Meaning of Corsican Proverb "Ropes that are too long become snakes"? [closed]

I came across this proverb recently

Ropes that are too long become snakes.

This is a direct translation from the Corsican of I funi longhi diventani sarpi. However, I could neither understand its meaning nor the context in which this proverb could be used. Does the translation make sense in metaphorical English? Is there a more-commmonly used English expression that has the same meaning?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Solution 1:

This is only conjecture; I believe this statement to have a sort of "tiered" meaning.

First, we need to imagine and understand that a long enough rope will be more difficult to work with. Remember that Corsica is an island and hosts an avid fishing culture. Long ropes are easy to become tangled in on a fishing boat.

Once you understand the danger of a long rope, one might consider them 'as snakes' simply because both are dangerous and winding. If this is the case, I think the phrase is closer to the English sentiment: "Don't bite off more than you can chew."

In other words, trying to always do and work with more and more isn't always best. Bigger isn't always better. Only use what you need and can operate effectively or you may hurt yourself.

Solution 2:

I'm making an assumption about the meaning of the Corsican proverb, and that it is close in meaning to the English saying

Give [a man] enough rope and he'll hang himself.

The Wiktionary interpretation (also given, but less pithily, by Collins) is relevant here:

If one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions.

The McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs gives the narrower definition

If you give someone that you suspect of bad behavior the freedom to behave badly, eventually he or she will be caught and punished.

Solution 3:

Another possible interpretation of the ropes-to-snakes proverb is that even a minor falsehood or deception can take on a life of its own and become increasingly difficult to manage as its inventor struggles to uphold its legitimacy. An English proverb expressing approximately this idea appears in a famous couplet from Walter Scott's Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field (1808):

Oh what a tangled web we weave

When first we practise to deceive!

Senator Samuel J. Ervin of North Carolina cemented his reputation as a homespun philosopher during the 1973 hearings investigating the Watergate scandal by citing (on more than one occasion, I believe) this cautionary quotation on the pitfalls of dishonesty.