proverb · Words worth keeping
The subjects' love is the king's lifeguard.
The subjects' love is the king's lifeguard.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Public goodwill can support a ruler’s position. Calling the people’s affection a lifeguard contrasts trust with protection supplied only by force.
What the words are saying
The saying pictures loyalty as a form of security surrounding a king. It can prompt reflection on how leadership depends on the people affected by it, rather than only on formal power. Affection is not proof that a leader is just, and criticism should not be treated as disloyalty. A careful reading asks whether trust is earned through conduct and whether people can express disagreement freely.
Everyday example
A leader responds to concerns openly rather than demanding personal loyalty as a substitute for accountability.
When to use it
Use it to discuss the role of earned trust in leadership.
What it does not mean
Popularity does not establish justice or remove the need for accountability.
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
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1554 · Subjects' love
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English