proverb · Words worth keeping
Gold dust blinds all eyes.
Gold dust blinds all eyes.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The prospect of wealth can distract people from relevant facts or objections. The saying warns about distorted judgement, without proving that every person will ignore evidence when money is involved.
What the words are saying
Gold dust is imagined as getting into the eyes, making a desired benefit interfere with clear sight. Figuratively, attention to a valuable reward may crowd out concern about how it is obtained or what it costs. All eyes exaggerates the reach of that temptation rather than establishing a universal fact. People can recognise financial benefits while still examining the evidence and consequences. The useful question asks which considerations have been left out because the reward looks attractive. Bringing those details back into view makes it possible to judge the proposal itself rather than simply respond to the size of the promised gain.
Everyday example
An organiser reads a sponsorship offer’s conditions before accepting, rather than allowing the generous headline amount to obscure demands that conflict with the event’s purpose.
When to use it
Use it when an appealing reward is distracting from the terms or consequences of an offer.
What it does not mean
Money does not automatically corrupt judgement; identify the particular omitted evidence rather than accuse everyone.
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 695 · Gold dust
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English
