---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Show me 12 drunkards and I will show you…"
description: "\"Show me 12 drunkards and I will show you 12 nagging wives.\" — Charles Spurgeon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/charles-spurgeon-82_drunkards_show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you_2687028.png"
---

#  Show me 12 drunkards and I will show you 12 nagging wives.

![“Show me 12 drunkards and I will show you 12 nagging wives.” quote by Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/charles-spurgeon-82_drunkards_show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you_2687028.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/charles-spurgeon-82_drunkards_show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you_2687028.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/charles-spurgeon-82_drunkards_show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you_2687028.png)

> “Show me 12 drunkards and I will show you 12 nagging wives.”

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker uses a hyperbolic analogy to criticize nagging wives, implying that men's behavior mirrors women's criticism.

**In simple terms:** Hyperbole highlights marital tension.

Key Takeaway

Avoid blame; foster mutual respect.

Themes

marriage gender roles communication

Mood

serious critical

Type

sociological didactic

When to use this quote

- married couples
- family counseling
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

social critique stereotype

Questions to Reflect On

- What healthier ways can couples address grievances?
- How can mutual respect replace nagging?

A Different Perspective

Generalization overlooks individual differences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[12 Drunkards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/12-drunkards-2627244/) [12 Nagging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/12-nagging-2627246/) [Drunkards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunkards/) [Drunkards 12](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunkards-12-2627245/) [Nagging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nagging/) [Nagging Wives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nagging-wives-2627247/) [Show me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show-me/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/)

## Related quotes

> [God helps three sorts of people: fools, children and drunkards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/god-helps-three-sorts-of-people-fools-children-and-drunkards/)

[Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/)

> [This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are sick in fortune,--often the surfeit of our own behavior,--we make guilty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-is-the-excellent-foppery-of-the-world-that-when-we-are-sick-in/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-helpless-and-irresponsible-and/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Everyone knows that drunkards and lovers have a protecting diety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/everyone-knows-that-drunkards-and-lovers-have-a-protecting-diety/)

[Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/)

> [“These are the words of a fool: I am happy to be a fool, for i won't spend my time gazing at lines difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/these-are-the-words-of-a-fool-i-am-happy-to-be-a-fool-for-i-won-t/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [A teetotaler would regard it as his duty to associate with his drunkard brother for the purpose of weaning him from the evil habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-teetotaler-would-regard-it-as-his-duty-to-associate-with-his/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Some people miss flesh as a drunkard misses his dram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/some-people-miss-flesh-as-a-drunkard-misses-his-dram/)

[John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/)

> [If the impure and the unjust, the drunkard and the licentious, are loathsome to us, what must be the infinite loathing of an infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-abbott/if-the-impure-and-the-unjust-the-drunkard-and-the-licentious-are/)

[Lyman Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-abbott/)

> [“Down Where the Drunkards Roll.” “How”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/down-where-the-drunkards-roll-how/)

[Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/)

> [Sometimes I wish I was just a simple drunkard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/sometimes-i-wish-i-was-just-a-simple-drunkard/)

[Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/)

> [Before the Roman came to Rye or out to severn strode, / The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/before-the-roman-came-to-rye-or-out-to-severn-strode-the-rolling/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [A drunkard is like a whiskey-bottle, all neck and belly and no head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-drunkard-is-like-a-whiskey-bottle-all-neck-and-belly-and-no-head/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [There are more Physitians in health then drunkards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/there-are-more-physitians-in-health-then-drunkards/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [That human existence should repeat itself, well and good, but that it should repeat itself like a hackneyed tune, or a record a drunkard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/that-human-existence-should-repeat-itself-well-and-good-but-that-it/)

[Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/)

> [“In the shadow of feigned cripples and false wounds come the strong arms of thieves and very healthy drunkards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/in-the-shadow-of-feigned-cripples-and-false-wounds-come-the-strong/)

[Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/)

