At a friend's, water tastes sweeter than honey.

What it means

Company matters more than what is on the table. The simplest meal with a friend beats a rich one with an enemy. Value the people, not the menu.

The source

"At a friend's, water tastes sweeter than honey." This Russian proverb is recorded in Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Friend — Foe" («Друг — Недруг»). Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

"Пьешь у друга воду слаще меду."

Original Russian, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Friend — Foe" («Друг — Недруг»). Text read at ru.wikisource.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "At a friend's, water tastes sweeter than honey." mean?

Company matters more than what is on the table. The simplest meal with a friend beats a rich one with an enemy. Value the people, not the menu.

Who said "At a friend's, water tastes sweeter than honey."?

Russian proverb. Source: Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Friend — Foe" («Друг — Недруг»).

What is the original Russian?

Пьешь у друга воду слаще меду. Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

Is "At a friend's, water tastes sweeter than honey." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"At a friend's, water tastes sweeter than honey." (Russian proverb, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Friend — Foe" («Друг — Недруг»), translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/at-a-friends-water-tastes-sweeter-than-honey