A man cannot live by the air.

Meaning: No one survives on nothing; real sustenance, not mere hope, is required.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Human Nature

• Every man must eat a peck of ashes before he dies. — Everyone must swallow their share of hardship before they die.
• Bachelors' wives and maids' children are always well taught. — Unmarried people confidently advise on parenting despite lacking the humbling reality of…
• He is most loved that hath most bags. — Wealth attracts companionship more reliably than virtue or character ever will.
• Better be a beggar than a fool. — Poverty with dignity and sense surpasses the shame of foolish wealth or status.
• A blind man would be glad to see it. — Even the most limited or deprived person would be grateful for what others take for grant…
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