Meaning & Analysis
A person is unaware or unappreciative of their own favorable circumstances or state of well-being. The parenthetical structure '(knows not)' implies this lack of recognition is the more common human failing.
Insights
Perpetual Dissatisfaction
The proverb critiques the human tendency toward perpetual dissatisfaction. It suggests that some people are driven by a restless ambition that prevents them from ever finding contentment, always believing something better must be attainable.
Failure of Judgment
It highlights a fundamental lack of self-awareness or poor judgment. The individual is unable to objectively assess their own life, leading them to undervalue their blessings and make poor decisions that jeopardize their happiness.
Ingratitude and Entitlement
The proverb points to a form of ingratitude where a person takes their good fortune for granted. They do not recognize the value of what they have until it is lost, often through their own foolish actions.
Psychological Blindness
The proverb taps into the psychological concept of the 'hedonic treadmill', where individuals adapt to positive circumstances and then take them for granted, perpetually seeking a higher state of satisfaction without appreciating their current one. It serves as a folk-wisdom critique of this tendency.
Cultural Stereotype
Cross-references, particularly 'You are a right Englishman, you cannot tell when you are well', suggest the proverb was historically linked to a perceived national characteristic of restlessness or dissatisfaction, adding a layer of cultural self-commentary.
A Warning Against Ingratitude
As a piece of social wisdom, it functions as a cautionary warning against reckless ambition and ingratitude. It advises that the failure to recognize well-being can lead to self-sabotage, where one abandons a favorable position for a worse one out of sheer ignorance or restlessness.
Rhetorical Devices
Irony
The proverb's meaning is built on the stark contrast between an objective state of being 'well' and the subjective failure to perceive it, creating a powerful ironic tension.
Parenthetical Emphasis
The use of the parenthetical '(knows not)' is a key feature, emphasizing that the negative case—the inability to know—is the more common and noteworthy human condition.
Conciseness
Its simple, direct language makes a complex psychological observation accessible and memorable, functioning as a concise piece of folk wisdom.
Transcription
Quotations
Thow canst not see, thow wretch canst thow whan thow art well?
Neyther of them know when they are well.
(He knoweth not).
He knows not when a thing is well.
You doe not know when yo’ are well, I thinke.
He knows not when he has enough.
You’re very happy in the discretion of a good lady, if you know when you’re well.
I won’t quarrel with my bread and butter for all that; I know when I’m well.
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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