A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando.
“Pray to God, but keep swinging the hammer.”
Faith should be paired with hard work, not used as a substitute for it.
— Traditional Ecuador Wisdom, Ecuador
Source: Traditional Ecuador proverb, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Ecuador
When hungry enough, no bread is bad.
Real need makes people accept what they would otherwise reject.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Accept a gift graciously rather than criticizing its quality.
Love from far away is a fool's love.
Distance weakens romantic bonds; long-distance love rarely lasts.
Lacking bread, cakes will do.
When the ideal option is unavailable, a reasonable substitute is welcome.
Great ills call for great remedies.
Serious problems require bold, decisive solutions.
In troubled waters, the fishermen profit.
Confusion and chaos create opportunities for those ready to seize them.