Thesaurum in sepulchro ponit, qui senem heredem facit.
(Publilius Syrus, Sententia 626)

Anyone who makes an old man his heir puts his treasure in the grave.

(pron = the-SOW-room ihn seh-POOL-kroh poh-nit kwee seh-nehm hay-RAY-dehm
FAH-kit)

Comment: It’s important to pay attention to chronology, Publilius Syrus seems to
be saying. On a normal day, one does not want to make an old man one’s heir.
On a normal day, the old man will not outlive you, and then your estate goes to
the grave, or the government. Some would say there are no differences in the
grave and the government!

This proverb is a comical little way of saying—pay attention to how things are
unfolding. That’s all. And, I would throw in, sometimes, it’s not a normal
day. Sometimes, just sometimes, the old man or woman is the perfect heir, the
appropriate one to help you out. Pay attention to how things are unfolding,
but don’t presume that you always know what that is.