Meaning of the word "books and friends should be few but good" in English

What does "books and friends should be few but good" mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

books and friends should be few but good

US /bʊks ænd frendz ʃʊd bi fjuː bʌt ɡʊd/
UK /bʊks ænd frendz ʃʊd bi fjuː bʌt ɡʊd/
"books and friends should be few but good" picture

Idiom

it is better to have a small number of high-quality books and friends than many of poor quality

Example:
I don't need a thousand acquaintances; as the saying goes, books and friends should be few but good.
He curates his library and social circle carefully, believing that books and friends should be few but good.