proverb · Words worth keeping
Poor folk are glad of pottage.
Poor folk are glad of pottage.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A modest provision can be welcome when resources are limited. The pottage image recognises relief but should not lower the standard of dignity owed to anyone.
What the words are saying
The saying pictures people with few means appreciating a simple meal. It can prompt attention to the value of meeting an immediate need. It must not assume that all poor people have the same preferences or ought to be grateful for whatever is offered. A useful reading asks what the recipient actually needs and respects their choice instead of making scarcity a reason to offer inferior treatment.
Everyday example
A group asks what meal would be useful to a person needing assistance rather than assuming any unwanted leftovers should satisfy them.
When to use it
Use it to recognise practical relief while preserving the recipient’s choice.
What it does not mean
Limited resources do not remove dignity or create an obligation to accept an unsuitable offer.
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 1269 · Poor folk
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English