ProverbPerseverance
French origin14th c.
French origin14th c.Misfortunes never come alone
Meaning: Troubles compound—when one disaster strikes, others typically follow in succession.
Origin: An old observation found across Europe; early 14th-century French had ung meschief ne vient point seul, a misfortune does not come alone. Shakespeare gave it its most famous form in Hamlet, where King Claudius says: "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, / But in battalions."
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 5 more languages
French: Un malheur ne vient jamais seul (literally: Misfortunes never come single)
Spanish: Las desgracias nunca vienen solas (literally: Misfortunes never come alone)
Japanese: 一難去ってまた一難 (Ichinan satte mata ichinan) (literally: One trouble leaves, and then another trouble)
German: Ein Unglück kommt selten allein (literally: A misfortune seldom comes alone)
Italian: Le disgrazie non vengono mai sole (literally: Misfortunes never come alone)
Portuguese: Uma desgraça nunca vem só (literally: A misfortune never comes alone)
Dutch: Een ongeluk komt zelden alleen (literally: A misfortune seldom comes alone)
Russian: Беда одна не ходит (Beda odna ne khodit) (literally: Trouble doesn't walk alone)
Polish: Nieszczęścia chodzą parami (literally: Misfortunes come in pairs)
Chinese: 祸不单行 (Huò bù dān xíng) (literally: Disasters never travel alone)
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