What is the original Polish?

Przyja- ciela jedwabnžj reka obieraj, a želaznq trzymaj. Translated from the original Polish by Spartan Surfers.

Przyjaciela jedwabną ręką obieraj, a żelazną trzymaj.

Choose a friend with a silk hand. Hold him with an iron one.

Polish proverb, Čelakovský, Mudrosloví národu slovanského (1852), p. 230

What it means

Be gentle and careful when choosing friends. Once you have chosen, be fiercely loyal. Easy to enter, hard to break.

The source

"Choose a friend with a silk hand. Hold him with an iron one." This Polish proverb is recorded in Čelakovský, Mudrosloví národu slovanského (1852), p. 230. Translated from the original Polish by Spartan Surfers.

"Przyja- ciela jedwabnžj reka obieraj, a želaznq trzymaj."

Original Polish, Čelakovský, Mudrosloví národu slovanského (1852), p. 230. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "Choose a friend with a silk hand. Hold him with an iron one." mean?: Be gentle and careful when choosing friends. Once you have chosen, be fiercely loyal. Easy to enter, hard to break.
Who said "Choose a friend with a silk hand. Hold him with an iron one."?: Polish proverb. Source: Čelakovský, Mudrosloví národu slovanského (1852), p. 230.
What is the original Polish?: Przyja- ciela jedwabnžj reka obieraj, a želaznq trzymaj. Translated from the original Polish by Spartan Surfers.
Is "Choose a friend with a silk hand. Hold him with an iron one." on a shirt?: Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 6 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Cite this line

"Choose a friend with a silk hand. Hold him with an iron one." (Polish proverb, Čelakovský, Mudrosloví národu slovanského (1852), p. 230, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/choose-a-friend-with-a-silk-hand-hold