A man's character is found out in three things: in his cup, in his purse and in his anger
A man's true character is revealed in different states: when he drinks ('his cup'), in the measure of his generosity ('his purse'), and at the time he is angry ('his anger').
("A man is known by three things: his cup, his purse, and his anger; and some say also by his laughter" - Eruvin 66b. Also: "Truly it was said: a man is known by his cup... the impulse for wealth, and especially in this generation—which is the generation of money—man is more eager after money than for all sins and pleasures. And of a man's money that is dear to him, there is more than his body and also more than his soul" - Pele Yoetz / Letter Kaf, Money. Also: "A man is known by his purse, his cup, and his anger, and I happened to know him in matters of money and found him openhearted and generous" - Y. Burla / Kisufim, 151. Also: "That sigh—that is the 'Jewish style' and in it the Jew is known even in his 'cup', and no need to say in his song" - Beyalik / Our Young Song. Also: "It is not an easy deed, this attribute of mercy in you will be recognized only in your purse, as our sages said: A man is known by three things - his cup, his purse, and his anger" - Mordechai ben Yechezkel / Sefer Hama'asiyot Part Four, Sixty Golden Adummim, 184.)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אָדָם נִכָּר: בְּכוֹסוֹ וּבְכִיסוֹ וּבְכַעֲסוֹ
Definition (Hebrew)
אָפְיוֹ הָאֲמִתִּי שֶׁל הָאָדָם מִתְגַּלֶּה בְּמַצָּבִים שׁוֹנִים: בִּשְׁעַת שֶׁכְּרוֹתוֹ ('כּוֹסוֹ'), בְּמִדַּת נְדִיבוּתוֹ ('כִּיסוֹ'), וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא זוֹעֵם ('כַּעֲסוֹ').
("בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אָדָם נִכָּר:בְּכוֹסוֹ וּבְכִיסוֹ וּבְכַעֲסוֹ, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף בְּשַׂחֲקוֹ"- עֵרוּבִין סה ע"ב, וְכֵן:"וּבֶאֱמֶת אָמְרוּ: אָדָם נִכָּר בְּכוֹסוֹ...יֵצֶר הַמָּמוֹן, וּבִפְרָט בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה, הוּא דּוֹר מָמוֹן, שֶׁאָדָם לָהוּט אַחַר הַמָּמוֹן יוֹתֵר מִכָּל הָעֲבֵרוֹת וּמִכָּל הַתַּעֲנוּגִים, וּמִמּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חָבִיב עָלָיו, יֵשׁ יוֹתֵר מִגּוּפוֹ וְיֵשׁ גַּם כֵּן יוֹתֵר מִנַּפְשׁוֹ"- פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ/ אוֹת כ', כֶּסֶף, וְכֵן:"אָדָם נִכָּר בְּכִיסוֹ, בְּכוֹסוֹ וּבְכַעֲסוֹ, וַאֲנִי נִזְדַּמֵּן לִי לְהַכִּירוֹ בְּעִנְיְנֵי מָמוֹן וּמְצָאתִיו רְחַב לֵב וְטוּב עַיִן"- י.בּוּרְלָא/ כִּסּוּפִים,151, וְכֵן:"אוֹתָהּ הָאֲנָחָה-הִיא הִיא 'הַסִּגְנוֹן הַיְּהוּדִי' וּבָהּ נִכָּר הַיְּהוּדִי אֲפִלּוּ בְּ'כּוֹסוֹ',וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בְּשִׁירָתוֹ"-בְּיָאלִיק/שִׁירָתֵנוּ הַצְּעִירָה, וְכֵן: "לֹא בְּמַעֲשֶׂה קַל זֶה מִדַּת הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁבְּךָ תְּהֵא נִכְרָת כִּי אִם בְּכִיסְךָ, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים הָאָדָם נִכָּר, בְּכוֹסוֹ בּוֹכִיסוֹ וּבְכַעֲסוֹ"- מָרְדְּכַי בֶּן יְחֶזְקֵאל/ סֵפֶר הַמַּעֲשִׂיּוֹת חֵלֶק רְבִיעִי, שִׁשִּׁים אֲדֻמִּים זָהָב, 184)