No man loves his fetters, though of gold.
Meaning: Even luxurious constraints remain oppressive; material comfort cannot compensate for lost freedom.
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 Human Nature
- No man can flay a stone. — Attempting the impossible wastes effort; some things resist all effort by their very natu…
- A fool may give a wise man counsel. — Even those lacking judgment can occasionally offer valuable advice through chance or simp…
- Every man is either a fool or a physician after thirty years of age. — Experience either teaches you wisdom or your ignorance becomes permanent folly by middle…
- An old fool is the worst of fools. — Inexperience excuses foolishness; years of repeating mistakes demonstrate willful ignoran…
- Better it is to meet a bear bereaved of her whelps, than a fool in his folly. — Confronting a dangerous animal is safer than engaging with someone determined to persist…
- As the fool thinks, so the bell chinks. — A fool's actions produce predictable, hollow results—noise without substance or deeper me…
From our idioms
- a todo mecate — At full speed; with maximum effort; going all out.
- viva estampa — An exact likeness; someone or something that looks exactly like another.
- éramos pocos y parió la abuela — as if that wasn't enough, things went from bad to worse.