- English translation
My bad luck found me at the narrow bend and turned my clear water muddy.
- Literal wording
My bad luck met me at the narrow bend and muddied the clear water for me.
- Meaning and lesson
The proverb portrays ill fortune as arriving even where relief or benefit is expected. Its clear water, made murky, conveys how a favorable moment can be spoiled by an unwelcome turn of events.
It may voice a person’s sense that changing places or seeking an easier path has not improved matters. The saying frames repeated disappointment as something that seems personally inescapable.
- When it is used
Use it when an anticipated convenience, comfort, or opportunity is spoiled by another setback, particularly when the speaker feels that changing circumstances has brought no escape from ill fortune.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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