Famous Proverbs

1] The surest way to remain poor is to be an honest man

2] There is a time to speak and a time to be silent

3] One beats the bush, and another catches the birds

4] Life begins only in success

5] We can live without our friends, but not without our neighbours

6] They that value not praise, will never do anything worthy of praise

7] A hungry man smells meat afar off

8] Other times, other manners

9] Misery loves company.

10] He who does not rise early never does a good day’s work

11] Kindness is the noblest weapon to conquer with.

12] The Pen is mightier than the sword

13] The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world

14] A man has choice to begin love, but not to end it.

15] Brevity is the soul of wit

16] Home is where the heart is

17] Pleasant hours fly past

18] The peony, though large, is useless; the date blossom, though small, yields fruit

19] Every man praises his own wares

20] Blessed is he who excepts nothing, for he shall never be disappointed

21] The sign brings customers

22] In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king

23] The coward threatens only when he is safe

24] Thrift is a great revenue

25] It is too late to call back yesterday

26] East or west, home is best

27] Ill gotten, ill spent

28] Do as say, not as I do

29] Despair gives courage to a coward

30] By his deeds we know a man

31] Busiest men find the most time

32] It is the unexpected that always happens

33] Virtue is its own reward

34] The folly of one man is the fortune of another

35] The hero appears only when the tiger is dead

36] Water is the king of food

37] A good reaper deserves a good sickle.

38] Pitchers have ears

39] Dying is as natural as living

40] An ounce of patience is worth a pound of brains

41] There’s no fence against ill fortune.

42] The eye sees only what it has the power of seeing

43] He that boasts of his own knowledge proclaims his ignorance

44] Extremes meet

45] It is not easy to steal when the landlord is a thief

46] War, hunting and love are as full of trouble as pleasure

47] Send a donkey to Paris, he’ll return no wiser than he went

48] One swallow does not make a summer

49] Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.

50] Spit to the heavens, and spittle falls on your own nose

51] When two men look after a horse, it will surely be thin; when two families keep a boat, it will surely leak

52] Arms bend inwards – not outwards.

53] A long tongue is a sign of a short hand

54] The difficult is done at once; the impossible takes a little longer

55] A miss is as good as a mile

56] Ill – gotten goods never prosper

57] When angry, count a hundred

58] What is deferred is not abandoned

59] What you don’t know can’t hurt you

60] Let like mate with like

61] Full of courtesy, full of craft

62] He who excuses himself accuses himself

63] The ant had wings to her hurt

64] When fortune smiles, embrace her.

65] Idleness (or An idle brain) is the devil’s workshop

66] Law cannot persuade where it cannot punish

67] Gold is tried in the fire

68] Tell the truth and shame the devil

69] A word spoken is past recalling

70] It is good to follow the old fox

71] Four eyes see more than two

72] It’s dogged that does it

73] Do unto others as they should do unto you

74] Bold resolution is the favourite of providence

75] Pardoning the bad is injuring the good

76] You cannot have it both ways

77] He that is fallen cannot help him that is down

78] You are never too old to learn

79] No man is infallible

80] Hoist your sail when the wind is fair

81] You see a man’s face but not his heart.

82] Little things are great to little men

83] Affection blinds reason

84] It at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again

85] Does sound come from an unstruck drum?

86] Plain dealing is best

87] If you sing before breakfast, you’ll cry before night

88] One hand washes the other

89] Do not limp before the lame

90] Burn not your house to fright the mouse away

91] When you do not know what to do – wait.

92] The wise forget an insult, as the ungrateful a kindness

93] He should have (or He needs) a long spoon who sups with the devil

94] Ambition loses many a man

95] Delays are not denials

96] Fool’s haste is no speed

97] God (or Providence) is always on the side of big battalions

98] When wrath speaks, wisdom veils her face.

99] Rats know the ways of rats

100] We always weaken whatever we exaggerate