This proverb compares marriage to a commercial transaction, suggesting that just as a sale can be annulled if the terms are not met, a marriage can also be dissolved if the spouses do not get along. In traditional Malagasy society, while marriage is respected, this comparison emphasizes the reality that compatibility and harmony between spouses are essential. An equivalent proverb in English is “If the hearts are not tied, the bonds of wedlock are easily broken.”.