Those with a classical or at least traditional Western education are appreciative of how the Bible and Shakespeare, two well known sources, provided popularized phrases used in vernacular English by millions of people, millions of times.
For example, Genesis appears to be the source of that famous phrase, living off the fat of the land, living well and high, and having not worked very hard to be recipients of such good fortune.
Here is that source from The New American Bible: "When the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come, Praraoh and his courtiers were pleased. So Pharaoh told Joseph: 'Say to your brothers: This is what you shall do: Load up your animals and go without delay to the land of Canaan. There get your father and your families, and then come back here to me; I will assign you the best land in Egyot, where you will live off the fat of the land . . ."
This is a high honor for foreigners are gifted without condition the best land in the Nile Valley and that is a most generous gift from Pharaoh to the Hebrews.
Here is that same quote from the Holy Bible (KJV): "And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying Joseph's brethren are come; and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan. And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land."
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