了解壹個英文的諺語關鍵是看英語為母語的人怎麽理解和使用，再網上有個關於此語的壹個網絡帖子很受啟發：
Question:
Do you agree.."In prosperity our friends know us;in adversity we know our friends"?
Best answer:
Great Philosopher John Churton Collins rightly said the SHARING of good and bad time between the friends. He said in good (prosperity) time friends share happiness and by this act they increase happiness. on the other hand in bad time( adversity ),they assist us to reduce our sorrow. In other words in happiness they know(Share happiness) us and in adversity we know ( they come for rescue) us.
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雖然已經都很多網友熱心回答，各抒己見，每位都有壹定道理，但關鍵還是看看這個名言在英語國家的理解，從上面的回答似乎可以得出該句的翻譯是：
順境時與朋友分享（直接翻譯是：我們順境時，我們的朋友會知道我們的為人，因為沒有忘記他們），逆境時有人幫忙（直接翻譯是：我們逆境時會知道自己的朋友為人，因為還沒有離我們而去）。
但我覺得也可以翻成：順境與逆境都是考驗友誼的試金石。
希望對妳有所幫助！