- English translation
There was little enough to her already, and then the cold came and left nothing at all.
- Literal wording
The lady, there is nothing to her; the cold came and left nothing.
- Meaning and lesson
The image begins with a woman described as having almost nothing left, then presents the arrival of cold as a further blow that strips away what remained. The saying does not specify a particular illness or personal defect. Its force comes from adding another misfortune to an already wretched condition.
Used as a remark, it points to the way an added setback deepens a condition that was already bad. It fits cases of accumulating trouble rather than a single disaster falling on someone who had previously been well off.
- When it is used
Apply it to anyone, not women in particular, whose already poor situation is struck by a further misfortune. Although the figure is a woman, it should not be presented as a statement about women. The point is compounding trouble, not a single blow on someone doing well.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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