IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchUn jugement de Salomon
Meaning: A ruling of great wisdom that exposes the truth by testing it.
Literally: A judgment of Solomon
Example: “Pour les deux enfants qui voulaient le même vélo, leur mère a rendu un jugement de Salomon.” — For the two kids fighting over the same bike, their mother handed down a judgment of Solomon.
English equivalent: The judgment of Solomon
Equivalents in other languages
English: the judgment of Solomon
Origin: From 1 Kings, where Solomon proposes dividing a disputed infant in two and identifies the real mother by which woman gives it up. The point is that he never intended to do it.
More French idioms
- Entrer en lice To join a contest or dispute.
- Se faire limoger To be relieved of a post; to be sacked.
- Laver son linge sale en famille Keep internal disputes private.
- Par le petit bout de la lorgnette From a needlessly narrow point of view.
- Être une lumière To be highly intelligent — used almost exclusively in the negative.
- Une lune de miel The first happy period of a marriage, or of any new arrangement.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- À chacun son métier, et les vaches seront bien gardées Things go best when everyone sticks to what they know.
- Pas à pas on va bien loin Slow, steady progress takes you a long way.
- Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais What is gained dishonestly brings no lasting good.
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