- English translation
To win people's trust, settle for a smaller profit at the start.
- Literal wording
Whoever will come to know people will not come to know money.
- Meaning and lesson
The proverb contrasts immediate payment with the work of becoming known to prosperous people. At the beginning, a worker or craftsperson may put aside the pursuit of a large gain while creating a reliable connection.
Once confidence has taken hold, those people may entrust their work to that person. The restraint shown at the start is therefore presented as something that can bring a larger financial return later.
- When it is used
Said about the early stage of a service or professional relationship, when modest charges or concessions are viewed as a way to become established with people who may later return with their business.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: To win people's trust, settle for a smaller profit at the start.