Among the blind the one-eyed man is king

Russian translation

Среди слепых одноглазый человек — король.

Когда нет выбора, надо мириться с тем, что в других условиях было бы неприемлемым.

Derivation

Better one-eyed than stone-blind.

Variation

In the kingdom (country) of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

Synonyms

Half a loaf is better than no bread.

There is small choice in rotten apples.

Any port in a storm.

Comparison

Кривой среди слепых — король.

На безрыбье и рак рыба.

В темноте и гнилушка светится.

Examples

Among the blind the one-eyed is king, and among a crowd of total strangers an acquaintance rises into a friend. (Broughton)

“Do you mean to say that there are many like you in your country?” “Are you serious?” asked Antonio. “You look upon Italy, as a kingdom of the blind, where the one-eyed is king. Believe me, my dear lady, you may find many far superior to me, who both live comparatively useless and die unknown.” (Ruffini)

There were deep mysterious shadows in the gorge, blue deepening into purple, and purple into a luminous darkness, and overhead was the illimitable vastness of the sky. But he heeded these things no longer, but lay quite inactive there, smiling as if he were satisfied merely to have escaped from the valley of the Blind in which he had thought to be King. (Wells)