- English translation
Enjoy laughter while it comes easily, before it costs a fortune.
- Literal wording
Laugh while laughter is cheap, before it becomes expensive and costs sacksful of money.
- Meaning and lesson
Enjoy the happiness available to you now rather than taking it for granted. The saying urges you to make the most of pleasant times, because changing circumstances may make the same enjoyment harder to find.
The imagined price of laughter turns a change in fortune into a humorous warning. Something freely available today may later seem beyond reach, even with plenty of money; present happiness is therefore worth appreciating while it lasts.
- When it is used
Use it to encourage someone to enjoy a cheerful moment or appreciate a pleasant stretch of life. It suits a lighthearted reminder not to postpone enjoyment, while also acknowledging that circumstances can change and happiness may become harder to find.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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