ProverbHuman Nature
English origin
English originA fool may give a wise man counsel.
Meaning: Even those lacking judgment can occasionally offer valuable advice through chance or simple observation.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
Equivalents in French and Japanese
French: Un fou avise bien un sage (literally: A fool may well advise a wise man)
Japanese: 愚者も千慮に一得あり (Gusha mo senryo ni ittoku ari) (literally: Even a fool, in a thousand thoughts, has one gain)
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- die Faxen dicke haben To be fed up; to have had enough of someone's nonsense or misbehavior.
- aus der Portokasse zahlen To pay a large sum without difficulty because one has abundant resources.
- jemandem in Fleisch und Blut übergehen To become second nature or instinctive; to be absorbed so deeply that it feels like part…
Keep exploring