- English translation
"Spare a little charity, sir!" Came the answer: "Your 'sir' is so poor he eats the peel too."
- Literal wording
"Alms, O my master!" He said: "Your master eats it with its peel."
- Meaning and lesson
The saying pictures a beggar asking a passerby for alms, only to be told that the man he calls 'sir' is so needy he eats his food peel and all, wasting nothing. Someone in that state has nothing spare to hand out, however politely he is asked.
More broadly, it mocks a needy person seeking help from another who is equally destitute. The humor lies in the mismatch: the petitioner looks to the wrong door, because the supposed benefactor is struggling to feed himself and cannot possibly relieve anyone else.
- When it is used
Say it wryly when someone seeks money, favors, or help from a person who is just as hard up, pointing out the futility of the request. It can be teasing among equals, but aimed at a real beggar it may sound dismissive.
- Register
- Colloquial
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: "Spare a little charity, sir!" Came the answer: "Your 'sir' is so poor he eats the peel too."