ProverbHuman Nature
German origin
German originIn der Not frisst der Teufel Fliegen
Meaning: When you are desperate, you take what you can get.
Literally: In times of need, the devil eats flies
Example: “Eigentlich wollte ich nie wieder Nachtschichten machen, aber in der Not frisst der Teufel Fliegen.” — I swore I'd never work night shifts again, but beggars can't be choosers.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and 3 more languages
English: Beggars can't be choosers
French: Faute de grives, on mange des merles (literally: For lack of thrushes, one eats blackbirds)
Spanish: A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente (literally: Don't look at the teeth of a gifted horse)
Portuguese: Quem não tem cão caça com gato (literally: Whoever has no dog hunts with a cat)
Russian: Не до жиру, быть бы живу (Ne do zhiru, byt' by zhivu) (literally: Never mind fat, as long as we stay alive)
Polish: Na bezrybiu i rak ryba (literally: When there are no fish, a crayfish is a fish)
Chinese: 饥不择食 (Jī bù zé shí) (literally: The hungry don't pick their food)
Turkish: Dilenciye hıyar vermişler de eğri diye beğenmemiş (literally: They gave the beggar a cucumber and he turned it down for being crooked)
Origin: Even the devil, who could have anything, settles for flies when there is nothing better. French has a gentler version: for lack of thrushes, one eats blackbirds.
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