- English translation
If a man is no good to his own brother, a stranger can expect nothing from him.
- Literal wording
Whoever has no good in him for his brother, the stranger does not hope for anything from him.
- Meaning and lesson
The proverb treats a person's conduct toward his own brother as a test of whether he can be relied on. If he shows no goodness, help, or generosity there, a stranger has little reason to expect it from him.
Its force is a warning against misplaced hope, not a universal judgment about all family relationships or groups of people. Someone who has failed his brother is presented as an especially doubtful source of kindness or support for an outsider.
- When it is used
Say it when warning someone not to rely on a person who has failed his own brother. It suggests that a stranger should be cautious about expecting help or goodwill from that person.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: If a man is no good to his own brother, a stranger can expect nothing from him.