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-   -   No hay mal que por bien no venga (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=10887)

pia May 12, 2011 07:20 AM

No hay mal que por bien no venga
 
"There is not bad from which good doesn't come."

I got this online. what i would like to know is that is this a true spanish proverb or is it translated from English?

aleCcowaN May 12, 2011 10:06 AM

Quote:

"... fué bastante para que se supiese descartar que lo pudo tener por gran dicha y con él se confirmó aquel adagio que dice: No hay mal que por bien no venga."
"Memorias", Raymundo de Lanteri, 1705.

It comes from "Nullum malum quod prorsus omni utilitate careat" and "Malum nullum est sine aliquo bono", the last one from Pliny the Elder -who died during the eruption which overwhelmed Pompeii in 79AD-.

Sancho Panther May 16, 2011 10:45 AM

A good English equivalent is the proverb "It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good".

aleCcowaN May 16, 2011 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sancho Panther (Post 110692)
A good English equivalent is the proverb "It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good".

Thanks for that. I was racking my brains as I couldn't parse it neither from left to right nor from right to left, but I think I've come to some meaning:

"Muy adverso será el viento que no le sople algo bueno a alguien" (No hay desastre tan catastrófico que no beneficie al menos a alguien)

Is that in the right direction?

Sancho Panther June 05, 2011 08:51 AM

Absolutely - "Spot-on" as we would say in (UK) English! (¡En punto!).

aleCcowaN June 05, 2011 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sancho Panther (Post 111770)
Absolutely - "Spot-on" as we would say in (UK) English! (¡En punto!).

Thank you very much!

Me alegra haber dado en el blanco :)

ROBINDESBOIS June 06, 2011 09:44 AM

I think the closest equivalent in English would be " It was a blessing in disguise" or sthg like that.


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