ma không thương người ốm, kẻ-trộm không thương nhà nghèo
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Ghosts don't pity the sick, thieves don't pity the poor — predators keep no exemptions for the pitiable.
Literally: ghosts spare not the ill; robbers spare not the needy
Sources & notes
Discovered via Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “ma không thương người ốm, kẻ-trộm không thương nhà nghèo” mean?
Ghosts don't pity the sick, thieves don't pity the poor — predators keep no exemptions for the pitiable. Literally: ghosts spare not the ill; robbers spare not the needy
Is “ma không thương người ốm, kẻ-trộm không thương nhà nghèo” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.