## More by Charles Spurgeon

> [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [He is not humanity deified. He is not Godhead humanized. He is God. He is man. He is all that God is, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/he-is-not-humanity-deified-he-is-not-godhead-humanized-he-is-god-he/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Christ came to bring healing to those who are spiritually sick-you say that you are perfectly well, so you must go your own way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/christ-came-to-bring-healing-to-those-who-are-spiritually-sick-you/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Who among you today is doing the most for your Master's kingdom? I will tell you. Lend me a spiritual thermometer by which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/who-among-you-today-is-doing-the-most-for-your-master-s-kingdom-i/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [I do not know when I am more perfectly happy than when I am weeping for sin at the foot of the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-do-not-know-when-i-am-more-perfectly-happy-than-when-i-am-weeping/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Light physical is said by Solomon to be sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things, and ministers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/light-physical-is-said-by-solomon-to-be-sweet-but-gospel-light-is/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [If you are to go to Christ, do not put on your good doings and feelings, or you will get nothing. Go in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-are-to-go-to-christ-do-not-put-on-your-good-doings-and/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-you-know-that-day-dawns-after-night-showers-displace-drought/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [“A mother can translate baby-talk: she comprehends incomprehensible noises. Even so doth our Father in heaven know all about our poor baby talk, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/a-mother-can-translate-baby-talk-she-comprehends-incomprehensible/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [God is our portion, Christ our companion, the Spirit our Comforter, Earth our lodge, and Heaven is our home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/god-is-our-portion-christ-our-companion-the-spirit-our-comforter/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Jesus poured out his soul in life before he poured it out unto death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/jesus-poured-out-his-soul-in-life-before-he-poured-it-out-unto-death/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-we-want-revivals-we-must-revive-our-reverence-for-the-word-of-god/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Believe only half of the praise and half of the criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/believe-only-half-of-the-praise-and-half-of-the-criticism/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

[Explore all 1,523 Charles Spurgeon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

## More Drunkards quotes

> [God helps three sorts of people: fools, children and drunkards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/god-helps-three-sorts-of-people-fools-children-and-drunkards/)

[Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/)

> [That human existence should repeat itself, well and good, but that it should repeat itself like a hackneyed tune, or a record a drunkard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/that-human-existence-should-repeat-itself-well-and-good-but-that-it/)

[Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/)

> [There are more Physitians in health then drunkards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/there-are-more-physitians-in-health-then-drunkards/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [A drunkard is like a whiskey-bottle, all neck and belly and no head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-drunkard-is-like-a-whiskey-bottle-all-neck-and-belly-and-no-head/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Before the Roman came to Rye or out to severn strode, / The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/before-the-roman-came-to-rye-or-out-to-severn-strode-the-rolling/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Sometimes I wish I was just a simple drunkard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/sometimes-i-wish-i-was-just-a-simple-drunkard/)

[Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/)

> [“Down Where the Drunkards Roll.” “How”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/down-where-the-drunkards-roll-how/)

[Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/)

> [If the impure and the unjust, the drunkard and the licentious, are loathsome to us, what must be the infinite loathing of an infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-abbott/if-the-impure-and-the-unjust-the-drunkard-and-the-licentious-are/)

[Lyman Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-abbott/)

> [Some people miss flesh as a drunkard misses his dram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/some-people-miss-flesh-as-a-drunkard-misses-his-dram/)

[John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/)

> [A teetotaler would regard it as his duty to associate with his drunkard brother for the purpose of weaning him from the evil habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-teetotaler-would-regard-it-as-his-duty-to-associate-with-his/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“These are the words of a fool: I am happy to be a fool, for i won't spend my time gazing at lines difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/these-are-the-words-of-a-fool-i-am-happy-to-be-a-fool-for-i-won-t/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [Everyone knows that drunkards and lovers have a protecting diety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/everyone-knows-that-drunkards-and-lovers-have-a-protecting-diety/)

[Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/)

> [There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-helpless-and-irresponsible-and/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are sick in fortune,--often the surfeit of our own behavior,--we make guilty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-is-the-excellent-foppery-of-the-world-that-when-we-are-sick-in/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“In the shadow of feigned cripples and false wounds come the strong arms of thieves and very healthy drunkards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/in-the-shadow-of-feigned-cripples-and-false-wounds-come-the-strong/)

[Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/)

[Browse all 119 Drunkards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunkards/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Show me 12 drunkards and I will show you 12 nagging wives.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Spurgeon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you-12-nagging-wives/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Drunkards"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you-12-nagging-wives/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/charles-spurgeon-82_drunkards_show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you_2687028.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/charles-spurgeon-82_drunkards_show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you_2687028.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/charles-spurgeon-82_drunkards_show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you_2687028.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Show me 12 drunkards and I will show you 12 nagging wives.” — Charles Spurgeon",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Charles Spurgeon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Show me 12 drunkards and I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you-12-nagging-wives/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/show-me-12-drunkards-and-i-will-show-you-12-nagging-wives/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
