I observed once to Goethe ... that when a friend is with us we do not think the same of him as when he is away. He replied "Yes! because the absent friend is yourself and he exists only in your head whereas the friend who is present has an individuality of his own and moves according to laws of his own which cannot always be in accordance with those which you form for yourself."

Meaning: A difficult period can reveal how a friendship responds to strain. Practical care and reliability may become clearer when support requires effort rather than easy company.

Meaning: People or matters that are absent for a long time may lose their place in everyday attention. The saying describes a risk of being overlooked, without proving that distance ends affection or that a forgotten person has less worth.

Meaning: Unrequested advice can be as unwelcome as altering someone’s food without asking. Check whether help is wanted before assuming you know what another person needs.

Meaning: People working in the same trade may compete or disagree despite their shared occupation. The proverb highlights rivalry among peers, without establishing that cooperation is rare or that professional differences are personal hostility.