Misery loves company
Meaning: Unhappy people seek others who are also suffering.
Origin: An old Latin line, solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris — it is a comfort to the wretched to have companions in misery — is quoted in Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. The short English form became common later, and John Ray's proverb collection of 1670 records an early version.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: La misère aime la compagnie (literally: Misery loves company)
- Spanish: Mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos (literally: The ill of many is the consolation of fools)
- Japanese: 同病相憐れむ (Dōbyō ai awaremu) (literally: Those with the same illness sympathize with each other)
- German: Geteiltes Leid ist halbes Leid (literally: Shared sorrow is half sorrow)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- Out of sight, out of mind — We tend to forget things or people we don't see.
- A cat has nine lives — Cats (or resilient people) survive many dangerous situations.
- All's fair in love and war — Normal rules don't apply in romance or conflict.
- A friend in need is a friend indeed — True friends show their worth during difficult times.
- The squeaky wheel gets replaced — Constant complainers may be removed rather than accommodated.
- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — Perception of beauty is subjective and personal.
From our idioms
- 鸡同鸭讲 (jī tóng yā jiǎng) — Complete miscommunication; talking past each other.
- 脱裤子放屁 (tuō kùzi fàng pì) — Doing something completely unnecessary and pointless.
- 老虎屁股摸不得 (Lǎohǔ pìgu mō bu dé) — Don't provoke someone powerful or dangerous.