Beggars can't not be choosers

Posted by Victoria S Dennis October 31, 2008 at 15:24In reply to Beggars can't not be choosers posted by Jae-Seung Lee on October 31, 2008 at 14:52:

I wonder about the origin of "Beggars can't not be choosers", but I can't find that. So, could you tell about the orgin of "beggars can't not be chooosers" as soon as possible?

Thank you!

The reason you can't find it is that "Beggars can't not be choosers" isn't a saying! The proverb is the opposite - "Beggars can't be choosers" (meaning, obviously, that they have to take what they're given and count themselves lucky to get anything at all). It's not a quotation by anybody famous, simply an old proverb, first recorded in 1546: "Folke saie alwaie, beggars should be no choosers". (VSD)