ProverbChallengeEnglish origin

A good lawyer, an evil neighbour.

Meaning: Good legal advocates thrive when disputes arise, making them prosperous through others' conflicts and grievances.

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 Spanish

  • French: Bon avocat, mauvais voisin (literally: A good lawyer, a bad neighbor)
  • Spanish: Buen abogado, mal vecino (literally: A good lawyer, a bad neighbor)

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