When I taught Freshman English as a grad student,

[MineralMan]

we always discussed figures of speech like similes and metaphors. One of my favorite exercises in the course, which was really a class in reading and writing, was to ask the students to explain this bible verse, and to restate it in one simple sentence:

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself: Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" from the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6: 34

The answers I got were all over the place. Then, we had a discussion about interpreting language. The exercise forced the students to think beyond the words and get to the meaning. The antiquated KJV language added to the puzzle.

So, what's your simple sentence?

[4139]

1. Hmm,

“Sha la la la la la live for today
And don't worry 'bout tomorrow, hey“

[nocoincidences]

2. Don't borrow trouble.

Similar but not exact:

Let sleeping dogs lie.

Here's another good one:

[yonder]

3. Uh...apologies in advance but it could be the opposite of this:

"Don't stop thinking about tomorrow....
....Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone"

-F.M.

[MineralMan]

10. Yes.

[4139]

4. On a more serious note: it hints of Buddha's influence on the New Testiment

“Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.”

[MineralMan]

16. Very good. Yes.

However, reason suggests the same.

[gopiscrap]

5. don't sweat it, it will work out somehow

[NeoGreen]

6. Synonymic for: "Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo"? (nt)

[MineralMan]

13. Epicurus, but not exactly equivalent.

"It doesn't matter" doesn't really match. It might matter.

[NeoGreen]

23. I would tend to disagree...

...and would argue in the final analysis that both are saying, in effect, that only the day(s), within which I exist, matter(s).

The Greeks merely go one step further and exclaim: beyond that, I have no care.

Non curo.

[marylandblue]

7. Water cleans everything.

[MineralMan]

20. LOL!

[sanatanadharma]

8. To do onto others sufficiently is to do onto self successfully

"Desire not the results of today's actions (karmas) that of their own nature will manifest reactions (karma phala), equal to the bad (and good) done."

Take therefore no thought the results of today's actions, thought for the things of itself (nature of things) will manifest reactions (the morrow), sufficient (equal) to the evil done today.

Bhagavad Gita 2:47 (variously translated from Sanskrit)

You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.

You only have authority over action, not ever to the result. Don’t be motivated by the result, and don’t get attached to inaction.

You have the right to work only but never to its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.

Your right is to perform your work, but never to the results. Never be motivated by the results of your actions, nor should you be attached to not performing your prescribed duties.

[MineralMan]

12. Multiple complex statements.

Simplify.

[guillaumeb]

9. Focus.

[MineralMan]

11. One day at a time.

That's my interpretation of that verse.

[sanatanadharma]

14. Over simplified, dig deeper

More like always only this one day, as the morrow never comes.

[MineralMan]

15. No, I don't think so.

Yesterday cannot be changed. Tomorrow is uncertain.

[pansypoo53219]

17. tomorrow will take care of itself. chill.

[MineralMan]

18. Concise. Well done.

[Major Nikon]

19. Baseball is 90 percent mental; the other half is physical

[trotsky]

21. Shit happens. n/t

[MineralMan]

22. It does. Shower daily.

[BluesRunTheGame]

24. Some Dylan lyrics...

The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keepin’ on like a bird that flew
Tangled up in blue

[MineralMan]

25. Nice!

[Thomas Hurt]

26. Forget and do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself.

[MineralMan]

27. Very good.

[underpants]

28. Don't let the doorknob hit ya where the good Lord split ya

Or as John Lennon once said "Life is what happens when you're making other plans"

[cachukis]

29. A stitch in time, saves nine.

[Brainstormy]

30. don't bother with the retirement fund. n/t

[SWBTATTReg]

31. Don't think. Do. nt

[MineralMan]

32. That may be a little too narrow for that verse.

[SWBTATTReg]

34. I agree. It was kind of stupid when I heard this at my place of work. It's kind of like the ...

'be best' slogan by rump's wife.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

33. What first popped into my mind was

"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die," which doesn't quite fit the sentiment, I know.

"Don't sweat the small stuff," likewise seems appropriate.