“He who neglects what is done for what ought”

Simplified Meaning:

This saying is about people who ignore what is real and happening right now because they are too focused on how things should be done ideally. Imagine a manager in a company who always insists on following a perfect work plan but doesn't pay attention to how employees are actually getting their tasks done. If employees are finding their own ways to complete work efficiently, but the manager ignores these methods because they don't fit the perfect plan, it creates problems. The manager might miss out on understanding what really works and could make things harder for everyone by sticking too much to ideal rules. In everyday life, this means paying attention to what is actually working and being flexible, rather than being too rigid about following only the way things should be ideally. For example, if you are trying to lose weight and find that a specific diet is not working for you, it is better to adjust and find something that suits you better rather than strictly sticking to the original plan. This helps in achieving goals more effectively.