proverb · Words worth keeping
Never promise a poor person, and never owe a rich one.
Never promise a poor person, and never owe a rich one.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying warns against promising to a poor person and owing a rich one. It divides obligations by the recipient’s or creditor’s wealth.
Example
A reader evaluates an agreement’s feasibility and fairness without assuming someone’s income determines their feelings or understanding.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The supplied gloss attributes greater hurt to poor recipients and less understanding to rich creditors. A critical interpretation does not endorse those class-based predictions or prohibit honest commitments to people with limited means. Obligations should be assessed through actual terms, capacity and fair treatment rather than income stereotypes.
When to use it
Use it critically to examine the unequal wealth-based advice.
Keep in mind
No class-based behaviour, blanket borrowing rule or reason to exclude poor people from commitments is established.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown