- English translation
If someone shows me even a little affection, I return it abundantly.
- Literal wording
Whoever looks at me with one eye, I look at them with two.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying praises answering a small sign of warmth or goodwill with a much fuller response. One person’s modest attention is treated not as something to match exactly, but as an opening for generous affection.
It presents love as reciprocal and self-renewing: kindness invites kindness, and a slight expression of regard deserves wholehearted recognition. The contrast between one eye and two is figurative, not literal watching or retaliation, and heightens the idea of giving back more than one receives.
- When it is used
Use it to express grateful, generous reciprocity in a personal relationship, especially when someone has shown even a limited but sincere degree of care, interest, or friendliness. Its imagery refers to affectionate attention, not surveillance or revenge.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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