He who wants too much grasps nothing — greed overreaches and ends up with less than moderation would have provided. The person who tries to hold everything ends with empty hands.
This proverb from the Lombard tradition combines the practical wisdom of the merchant with the moral wisdom of the Christian tradition. In the market, the merchant who demanded too high a price sold nothing; the one who asked a fair price sold well and built a relationship for future business. In the legal tradition, the person who claimed too much in a dispute received a smaller settlement than the one who claimed reasonably. In the natural world, the image is of a hand grasping: close your fingers around air and you hold nothing; close them around a small thing firmly and you hold it. The proverb is a counsel of moderation and realism: know what is actually available to you and take it securely rather than reaching for more and losing everything.
Lombard commercial proverb rooted in the merchant tradition. The image of grasping and losing what is grasped is ancient and found across European proverbial traditions.
A Milanese merchant advising on pricing
— Chiedo trenta per cento di margine. — Chi trop völ nient strenz. Chiedi venti, vendi sempre, costruisci la relazione.
— Pido un margen del treinta por ciento. — Quien mucho quiere nada aprieta. Pide veinte, vende siempre, construye la relación.
A Lombard lawyer settling a case
Il cliente voleva un milione. Chi trop völ nient strenz — abbiamo accettato trecentomila e adesso li abbiamo in mano.
El cliente quería un millón. Quien mucho quiere nada aprieta — aceptamos trescientos mil y ahora los tenemos en la mano.
A Milanese property developer
Ha rifiutato tre offerte buone aspettando quella migliore. Chi trop völ nient strenz — adesso il mercato è sceso e vende a meno della prima offerta.
Rechazó tres buenas ofertas esperando la mejor. Quien mucho quiere nada aprieta — ahora el mercado ha bajado y vende por menos que la primera oferta.
A Piedmontese grandmother on relationships
— Voglio l'uomo perfetto. — Chi trop völ nient strenz, cara. L'uomo giusto non è quello perfetto.
— Quiero al hombre perfecto. — Quien mucho quiere nada aprieta, querida. El hombre correcto no es el perfecto.