- English translation
If you need to raise money, sell the item rather than put it up as security.
- Literal wording
Sell it; do not pawn it.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying advises against pawning a possession for a loan. Selling it provides its full value at once, while a pledge may yield only part of its value and leaves the owner responsible for recovering it.
It offers a practical warning about pledged property and the risk of debt: one should not assume an item surrendered as security will be easy to redeem. If repayment is uncertain, selling may be the less damaging choice.
- When it is used
Use it when advising someone who is considering pawning a valuable possession to meet an immediate need. It presents sale as the more prudent option when the person may be unable to repay the loan and reclaim the item; it does not address ordinary borrowing in general.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: If you need to raise money, sell the item rather than put it up as security.