Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund

Corrupted from Morgenstund hat Gold in Mund. Literally, “morning hour has gold in hand”, mistaking the obsolete female noun Mund (“hand”) for the masculine noun Mund (“mouth”). Compare Icelandic morgunstund gefur gull í mund (“morning hour puts gold in hand”), with mund (“hand”), not munni (“mouth”).

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Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund

1. Proverb encouraging early rising

The phrase is usually used to cheer up or encourage people who have to do things early in the morning. It differs insofar from der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm (“the early bird catches the worm”), which is about being faster than one's competition.