Dictionary

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king en · X

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Calque of Latin in regione caecorum rex est luscus, popularized by Desiderius Erasmus’ Adagia (1500). For further origin compare Aramaic בשוק סמייא צווחין לעווירא סגי נהור (literally “in the street of the blind, the one-eyed man is called the guiding light”), found in the Genesis Rabbah (4th or 5th century CE). This may be Erasmus’ direct source, but at least some traditional link between both forms seems likely.

Meanings

1. Even someone with limited abilities or opportunities is dominant over, and considered special by, those who have even fewer abilities and opportunities; the value of any ability depends on its prevalence.
   • Their bread tastes like rock / Joining circles of the dead / As I am drinking all the sewage / Of the damage they call help / In the land of the blind / The one-eyed^([sic]) is a king / He plants in their empty pots / Ugly rotten seeds 2025, “Rogue”, in Duél, performed by Jinjer:

Forms

Translations (48)

fr au royaume des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · la in regione caecorum rex est luscus (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · th ในดินแดนของคนตาบอด คนที่มีตาข้างเดียวคือราชา (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · hy կույրերի երկրում միաչքանին արքա է (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · el στη χώρα των τυφλών, ο μονόφθαλμος είναι βασιλιάς (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · sh u zemlji slepih, ćoravi su kraljevi (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · te గుడ్డి కన్నా మెల్ల మేలు (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · pt na terra dos cegos quem tem um olho é rei (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · id di tanah orang buta, seorang bermata satu adalah raja (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ca al pais del cecs, el tort és el rei (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · pl w kraju ślepców jednooki jest królem (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · cs mezi slepými je jednooký králem (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · sh у земљи слепих, ћорави су краљеви (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · tl sa lupa ng mga bulag, ang naghahari ay pisak (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ro în țara orbilor și chiorul e împărat (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · tl sa bayang walang marunong, ang naghahari ay ulol (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · hu vakok között félszemű a király (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · vi thằng chột làm vua xứ mù (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ko 무호동중이작호 (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ta புலி இல்லாத ஊரில் பூனை தான் இராஜா (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · tab курарин гьюкуматдиъ саб ул айир ву паччагь (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · eo inter blinduloj (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · es en el reino de los ciegos, el tuerto es el rey (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · hi अंधों में काना राजा (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ar الأعور في أرض العميان ملك (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · te గుడ్డిలో మెల్ల (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · nb i de blindes land er den énøyde konge (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · cmn 猴子称大王 (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · eo reĝas strabuloj (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · cmn 山中無老虎，猴子稱大王 /山中无老虎 (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · fi sokeiden maassa yksisilmäinen on kuningas (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · cmn 蜀中無大將，廖化作先鋒 /蜀中无大将 (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · nl in het land der blinden is eenoog koning (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ko 눈 먼 자들의 나라에서는 애꾸눈이 왕이다. (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · sv i de blindas land är den enögde kung (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · he בממלכת העיוורים שתום העין הוא מלך (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · bn অন্ধের রাজ্যে কানা লোকই রাজা (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · de unter den Blinden ist der Einäugige König (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ur اندھوں میں کانا راجا (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · da i de blindes land er den enøjede mand konge (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · ja 鳥なき島の蝙蝠 (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · cmn 廖化作先锋 (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · it nella terra dei ciechi beato chi ha un occhio (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · pt em terra de cegos quem tem um olho é rei (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · cs mezi slepými jednooký králem (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · id di negeri orang buta, seorang bermata satu adalah raja (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · tr körler ülkesinde tek gözü olan kral olur (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king) · el στους τυφλούς, βασιλεύει ο μονόφθαλμος (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king)

wikipedia: Genesis Rabbah