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-we-were-always-going-to-fail-that-one-said-ron-gloomily-as-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's like my having to walk down thousands and thousands of white marble stairs...and nothing but a very very blue sky, very blue...and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-sedgwick/it-s-like-my-having-to-walk-down-thousands-and-thousands-of-white/) [Edie Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-sedgwick/) > [If there's one thing white men have never had a problem with in this clubby, white marble enclave of Washington, it's getting pulled up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/if-there-s-one-thing-white-men-have-never-had-a-problem-with-in-this/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. \[Fr.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marble-i-mean-that-it-is-made-up/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [If we work on marble it will perish. If we work on brass, time will efface it. If we raise temples, they will crumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/if-we-work-on-marble-it-will-perish-if-we-work-on-brass-time-will/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [Niches set back in the walls contained polished marble statues of entwined bodies. Will looked away from them hastily, and then back. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/niches-set-back-in-the-walls-contained-polished-marble-statues-of/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-marble-not-yet-carved-can-hold-the-form-of-every-thought-the/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [Book-matched marble is one of the truest ways to showcase the natural beauty of the stone and can become a statement piece of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-brent/book-matched-marble-is-one-of-the-truest-ways-to-showcase-the-natural/) [Jeremiah Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-brent/) > [Guess what it is that turns plants to coal. Pressure. Guess what it is that turns limestone to marble. Pressure. Guess what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/guess-what-it-is-that-turns-plants-to-coal-pressure-guess-what-it-is/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) ## More by John Arbuthnot > [The dumpling is indeed of more ancient institution, and of foreign origin; but alas, what were those dumplings? Nothing but a few lentils sodden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-dumpling-is-indeed-of-more-ancient-institution-and-of-foreign/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [John looked ruddy and plump, with a pair of cheeks like a trumpeter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/john-looked-ruddy-and-plump-with-a-pair-of-cheeks-like-a-trumpeter/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [All the politics in the world are nothing else but a kind of analysis of the quantity of probability in casual events, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/all-the-politics-in-the-world-are-nothing-else-but-a-kind-of-analysis/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [The Mathematics are Friends to Religion; inasmuch as they charm the Passions, restrain the Impetuosity of Imagination, and purge the Mind from Error and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-mathematics-are-friends-to-religion-inasmuch-as-they-charm-the/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [What I have said may serve to recommend mathematics for acquiring a vigorous constitution of mind; for which purpose they are as useful as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/what-i-have-said-may-serve-to-recommend-mathematics-for-acquiring-a/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [Unjust force can never give any just dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/unjust-force-can-never-give-any-just-dominion/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [The Reader may here observe the Force of Numbers, which can be successfully applied, even to those things, which one would imagine are subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-reader-may-here-observe-the-force-of-numbers-which-can-be/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [To bliss unknown by lofty soul aspires, My lot unequal to my vast desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/to-bliss-unknown-by-lofty-soul-aspires-my-lot-unequal-to-my-vast/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [Almighty Power, by whose most wise command, helpless, forlorn, uncertain, here I stand, take this faint glimmer of thyself away, or break into my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/almighty-power-by-whose-most-wise-command-helpless-forlorn-uncertain/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [The Mathematics are Friends to Religion, inasmuch as they charm the Passions, restrain the Impetuosity of the Imagination, and purge the Mind from Error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-mathematics-are-friends-to-religion-inasmuch-as-they-charm-the-2/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [King is a title which translated into several languages, signifies a magistrate with as many different degrees of power as there are kingdoms in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/king-is-a-title-which-translated-into-several-languages-signifies-a/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [I believe the calculation of the quantity of probability might be improved to a very useful and pleasant speculation, and applied to a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/i-believe-the-calculation-of-the-quantity-of-probability-might-be/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [Among innumerable footsteps of divine providence to be found in the works of nature, there is a very remarkable one to be observed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/among-innumerable-footsteps-of-divine-providence-to-be-found-in-the/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [The mathematics are the friends of religion, inasmuch as they charm the passions, restrain the impetuosity of the imagination, and purge the mind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-mathematics-are-the-friends-of-religion-inasmuch-as-they-charm/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [The dumpling-eaters are a race sprung partly from the old Epicurean and partly from the Peripatetic Sect; they were first brought into Britain by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-dumpling-eaters-are-a-race-sprung-partly-from-the-old-epicurean/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) [Explore all 35 John Arbuthnot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) ## More Agriculture quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [I would say my fraternity was nothing but a bunch of farm boys; we weren't really in the whole fraternity scene, but yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-would-say-my-fraternity-was-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-farm-boys-we/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I grew up in Italy, and our country is a country of great agriculture and food produce. It wasn't like I was urban and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/i-grew-up-in-italy-and-our-country-is-a-country-of-great-agriculture/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Sara Scherr and Jeff McNeely have given us a thoughtful, sensible book about a topic of great importance to the world. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-serageldin/sara-scherr-and-jeff-mcneely-have-given-us-a-thoughtful-sensible-book/) [Ismail Serageldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-serageldin/) > [People want development, modern thinking. They want to encourage and support research in agriculture and other fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharad-pawar/people-want-development-modern-thinking-they-want-to-encourage-and/) [Sharad Pawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharad-pawar/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When politicians talk of loan waiver, they are accepting that agriculture is not economically viable. They are giving a wrong signal that farming is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/when-politicians-talk-of-loan-waiver-they-are-accepting-that/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [Nitrogen-based fertilizers, which came into wide use after World War II, helped prompt the agricultural revolution that has allowed the Earth to feed its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/nitrogen-based-fertilizers-which-came-into-wide-use-after-world-war/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [Agriculture is one economic activity that does not obey the laws of demand and supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/agriculture-is-one-economic-activity-that-does-not-obey-the-laws-of/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [More than a mere alternative strategy, regenerative agriculture represents a fundamental shift in our culture’s relationship to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/more-than-a-mere-alternative-strategy-regenerative-agriculture/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) [Browse all 889 Agriculture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He that sows his grain upon marble will have many a hungry belly before his harvest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Arbuthnot" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will-have-many-a-hungry-belly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agriculture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will-have-many-a-hungry-belly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-arbuthnot-18374_agriculture_he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will_2740634.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-arbuthnot-18374_agriculture_he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will_2740634.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-arbuthnot-18374_agriculture_he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will_2740634.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He that sows his grain upon marble will have many a hungry belly before his harvest.” — John Arbuthnot", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Arbuthnot", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He that sows his grain upon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will-have-many-a-hungry-belly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/he-that-sows-his-grain-upon-marble-will-have-many-a-hungry-belly/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```