4

Is there a similar saying or idiomatic expression in English, which would correlate with the above-mentioned one, implying that misfortune will befall even on those ones, already in trouble ?

6
  • By the way what language is it? Is it from Sisyphus pushing the stone uphill?
    – Zebrafish
    Mar 25, 2018 at 14:36
  • 1
    Its Georgian. As to the saying, I dont think it`s somehow related to Sisyphus.
    – Beqa
    Mar 25, 2018 at 14:49
  • Perhaps it alludes to survival of the fittest, knowingly or unknowingly? Mar 25, 2018 at 15:35
  • 1
    I doubt it very seriously. It doesn`t pertain to the survival of the fittest.
    – Beqa
    Mar 25, 2018 at 16:10
  • It almost sounds Murphy's law, like the guy's climbing the hill and no matter what the stone keeps knocking him down.
    – Zebrafish
    Mar 25, 2018 at 18:03

8 Answers 8

4

It never rains but [what] it pours.

it never rains but it pours [phrase]

You can use the expression it never rains but it pours to mean that several unfortunate events often happen at the same time.

[COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary] ...............

it never rains but it pours [in British]

events, esp unfortunate ones, come together or occur in rapid succession

[Collins English Dictionary; op cit]

Obviously, the implication is that the unfortunate events happen over the same region / to the same people.

2

Misfortunes never come singly TFD

Prov. Bad things tend to happen in groups.

As in:

I already told you that my wife lost her job. Well, misfortunes never come singly; our house was robbed last night.

2

Not a popular one but it is worth considering:

Bend over, here it comes again. BOHICA is its Acronym.

Referring to something bad which is about to happen again or as usual.

The Free Dictionary defines as:

Trouble isn’t over yet, there is more on the way. TFD

  • It snowed ten inches yesterday. BOHICA. They forecast another foot!
1

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

From a bad situation to one that is much worse
American Heritage Dictionary

1

Alternatively, there's kick a man when he’s down. Macmillan defines it as:

to treat someone badly when they are already in a weak position

This is more particular to heaping more misfortune on an already struggling individual.

-1

You can run, but you can't hide, according to The Free Dictionary:

"No matter what you do, you can't escape the consequences that you are trying to avoid."

They also provide an example:

"I know you took money from me. You can run, but you can't hide—I'll find you eventually."

I think the going uphill part in your proverb might be similar to the running part in the English proverb. In your proverb, I think, you try to run uphill to outrun the stone, but it will catch you. In the English proverb you try to hide (from someone or something), but you cannot, you will eventually be found by the ones looking for you.

Attribution

1 "You Can Run but You Can't Hide." The Free Dictionary. Accessed March 25, 2018. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/you can run but you can't hide.

2
  • I hate to comment saying "Please" explain the reason of downvoting, but please do. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding. Thanks.
    – haha
    Mar 25, 2018 at 21:55
  • I don't know, it wasn't me @haha . I guess I have to run harder, but I'm afraid I can't hide from them :(.
    – JJJ
    Mar 25, 2018 at 22:00
-1

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry

From dictionary.com

No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it. The saying is adapted from a line in “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns : “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley.”

In this case, it doesn’t matter whether the plans belong to the person at the top of the food chain, or the mouse at the bottom, both are subject to misfortune.

1
  • A true Scotsman would have said "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley"
    – Zebrafish
    Mar 25, 2018 at 18:09
-1

There is the saying:

What goes around, comes around

The Free Dictionary says:

One's actions or behavior will eventually have consequences for one, even if indirectly. The phrase typically refers to one being a victim of the same negative circumstances that they have inflicted on others. Russ picked on me back in high school, and now he has his own bully. What goes around comes around.

A corollary to this is:

Karma's a bitch

Dictionary.com defines karma as:

Theosophy. The cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation.

Thus if you do wretched things to others, you are destined to have wretched things done to you. Now ain't that a bitch.

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