Famous Proverbs

1] An ape’s an ape, a varlet’s a varlet, though they be clad in silk or scarlet

2] He that will steal a pin will steal a better thing

3] Bear with evil and expect good

4] It is ill jesting with edged tools

5] Had I fish’ was never good with garlic

6] The joy of the heart makes the face fair.

7] You never know what you can do till you try

8] Error cannot be defended but by error

9] He who hesitates is lost

10] A good friend is my nearest relation

11] A good marksman may miss

12] Hunger breaks stone walls

13] A short cut is often a wrong cut

14] Whatever is made by the hand of man, by the hand of man by overturned

15] No naked man is sought after to be rifled

16] Kinsman helps kinsman, and woe to him that has none

17] A man with no hands is given a ring.

18] What’s done cannot be undone

19] A good beginning makes a good ending.

20] A good lawyer must be a great liar

21] He who touches pitch will be defiled

22] The strength of the chain is in the weakest link.

23] Little pitchers have big (or long) ears

24] Change brings life

25] No land without stones, or meat without bones

26] One hand washes the other

27] Venture a small fish to catch a big one

28] More than enough is too much

29] Success has many friends

30] Revenge never repairs an injury

31] All things for not all persons

32] Those who live near water know the nature of fish; those who live near hills know the calls of birds

33] He that burns most, shines most

34] If you pile up enough sand, you can make a pagoda

35] The eye is bigger than the belly

36] Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today

37] Every man praises his own wares

38] Water is the king of food

39] The company makes the feast

40] The owl thinks her own young fairest

41] He that will not be counseled, cannot be helped

42] No man can serve two masters

43] A good drink makes the old young

44] He knows most who speaks least

45] Take things as they come

46] A thief knows a thief knows a thief as a wolf knows a wolf

47] He that lives wickedly can hardly die honestly

48] Men strain at gnats and swallow camels

49] Don’t bite the hand that feeds you

50] Don’t cry stinking fish

51] Laws were made to be broke

52] Cleanliness is next to godliness

53] Dirty water does not wash clean.

54] Old cattle breed not

55] The balance distinguishes not between gold and lead

56] Better the foot slip than the tongue

57] As you brew, so shall you drink.

58] Punishment is a cripple, but it arrives

59] If fortune turns against you, even jelly breaks your tooth

60] It is easier to praise poverty than to bear it.

61] Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise

62] A rich miser is poorer than a poor man

63] Those who are used to the signs of the dumb, understand them

64] Experience must be bought

65] Long absent, soon forgotten

66] Go not to hell for company

67] Thrift is a great revenue

68] Marriage halves our griefs, doubles our joys and quadruples our expenses

69] Make yourself all honey and the flies will devour you

70] Charity covers a Multitude of sins

71] Desperate diseases need (or must have) desperate cures

72] Though the fox runs, the chicken has wings

73] What has been, may be

74] Custom makes all things easy

75] A man of courage never wants weapons

76] A rich man can do nothing wrong

77] Kingdoms divided soon fall

78] If you can’t ride two horses at once, you shouldn’t be in the circus

79] A still tongue makes a wise head

80] Excessive happiness produces pain

81] Spend not where you may save, spare not where you must spend

82] You cannot know the wine by the barrel

83] He who does nothing but sits and eats, will wear away a mountain of wealth

84] Every cloud has a silver lining

85] So many men, so many opinions

86] The sun shines upon all alike.

87] Never do things by halves

88] Ambition makes people diligent

89] A good conscience is a soft pillow

90] If you put noting into your purse, you can take nothing out

91] Industry is fortune’s right hand, and frugality her left

92] Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

93] He that comes of a hen, must scrape

94] Fire is a good servant a bad master

95] Medical plants from one’s own back-yard are no valued.

96] At the end of the game, you’ll see who’s the winner

97] The flesh is aye fairest that is farthest from the bone

98] Lucky men need no counsel

99] If you play with fire you get burnt

100] A new broom sweeps clean, but the old brush knows all the corners