Give neither advice nor salt until you are asked for it.

The proverb urges restraint when you think someone could benefit from your advice. Even a well-meant suggestion may be unwelcome if the person has not asked for it.

By pairing advice with salt, it presents a request as the cue to offer either one. The point is not to withhold help altogether, but to let others decide when they want it.

Use it to discourage unsolicited advice, especially when someone is about to tell another person what to do. It can also serve as a reminder to ask whether guidance is wanted before offering it.