Literal translation
To taste the figs, one must send the hand
Meaning
to get what you want, you must dare and take risks
Explanation
This saying holds that no result can be reached without a minimum of boldness and personal commitment, the image coming from the actual gesture needed to pick and taste a ripe fig. One cannot judge a fig's quality from a distance: the hand must reach out, take hold, risk getting dirty or pricked by the fig tree's thorns to find out whether it is good. The verb manda (to send, to reach out, to throw) underlines this deliberate movement toward the object of desire, a gesture without which nothing is gained. It is used to encourage a hesitant person to commit to a venture, a negotiation or a relationship, stressing that standing still guarantees failure while acting at least offers a chance of success. The context rightly links it to sayings about necessary risk and about breaking eggs to make an omelette, in the same spirit of the minimal courage every success demands.