I saw FEW die of hunger, of eating much a hundred thousand

Insights

Dangers of Excess

Warns that overindulgence, especially in eating and drinking, is far more dangerous and fatal than deprivation, suggesting that abundance is often more harmful than scarcity.

Irony of Prosperity

Highlights the paradox that the perils accompanying prosperity (excess, gluttony) can outweigh those of poverty, critiquing societies or individuals who fail to moderate their desires.

Moderation as Virtue

Encourages restraint and self-control, promoting the idea that moderation—not abundance—is key to longevity and health.

Historical Health Wisdom

Echoes a longstanding thread in folk and medical wisdom: overconsumption, particularly among the affluent, was widely recognized as a major cause of illness and death, even in times when famine was also a reality.

Social Critique

Serves as a critique of wealth and luxury, reminding that excess often brings ruin, while true hardship (hunger) is relatively rare—especially in more privileged societies.

Universal Applicability

Parallels proverbs in many cultures ('More die by food than famine'), attesting to the universal recognition of self-indulgence as a hidden danger.

Rhetorical Devices

Hyperbole

The phrase 'a hundred thousand' exaggerates for effect, sharply contrasting the rarity of death by hunger with the vast numbers claimed by gluttony.

Antithesis

The stark opposition between 'few die of hunger' and 'a hundred thousand of eating' dramatizes the point and increases memorability.

Paradox

The proverb subverts expectations, showing that abundance can be deadlier than want, a counterintuitive but profound insight.