proverb · Legacy record
When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.
When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Father-to-son giving with laughter is contrasted with son-to-father giving with tears. The saying assigns different emotions to support flowing in opposite directions.
What the words are saying
The supplied gloss reads the second situation as age-related dependence. That is a contextual reading rather than proof that receiving care causes shame or that all families feel alike. A responsible interpretation respects varied caregiving arrangements and does not make a father’s dignity depend on financial independence.
Everyday example
A family discusses support according to actual needs without assuming that receiving help must be humiliating.
When to use it
Use it to explain the contrast with the supplied dependence reading qualified.
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What it does not mean
No universal caregiving emotion or loss of worth through dependence 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 937; PDF page 131
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.