proverb · Legacy record
The strong live by their own wages; the weak by the wages of their children.
The strong live by their own wages; the weak by the wages of their children.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Earning one’s own wages contrasted with living on children’s wages ranks self-support as strength and dependence as weakness. The saying values independence through a harsh comparison.
What the words are saying
A critical reading does not endorse the worth ranking. Age, illness, access and other circumstances can shape support needs, while family arrangements should respect capacity and consent. A useful application examines fair responsibilities without assuming dependency is a character failure.
Everyday example
A family discusses voluntary support and each person’s needs rather than calling a dependent member weak.
When to use it
Use it critically to discuss fair support without shaming dependence.
Put a useful idea into practice: try the free seven-day guide ↗
What it does not mean
No human inferiority from needing help or universal family financial duty 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 wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 488; PDF page 46; collection label: Babylon/Iraq
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Babylon/Iraq