Meaning & Analysis
A bad or unhappy marriage serves as a continuous source of bad luck, problems, and general misfortune in a person's life.
Insights
Foundation of Life
A marriage is the foundational relationship upon which a person's life is built. If this foundation is flawed, it will inevitably cause instability and collapse in all other areas, such as career, social life, and personal well-being.
A Corrupting Source
The proverb suggests that the negativity from a bad marriage is not contained but actively 'springs' forth, contaminating and poisoning every other aspect of one's existence. It's a relentless source of corruption in one's life.
A Cycle of Misery
The 'spring' metaphor implies a self-perpetuating cycle. An ill marriage creates problems, which in turn worsen the marriage and generate further misfortune, creating an endless feedback loop of misery.
Socio-Economic Stakes
Historically, marriage was a crucial economic and social alliance. An 'ill marriage' could jeopardize property, lineage, and social standing, making this proverb a reflection of the high-stakes nature of marital unions in societies where divorce was difficult or impossible.
Psychological Drain
The proverb astutely identifies the psychological toll of a dysfunctional partnership. The constant stress and emotional drain from a bad relationship can impair judgment, sap motivation, and lead to poor decisions, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of negative outcomes.
Marriage as Destiny
This proverb reflects a deep-seated cultural belief that personal destiny is intrinsically linked to the quality of one's primary relationship. It frames the choice of a spouse not as a private emotional decision, but as a foundational act that determines one's entire future.
Gendered Implications
While the proverb's language is neutral, its historical interpretation often carried a gendered weight, particularly as a warning to men. The cross-referenced proverb, 'The best or worst thing to man... is... choosing his... wife', highlights this traditional focus on the wife's character as the determinant of household fortune.
Rhetorical Devices
Metaphor
The core of the proverb is the metaphor of marriage as a 'spring'. This powerfully conveys the idea of a continuous, generative, and unending source of misfortune, rather than a single, isolated event.
Repetition and Parallelism
The repetition of the word 'ill' creates a strong parallel structure that directly and emphatically links the cause (the bad marriage) with its effect (bad fortune), reinforcing their inseparable connection.
Consonance
The consonance in 'spring' and 'fortune' provides a subtle phonetic link that enhances the proverb's rhythm and memorability.
Transcription
Quotations
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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