Meaning & Analysis
A person who winks with one eye while observing with the other is performing a duplicitous action. The proverb states that such an individual is fundamentally untrustworthy, to the extent that even a close family tie like that of a brother cannot redeem them.
Insights
Duality and Deception
The proverb is a potent metaphor for a two-faced or duplicitous nature. The winking eye represents a facade of friendliness, conspiracy, or agreement, while the open, looking eye symbolizes a hidden, watchful, and calculating true intention.
Hidden Intentions
It serves as a warning about hidden agendas. The act of looking while winking suggests that the person is not fully transparent, presenting a misleading appearance while secretly assessing a situation for their own benefit.
Selective Perception
The proverb illustrates the concept of selective truth, where an individual deliberately 'winks' at or ignores certain facts while focusing only on what serves their purpose. This selective perception makes them an unreliable and manipulative ally.
Betrayal of Foundational Trust
The core message is an absolute condemnation of untrustworthy behavior. By stating that even a brother demonstrating such actions cannot be trusted, it asserts that integrity is more fundamental than family loyalty.
Physiognomy and Suspicion
The proverb reflects a historical belief in physiognomy, where physical anomalies like a squint were considered indicators of a flawed or deceitful character. The annotation explicitly notes this cultural aversion, viewing such traits as signs of a 'false Man'.
Primacy of Trust over Kinship
This proverb serves as a stark social maxim, warning that signs of duplicity should override even the most sacred bonds of kinship. The inclusion of 'brother' elevates the caution from a simple observation to an absolute, non-negotiable principle of self-preservation.
Psychology of Deceit
The proverb captures the psychological discomfort caused by inconsistent non-verbal cues. The split action of winking and looking simultaneously creates a sense of unease and signals a hidden agenda, tapping into an intuitive human mechanism for detecting insincerity.
Rhetorical Devices
Antithesis
The proverb is built on the stark contrast between two simultaneous actions: 'winks' (concealing) and 'looks' (observing). This juxtaposition vividly illustrates the concept of a two-faced character.
Hyperbole
The statement 'though he were my brother' is a powerful hyperbole that underscores the absolute and uncompromising nature of the speaker's distrust. It elevates the warning into a universal law of caution.
Imagery
The physical image of a person winking and looking at the same time is striking and memorable, effectively translating the abstract idea of duplicity into a concrete and unsettling visual.
Rhyme
The rhyming of 'other' and 'brother' in many versions of the proverb creates a memorable and aphoristic quality, making the warning easy to recall and repeat.
Transcription
Quotations
(with one eye and and he were my brother)
(He winkth with the tone eie, and lokth with the tother, I will)
He that loketh with one eie, and winketh with an other, I would not trust (say they) if he were my brother.
To winke with one eye, and looke with another.
(He winketh with the one eye, and tooteth with the other, I will)
Hee that winkes with one eye, and lookes with the other.
(He that winketh with one eye, and seeth with the other, I would not trust him, though)
He that looks with one Eye, and winks with another, I will not believe him, though he was my Brother.
[As in 1670 Ray]
Annotations
- If the Man naturally squint, my Countrymen have an Aversion to him, and all who have any Thing disagreeable, if he wink, or nod, they look upon him to be a false Man.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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