- English translation
Like a kid goat bleating away with the teat already in its mouth.
- Literal wording
Like the son of the she-goat, he cries out while the teat is in his mouth.
- Meaning and lesson
The proverb mocks a person who complains, protests, or demands attention without pause, even though the very thing they want is already in their possession. Their noise is out of all proportion to any real need.
The image is a young goat that bleats and cries out while already nursing at its mother's udder, not a crude human image. It points to ingratitude or habitual complaining, urging the listener to notice what they already have.
- When it is used
Use this to tease or rebuke someone who keeps complaining loudly about lacking something they already hold. It suits informal talk among people who know each other, since it mocks the complainer by comparing them to a fussing baby animal.
- Register
- colloquial
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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