proverb · Legacy record
In times of difficulty, friendship is on trial.
In times of difficulty, friendship is on trial.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying puts friendship on trial during difficulty. It presents adversity as a setting in which support can be examined.
What the words are saying
The courtroom image highlights scrutiny rather than proving a single event reveals an entire relationship. A responsible reading considers actual circumstances and capacity before judging an absence. Friendship can also be expressed in ordinary times, not only crises.
Everyday example
Someone appreciates help received while asking what limited a friend’s ability to be present.
When to use it
Use it to discuss support with context rather than a one-event verdict.
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What it does not mean
Difficulty does not supply a complete loyalty test or prove every absence is betrayal.
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 712; PDF page 102
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.