- English translation
Go into partnership only with good, generous people; otherwise, better to have no partner at all.
- Literal wording
Partnership with the noble-hearted ones, or else the lack of it.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying sets a firm standard for partnership. One should join forces only with people who are open-handed, fair, and good-natured, not merely wealthy. If no such person is available, it is wiser to stay without a partner than to bind oneself to someone whose character is doubtful.
Behind this lies practical caution: shared ventures expose each side to the other's honesty and temper, and a mean or grasping associate can turn joint effort into a burden. A similar-sounding saying about the noble-hearted carries a different sense and should not be read into this one.
- When it is used
Fits moments when someone weighs teaming up with another person in trade, property, or a joint task. It counsels choosing a partner of sound, generous character, and suggests that going it alone beats sharing with someone of poor disposition.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Go into partnership only with good, generous people; otherwise, better to have no partner at all.