proverb · Words worth keeping
Weight and measure take away strife.
Weight and measure take away strife.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Clear shared standards can reduce disputes about what is owed or supplied. Agree how something will be assessed instead of leaving each person to assume a different measure.
Example
A group sharing printing costs agrees beforehand which copies and expenses are included, reducing disagreement when the final contribution is calculated.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Weight and measure stand for ways of checking an exchange that both parties can understand. The proverb values making expectations concrete, rather than relying on incompatible impressions of what counts as enough. Take away strife is emphatic: a common measure does not eliminate every disagreement or make an unfair standard acceptable. The person choosing the measure may also need to explain and justify it. The practical lesson is to establish a relevant, transparent basis for comparison and allow questions before a decision is made, rather than revealing the standard only when someone is told they have fallen short.
When to use it
Use it when different assumptions about a quantity or requirement are causing conflict.
Keep in mind
A clear standard can still be unfair or misapplied; transparency does not replace judgement.
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
- Culture
- English