Bitter is sweet to hungry men.
Meaning: Hunger transforms even unpalatable sustenance into something desirable when survival is at stake.
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.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Idle folk have the least leisure. — Procrastinators squander time worrying about undone tasks, leaving themselves perpetually…
- Idleness is the key of beggary. — Lack of effort and activity inevitably leads to poverty and dependence on others' charity.
- Idleness must thank itself if it goes barefoot. — Laziness creates its own poverty; those who refuse work cannot blame circumstances for th…
- Give him an inch, and he'll take an ell. — Allowing someone a small concession encourages them to demand progressively larger ones.
- Who in Janiveer sows oats, gets gold and groats. — Sowing oats in January's harsh cold yields abundant harvests through bold, timely action…
- Jests, like sweetmeats, are often sour sauce. — Humor that relies on mockery or cruelty leaves a bitter aftertaste despite its initial ap…
From our untranslatable words
- Jugaad — A creative, frugal fix — a clever improvised solution that gets things done with whatever…
- Cafuné — The tender act of running your fingers through someone's hair — an intimate gesture of lo…
- Shinrin-yoku — Immersing yourself in the atmosphere of a forest — soaking up its calm through all your s…