"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow"

In this quote, Aesop cautions the reader to be mindful of focusing too heavily on superficial, extraneous details and forgeting more crucial matters. By "comprehending at the shadow," Aesop is referring to a situation in which one is sidetracked by or extremely fixated on something that is not necessary or significant, at the threat of ignoring or losing something of actual value. This quote is a pointer to stay mindful and aware of our concerns, to prevent getting captured up in trivial or irrelevant matters, and to preserve concentrate on what genuinely matters in life.