Ein kan like godt hengjast for ein sau som for eit lam.
Teke frå "hanged" The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs. Ed. Jennifer Speake. Oxford University Press, 2009.
Opphavleg tekst:
«One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb»
Informasjon
Kontekst: Skal ein få ei straff, kan ein like godt gjera seg fortent til henne. Ordtaket stammar frå den tida det var dødsstraff for å stela sauer.
Seinare bruk
- As some desperate Wretches, Who dispairing of life still act the more villainy, giving this desperate Reason of it, As good be hanged for a great deal, as for a little. (N. Rogers, Rich Fool, 1662)
- As good be hang'd for an old sheep as a young lamb. (J. Ray, English Proverbs. Ed. 2, 1678)
- One might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb. If he had lost this day of his life, he had lost it. (D.H. Lawrence, Rainbow, 1915)
- Letty..decided that she might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb and make the most of her meal. (B. Pym, Quartet in Autumn, 1977)
Stikkord
| sauer lam straff henging dødsstraff |
«Ein kan like godt hengjast for ein sau som for eit lam.»
