proverb · Legacy record
In good times friends know you, and in bad times you know them.
In good times friends know you, and in bad times you know them.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying makes good times reveal acquaintance and bad times reveal dependable friends. It contrasts company with support under strain.
What the words are saying
The parallel structure gives difficulty a testing role without measuring anyone’s loyalty. A responsible application notices support while allowing for limited capacity and other circumstances. A friend’s absence in one hard period does not automatically erase the relationship.
Everyday example
Someone values a supportive act without assuming everyone unable to help was only an acquaintance.
When to use it
Use it to discuss dependable support with circumstances considered.
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What it does not mean
No complete loyalty verdict from one difficult period is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 714; PDF page 103
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.