Meaning & Analysis
One should not be discouraged by poverty nor become arrogant or overconfident because of wealth.
Insights
Balance in Fortune
Encourages emotional and moral steadiness regardless of one’s material circumstances, warning against despair in adversity and pride in prosperity.
Virtue of Moderation
Advocates for equanimity and self-control, promoting the classical virtue of moderation—avoiding both excessive self-pity and conceit.
Historical Symbolism
Poverty and riches have long been seen as tests of character. The proverb draws from ancient philosophical and religious traditions (e.g., Stoicism, Christianity), which urge detachment from external conditions and constancy of spirit.
Cultural Resonance
Closely echoes proverbs and teachings across cultures—such as 'With prosperity be thou not lifted up and with adversity be not cast down'—revealing a universal aspiration for resilience and humility.
Psychological Dimensions
Addresses the human tendency to let external fortune dictate internal mood or self-worth, recommending instead a cultivated independence from the highs and lows of life.
Rhetorical Devices
Antithesis
Juxtaposes 'daunted with poverty' and 'lifted up with riches,' creating a memorable contrast that underscores the proverb’s central message.
Parallelism
Mirrors the structure of the two clauses for rhythmic and rhetorical balance, reinforcing the idea of equilibrium.
Imperative Mood
The use of the imperative 'neither be' gives the proverb a direct, advisory tone, enhancing its prescriptive force.
Transcription
Quotations
(by poverty and by riches).
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.