This proverb highlights the difficulty of building a romantic or friendly relationship with someone who is elusive, like an eel that slips away at the slightest touch. It signifies that sometimes we pursue people who, even when they seem to respond to our feelings, ultimately evade us. An equivalent proverb in English might be “You can’t chase love; it comes when it wants to”. It underscores the unpredictability of relationships and the frustration of seeing one’s feelings unexpressed or unreciprocated.