Proverb: Neither a Borrower nor a Lender be

Neither a Borrower nor a Lender be

One of the characters in a play by Shakespeare gives this advice to his son who is about to travel abroad: Neither a borrower nor a lender be. In other words, one should neither borrow money from others, nor should one lend money to others. Simply saying, one should be careful in money matters. When you give money to someone, you are sure to spoil relationships with the person because the person, in all likelihood, is not going to repay you the amount. Neither should you borrow. If you don’t have enough money, make do with what little you have, rather than spoiling your good reputation by borrowing money from someone. 

The advice given by this proverb is full of practical wisdom. Money gets in the way of healthy relationships. So don’t let money spoil relationships. Give your friends your time, your advice, your practical help in their times of crisis. But don’t give them money. And expect the same treatment in return.