- English translation
Choose a companion who is your equal, or the association will end badly for you.
- Literal wording
Either you take your peer according to your measure, or you come out badly.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying sets out a stark choice: pick a companion who matches you in standing, temperament, and means, or expect the relationship to go badly. Equality between partners is presented as the condition for a comfortable, rewarding bond, while mismatch is treated as a reliable source of friction and regret.
Beyond friendship, the idea extends to any close pairing, including partnership, marriage, or alliance. It cautions against reaching for associates whose rank or habits differ sharply from one's own, since such unevenness tends to breed resentment, strain, or humiliation. The tone is practical rather than moralizing, favoring a realistic sense of one's own measure.
- When it is used
Fits moments of advice about choosing friends, partners, or associates, especially when someone is drawn toward people far above or apart from their own standing. It works as gentle counsel or as a wry remark after a mismatched relationship has gone sour.
Cite or copy proverb
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