ProverbHuman NatureTurkish origin

Dost kara günde belli olur

Meaning: True friends show themselves when times are hard.

Literally: A friend shows on a black day

Example: “İşimi kaybettiğimde yanımda sadece o vardı. Dost kara günde belli olur.” — When I lost my job, only he stood by me: a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and 4 more languages

  • English: A friend in need is a friend indeed
  • French: C'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses amis (literally: It's in need that we recognize our friends)
  • Spanish: En la necesidad se conoce al amigo (literally: In need, the friend is known)
  • German: Freunde in der Not gehen tausend auf ein Lot (literally: Friends in need — a thousand of them go to one lot (tiny weight))
  • Italian: Gli amici si conoscono nel bisogno (literally: Friends are known in times of need)
  • Dutch: In nood leert men zijn vrienden kennen (literally: In need you get to know your friends)
  • Russian: Друг познаётся в беде (Drug poznayotsya v bede) (literally: A friend is known in trouble)
  • Polish: Prawdziwych przyjaciół poznaje się w biedzie (literally: True friends are known in hardship)
  • Arabic: الصديق وقت الضيق (Aṣ-ṣadīq waqt aḍ-ḍīq) (literally: A friend is for times of hardship)

Origin: A "black day" is a day of misfortune; it is then that you find out who your friends are.

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