- English translation
Out of sight, out of mind.
- Literal wording
Whoever is far from the eye is far from the heart.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying reproaches a person who lets affection, loyalty, or remembrance fade simply because another person is no longer physically present. It presents such neglect as a moral failing rather than an unavoidable result of distance.
It may be said when someone stops checking on, helping, or acknowledging an absent friend or companion. More sharply than a neutral observation about forgetting, it accuses the person of fickleness or disloyalty for remembering only those regularly before their eyes.
- When it is used
Use it critically when absence appears to have weakened someone's care or loyalty toward another person. It suits comments on neglected friendships or relationships, especially where continued remembrance, support, or faithfulness would have been expected.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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