- English translation
Your conversation is a delight, but our home lies a long way off.
- Literal wording
Your talk is tasty, and our house is far.
- Meaning and lesson
On the surface, a guest is reluctantly taking leave. The company and conversation are a pleasure, yet the long road home means the visit cannot go on. The linking 'and' works contrastively, like 'but'. Enjoyment is fully granted, and distance is what ends it, not any lack of goodwill.
More broadly, the saying describes anything agreeable and wanted that outside hindrances keep out of reach. The speaker affirms the appeal of the thing while admitting that circumstances, rather than unwillingness, block it. This lets them decline or withdraw without slighting what is being offered. So it is more than a compliment on someone's conversation.
- When it is used
Fits moments when something desirable is within reach in principle but practical barriers stand in the way, such as a tempting offer or a pleasant arrangement one cannot pursue. It conveys appreciation together with reluctant refusal.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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