Meaning & Analysis
Literally, the saying claims that the kind of luck associated with something dirty or disgusting ('shitten') is actually good luck.
Insights
Fortune from Misfortune
Suggests that what initially appears unpleasant, humiliating, or unfortunate can unexpectedly turn out to be a stroke of good luck, emphasizing the paradoxical and unpredictable nature of fortune.
Transformation of Adversity
Highlights the idea that adverse, messy, or embarrassing situations can become sources of benefit or positive change, turning the worst circumstances into opportunity.
Luck Beyond Appearances
Reminds us not to judge fortune by its appearance, as the most unlikely or unsavory events may yield unexpectedly favorable results.
Folk Superstition
The proverb echoes an old superstition that being dirtied (literally by excrement, as by a bird) is a sign of imminent good fortune—a belief found in various cultures and still present in popular folklore.
Coarse Humor and Pragmatism
The crude phrasing reflects a distinctly earthy, working-class humor, suggesting resilience and resourcefulness—finding hope or advantage even in the most degrading or difficult circumstances.
Paradox and Psychological Reframing
Encourages a paradoxical outlook: the willingness to reinterpret or reframe negative experiences as harbingers of luck, fostering optimism and adaptability.
Rhetorical Devices
Paradox
The apparent contradiction between filth ('shitten') and good fortune creates a memorable, thought-provoking effect.
Colloquial Vulgarity
Employs deliberately crude language to emphasize authenticity, shock value, and a refusal to idealize the nature of luck.
Antithesis
Juxtaposes the lowest and highest—filth and luck—to underscore the proverb’s central message.
Transcription
Quotations
Shitten luck is good.
There's another Proverb . . That of all kind of Lucks, Shitten Luck is the best.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan

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