ProverbWisdom
English origin14th c.
English origin14th c.Rob Peter to pay Paul
Meaning: Solve one problem by creating another.
Origin: The saying was current in English by the late 14th century. A popular story ties it to the 1540s, when funds of St. Peter's, Westminster, were supposedly diverted to repair St. Paul's Cathedral — but the phrase is far older than that. The two apostles were most likely paired because they share a feast day.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Portuguese, and Chinese
French: Déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul (literally: Undress Peter to dress Paul)
Spanish: Desnudar a un santo para vestir a otro (literally: Undress one saint to dress another)
Japanese: あちらを立てればこちらが立たず (Achira wo tatereba kochira ga tatazu) (literally: If one side stands, the other cannot)
German: Ein Loch mit dem anderen zustopfen (literally: To plug one hole with another)
Portuguese: Despir um santo para vestir outro (literally: To undress one saint to clothe another)
Chinese: 拆东墙补西墙 (Chāi dōng qiáng bǔ xī qiáng) (literally: Tear down the east wall to patch the west wall)
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