- English translation
Someone who does not value an old companion will not value a new one either.
- Literal wording
Whoever has no old one has no new one.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying rebukes a person who neglects a long-standing companion or fails to honor an established bond. Here “old” and “new” refer figuratively to enduring and newer relationships, not to the age of objects; such disregard is presented as evidence that newer ties are unlikely to receive faithful care.
It stresses keeping one’s word and preserving loyalty over time. Past companionship creates an obligation of regard, and abandoning it casts doubt on a person’s reliability in later relationships and on whether they will honor commitments to those who come after.
- When it is used
Use it when someone discards or mistreats a longtime friend, ally, or companion while pursuing a newer connection. It serves as a moral warning that care for established relationships is a measure of trustworthiness in newer ones.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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