This proverb means that all individuals are equal when facing problems and hardships, regardless of their social status or rank. Whether they are kings or commoners, when a boat sinks, all passengers get wet and share the same fate. In other words, this proverb emphasizes that the law and life’s challenges do not differentiate between people of higher social class and those of lower class. An equivalent English proverb would be: ‘Death is the great equalizer.’