Is this sentence correct

Question

You must hide your light under a bushel because everyone will (start to) envy you.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Mercyful_fateYou must hide your light under a bushel because everyone will (start to) envy you.

It's grammatical and natural, but a bit illogical without context.

Do you mean, "You must do X, because if you don't/ otherwise, people will Y." ??

You do this thing in order to prevent people from doing that thing.

You must hide your money under the mattress, because looters are starting to terrorize the city.

This would be a different proposition.
You don't propose to stop them from looting and terrorizing. You just want to keep your money safe.

Well, maybe you want people to envy you:
You must let your light shine forth, because THEN people will envy you.

Am I making any sense??

V S Rao · Answer

Dear Mr.Avangi,
You have given a very nice comment. You made me remember good words of holy scripture.. The Lamp and the Bushel:
'Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.15. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'—Matthew 5:14-16.

Regards,
Sri

Mercyful_fate · Answer

Thanks, Avangi, but I'm a bit lost. Can you rephrase it for me? I want to say "you must hide your light under a bushel because if you didn't people will start to envy you" And I'm saying that in an ironic way.

Avangi · Answer

Are you thinking of "your light" as your physical possessions, or as your natural abilities, or as your good works on behalf of others? - or something else?

I want to say "you must hide your light under a bushel because if you ~~didn't~~ don't people will start to envy you."

Mercyful_fate · Answer

I mean by it ideas.

Is this sentence correct

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions