Famous Proverbs

1] The wisest of the wise may err.

2] If two men ride on a horse, one must ride behind

3] Waste not, want not

4] He that can stay. Obtains

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

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

7] Trust not the many-minded populace

8] Union is strength.

9] A fool’s bolt may sometimes hit the mark

10] Things are only worth one makes them worth

11] He that burns most, shines most

12] Change brings life

13] Ill news comes unsent for.

14] To err is human

15] A wicked man is his own hell

16] The wish is father to the thought

17] Things past cannot be recalled

18] Don’t bargain for fish which are still in the water

19] The sun is never the worse for shining on a dunghill

20] T’ is safest making peace with sword in hand

21] The poorer one is, the more devils one meets

22] That which is easily done is soon believed

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

24] Call no man happy till he is dead

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

26] You may lead (or take) a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink

27] Manners and money make a gentleman

28] Much learning makes men mad

29] A good friend is my nearest relation

30] Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched

31] When the weather is cold, there is not such thing as dirty clothing

32] Truth lies at the bottom of the well

33] Habits are at first cobwebs, at last cables.

34] Praise makes good men better and bad men worse

35] Habits are at first cobwebs, at last cables

36] Strings high stretched either soon crack or quickly grow out of tune.

37] Don’t make a mountain out of molehill

38] Names are debts

39] One pair of heels is often worth two pairs of hands

40] Nearest the heart comes out first

41] Will is no skill

42] Nothing ventured, nothing gained

43] Wrong never comes right

44] Know when to spend and when to spare, and you need not be busy, you’ll never be bare

45] Will without reason is blind, and against reason, is mad

46] The worse the evil, the calmer we face it.

47] Better an open enemy than a false friend

48] A wise man cares not for what he cannot have

49] He that will not go over the stile, must be thrust through the gate

50] It is poor dog that is not worth the whistling

51] A good marksman may miss

52] He that sows thistles shall reap prickles.

53] The first step is the only difficulty

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

55] None but the brave deserves the fair

56] Error cannot be defended but by error

57] Praise is a spur to the good, a thorn to the evil

58] Who chatters to you, will chatter of you.

59] He who sits in the well to observe the sky does not see very much.

60] Joy and sorrow are next door neighbours.

61] When you know there are tigers on the hills, don’t go there

62] A man’s wealth is his enemy

63] Dogs bark as they are bred.

64] If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas

65] Soft fire makes sweet malt

66] Goods that are much on show lose their colour

67] Let a fool hold his tongue and he will pass for a sage

68] Beauty opens locked doors

69] If wishes were horses, beggars would ride (or might ride)

70] Creditors have better memories than debtors

71] Mount Fuji itself is not So beautiful to one who is cold and hungry

72] Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm

73] Forewarned is forearmed

74] He that dare not venture must not complain of ill luck

75] Quickly come, quickly go

76] It is a good tongue that says no ill, and a better heart that thinks none

77] The labourer is worthy of his hire

78] Don’t hallo (or shout, or whistle) until you are out of the wood

79] A closed mouth catches no files

80] Better be born lucky than wise.

81] He may find fault that cannot mend

82] He laughs best who laughs last

83] Better are small fish than an empty dish

84] A whip for a fool, and a rod for a school, is always in good seasons

85] When you know there are tigers on the hills, don’t go there

86] You know what you can do till you try.

87] He that brings good news, knocks hard

88] Don’t wash your dirty linen in public

89] The absent saint gets no candle

90] Hope often deludes the foolish man

91] The grapes are sour’, as the fox said when he could not reach them

92] Extremes meet

93] A rich man’s joke is always funny

94] Little by little and bit by bit.

95] All things are easy, that are done willingly

96] The submitting to one wrong brings on another

97] Law cannot persuade where it cannot punish

98] The owl thinks her own young fairest

99] Misery loves company.

100] Will iron become fine gold, however often refined?