Under water famine, under snow bread.

Meaning: Hidden abundance often lies beneath apparent scarcity; adversity conceals resources invisible to hasty observation.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Wisdom

• Fancy may bolt bran and think it flour. — Imagination can disguise inferior things as valuable when we fail to examine them closely.
• You may go farther and fare worse. — Pursuing distant goals risks worse outcomes than accepting present imperfect circumstance…
• Every one basteth the fat hog, while the lean one burneth. — Abundance attracts care and investment; scarcity receives neglect and harm.
• A fault once denied is twice committed. — Refusing to acknowledge wrongdoing compounds the original error by adding dishonesty.
• Every one's faults are not written on their foreheads. — We cannot judge people's character by appearances; hidden flaws require deeper knowledge…
• The faulty stands on his guard. — One conscious of personal weakness remains vigilant against exploitation or exposure.

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…