“Fai de bèn à Bertrand…”: meaning and translation of this Provençal expression

Literal translation

do good to Bertrand...

Meaning

what ingratitude!

Explanation

Said in the face of ingratitude, in its full form fai de bèn à Bertrand ti lou rènd en cagant, do good to Bertrand, he repays you by shitting on it. The crude image sums up in one line the disappointment of someone who helped and got nothing back.

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Other expressions on the same theme

qu tèn la coua de la sartan, la viro d'ounte vòuwhoever holds the reins calls the shots cadun pèr sa pèuevery man for himself proumiero carita coumenço pèr l'oustaucharity begins at home dins ma camiso i'a quaucun qu'ame bènthere's someone close to me whom I hold dear qu si fiso au dino deis autre, dino tard emai mauhe who relies on others' meals dines late and poorly gros manjaire n'es pas dounairea big eater is rarely a big giver