This proverb emphasizes the importance of mediation and compromise in conflicts. Without a mediator to calm tensions and disputes, these can escalate to an unmanageable point. Antananarivo symbolizes a place where problems become more severe and complicated. In a modern context, this means that without intervention to resolve conflicts peacefully, these conflicts might become intensified and harder to resolve. An equivalent English proverb could be: ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’