A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

He that would EAT the fruit must climb the tree
Cf. 1577 J. GRANGE Golden Aphroditis M1 Who will the fruyte that haruest yeeldes, must take the payne.

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  1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 141 He that would eat the Fruit must climb the Tree. 1843 ‘R. CARLTON’ New Purchase I. xxiv. It is a proverb, ‘He that would eat the fruit must first climb the tree and get it’: but when that fruit is honey, he that wants it must first cut it down. 1970 V. CANNING Great Affair xiv. ‘Son, are you one of those who like to eat the fruit and then walk away from the tree?’ ‘I want to marry her.’ ■ wanting and having
  

EAT to live, not live to eat
Attributed to SOCRATES (See Diogenes Laertius Socrates II. xxxiv.) ^L'• ^t|,f>/’•¹
"i¹ М&Ж аЫ; & Mfo 7™ and he said that other men live to eat, but he eats to live. Cf. CICERO Rhetoricorum IV. vii. edere oportet ut vivas, non vivas ut edas, one must eat to live, not live to eat.

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  1387 J. TREVISA tr. Higden’s Polychronicon (1871) III. 281 Socrates seide that meny men wil leve forto ete and drynke, and that they wolde ete and drynke.. forto lyve. c 1410 in Secreta Secretorum (1898) 67 I will ete so that y leue, and noght lyf that y ete.
  

1672 T. SHADWELL Miser 46 Eat to live, not live to eat; as the Proverb says. 1912 A. W. PINERO Preserving Mr. Panmure II. 85 I shall eat sufficient. .. But I eat to live; I don’t live to eat. 2001 Country Life 20/27 Dec. 80 If I had to give a yes or a no to the old question ‘Do you live to eat or eat to live?’ I should say yes to the first part. “food and drink
eat see also the CAT would eat fish, but would not wet her feet; DOG does not eat dog; you cannot HAVE your cake and eat it; when the LAST tree is cut down,.. you will realize that you cannot eat money; if you won’t WORK you shan’t eat.