To the grateful man give more than he asks.
To the grateful man give more than he asks.
Meaning in plain English
A grateful response can invite generosity beyond the immediate request. The saying encourages welcome giving while keeping gratitude separate from entitlement, performance or a requirement to reward the giver.
Example
A neighbour who appreciates a borrowed tool is offered some welcome practical help as well, without any expectation of a favour in return.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The response to the grateful person exceeds what was asked. Read that as an encouragement to generosity in a relationship where appreciation has been expressed, not as a formula by which gratitude purchases more. Consider what is welcome and within the giver’s means. Appreciation can also be shown quietly or in ways that are not obvious to an observer. The saying does not establish that someone who asks for help must first display the correct emotion, and it does not make a gift a debt to be collected later.
When to use it
Use it to encourage voluntary generosity alongside expressed appreciation.
Keep in mind
Do not demand gratitude as a condition of essential help or give beyond someone’s wishes and your own capacity.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 195; Spanish section, paragraph 4070; source wording: Al agradecido, mas de lo pedido.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