This proverb reflects Malagasy traditional beliefs about the relationship between mankind, the earth, and the divine. It suggests that the earth, as the wife of God, takes care of the living by nurturing and protecting them, while also enveloping the dead. It represents the cycle of life and death, with the earth playing a crucial role. An equivalent proverb in English would be: ‘The earth is the mother of all, nurturing the living, resting place of the dead.’