if you can't beat them, join them; you can't fight city hall
Proverb advising that when facing a stronger opponent or authority, it is wiser to go along with them than to resist. Often used to suggest pragmatic submission to power.
It's no use opposing the boss's opinion. You know what they say: if you can't beat them, join them.
You'd better not go against that politician. Better to bend with the wind.
Proverb meaning 'if you take shelter, do so under a large tree'; advises seeking protection from the powerful. 長いものには巻かれろ is more about yielding to superior force rather than proactively seeking patronage.
Standard kanji spelling using もの and 巻かれろ.
Variant with 物 instead of もの; same reading and meaning.
Literally “be wound around by a long thing,” with the long thing representing a powerful person or force. The proverb advises yielding to those too powerful to resist.