- English translation
His mother sells bread to scrape by, yet he swaggers about like a pasha.
- Literal wording
His mother is a bread-seller, and he makes himself out to be a pasha.
- Meaning and lesson
This traditional saying ridicules someone who puts on airs of rank or importance despite circumstances portrayed as modest. It contrasts a hard-pressed household livelihood with the person's grand manner, presenting the display as false or inflated.
The image relies on poverty and family circumstances as a put-down, so it should not be taken to equate modest means with lesser worth. Its force is directed at pretension, though the wording can demean both the target and their family.
- When it is used
It is used to mock someone seen as acting grand or self-important beyond their position. The remark is disparaging and can be especially hurtful when it invokes poverty or a person's family circumstances.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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