«إِنْ لَقَاك الْمِلِيحْ تَمِّنُهْ»

Originally, the saying concerns choosing a good animal: when one is found, value it fairly and do not be deterred solely by a higher price. A strong, useful animal may be worth more than a weak, cheap one.

Its practical force is to warn against false economy and to encourage confidence in recognizing quality. Applying it to purchases beyond animals is an interpretive extension rather than the saying’s specific original reference.

Used when urging someone to pay a fair price for a strong, worthwhile animal rather than choose a cheaper but inferior one. It may also be extended, with care, to defend paying more for reliable quality in other purchases.