With allusion to ecclesiastes ix. 4 (AV) To him that is joined to all the living, there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Better is a quick [living] and an hol hounde Then a ded lyon‥And better is pouert with godnes Then richesse with wikkedness.
[c 1390 in Minor Poems of Vernon MS (EETS) 534]
A lyuing Dogge, is better than a dead Lion.
[1566 J. Barthlet Pedigree of Heretics 2V]
It was a devil of a trick‥but, ‘A living Dog is better than a dead Lion,’ as the saying is.
[1798 ‘P. Pindar’ Tales of Hoy 41]
He had so often told the widow that care killed the cat, and that a live dog was better than a dead lion.
[1864 Trollope Can You forgive Her? ii. vii.]
When the lion is shot, the dog gets the spoil. So he had come in for Katherine, Alan's lioness. A live dog is better than a dead lion.
[1928 D. H. Lawrence Woman who rode Away 132]
I take my walks without following a ball about like a dog. Which reminds me of the old proverb that a live dog is better than a dead lion.
[1953 ‘G. Cullingford’ Post Mortem iv.]
Related to: great and small; life
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
