Romantic love is painful.

Meaning: People who continue an activity despite obvious discomfort must have a strong attachment to it. Dancing among thorns exaggerates the obstacles someone will accept for something they enjoy.

Meaning: A relationship may need trust and dependable conduct to support that trust. The saying connects affection with steadiness, without demanding unquestioning belief, fixed roles or staying in a harmful relationship.

Meaning: Possessiveness and a demand for dominance can make equal companionship difficult. Love and lordship are pictured as unwilling to share their place with others.

Meaning: A wish to possess or rule can interfere with friendship. The saying invites scrutiny of exclusivity and power in relationships rather than treating them as unavoidable.