- English translation
Once he was in the grave, his mouth was suddenly full of sweetness.
- Literal wording
After he went off to the graveyard, a sugar lump ended up in his mouth.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying mocks a change of tune: someone who received little regard while alive and present becomes the subject of warm tributes once gone. The kind words arrive when that person can no longer hear them or benefit from them.
Its image of sweetness in the dead person’s mouth represents the honeyed talk that follows a departure. It also applies to a person or thing valued only after it has left one’s hands, when appreciation comes too late to matter.
- When it is used
Say it critically when people who ignored or faulted someone later praise them after death or departure. It can also concern something prized only once lost. Its irony can sound harsh, so avoid it around mourners or in fresh grief.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Once he was in the grave, his mouth was suddenly full of sweetness.