There Is No Prosperity Without Discipline.
The Irish language is often remarked upon for it's poetic turn of phrase and that is no more obvious in the sean fhocail - or 'old words'. Sean fhocail are well known sentences that some might see as cliché, but when each one of them is considered in more than just passing, the deeper wisdom and cultural insights can be glimpsed.
Ní Bhíonn An Rath Acht Mar A mBionn An Smacht, translates as “There Is No Prosperity Without Discipline.” I find this phrase as both a motivation and a bit of a call out, which makes me smile.
Taking the Irish language at face value is okay, but sometimes going to Teanglann.ie and exploring the layered meaning of the words. Doing this with these Sean fhocail can be very worth the effort.
The word Rath above means prosperity, but it can also refer to grace, abundance, or Usefulness.
The word Smacht above is taken to be discipline, but one could easily substitute, regulation, dominion, or restraint.
Though the accepted translation mentions discipline and prosperity, you equally say that there is no usefulness without regulations, or abundance without restraint.
There are many times in our days when it seems that the hardest thing to do, is the thing that is the most important to do. We slip into habits of easier tasks or distracting entertainments, none of which truly drive us towards our greatest prosperity. It is at times like that when this sean fhocail rings its loudest in my mind, driving me to be disciplined ans do the uncomfortable yet important things, so that I engage mindfully with prosperity.