Qui nimis capit, parum stringit
“He who grasps too much holds little.”
Medieval Latin proverb
What does “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit” mean?
Qui nimis capit, parum stringit translates as “He who grasps too much holds little.”
Trying to do or own too much at once means holding nothing firmly. Focus wins over overreach.
“Qui nimis capit, parum stringit” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Qui | he who, whoever | masculine singular nominative relative pronoun; the subject of the whole clause |
| nimis | too much | adverb of degree, “excessively”; here it modifies capit |
| capit | grasps, takes | third person singular present indicative active of capio, “I take, seize” |
| parum | little, too little | adverb (here used as a noun, “little”); the opposite of nimis |
| stringit | holds, draws tight | third person singular present indicative active of stringo, “I draw tight, bind, grip” |
How to pronounce “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit”
The main differences are the hard g in stringit (classical) versus a soft j sound (church), and the short i of nimis versus a longer ee. Stress falls on the first syllable of nimis, capit, parum and stringit.
The story behind it
Word for word the proverb says “who takes too much, grips little”. It is a medieval Latin saying, so there is no single known author, and it belongs to the large stock of proverbs that circulated in the Middle Ages.
Its sense is close to the English proverb “Grasp all, lose all”: someone who reaches for everything ends up keeping very little. The verb stringo carries the image of a tight grip, so the contrast is between taking a lot and holding on firmly to any of it.
The idea fits older warnings about greed and overreach, but the exact wording is medieval. Today it is mostly quoted as advice on focus, prioritising and not taking on too many projects at once.
How to use “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit”
A practical motto for a busy entrepreneur’s planner, a talk or essay on focus and priorities, or a note to yourself when your to-do list is out of control. It also works as a gentle warning against greed.
- Latin
- Qui nimis capit, parum stringit
- English
- He who grasps too much holds little.
- Source
- Medieval Latin proverb
- Era
- Middle Ages
- Theme
- Prudence
Common mistakes
- It is not a classical Roman saying. It is a medieval proverb, so do not credit it to Cicero, Seneca or another ancient author.
- The verb stringit is easy to misread as a form of “strike” or “stretch”. Here it means to hold or grip tightly.
- Parum means “little” or “too little”, not “a lot”. Do not confuse it with parvus (small) or paulum (a little).
- Qui is a relative pronoun here (“he who”). Do not translate it as the question “who?”.
Questions about “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit”
What does “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit” mean literally?
Literally, “who takes too much, grips little”. The sense is that whoever grasps at too much holds on to very little.
Who said “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit”?
No author is known. It is a medieval Latin proverb, not a quote from a named ancient writer.
How do you pronounce “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit”?
In classical Latin: kwee NIH-mis KAH-pit PAH-room STRIN-git. In church Latin: kwee NEE-mees KAH-peet PAH-room STREEN-jeet.
Is “Qui nimis capit, parum stringit” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound and the meaning is clear. Keep the comma and the word order, and remember it is a proverb about overreach, not about ambition in general.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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