- English translation
If you admire something you own too much, sell it before harm comes to it.
- Literal wording
If your property pleases you, sell it.
- Meaning and lesson
This traditional saying advises selling a possession that greatly delights its owner, in hopes of protecting it from harm attributed to the evil eye. It presents sale as a precaution against feared loss, not as ordinary commercial advice.
Its reference to property can include inanimate valuables as well as living possessions, such as animals. The saying reflects a belief that intense admiration of one’s own possessions may be followed by misfortune; it should not be read as general financial guidance.
- When it is used
Use it when advising someone to sell a prized possession to protect it from the evil eye. The advice rests on that belief, and applies to valuables, animals, or other property. It is not general financial advice.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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