Famous Proverbs

1] The soldier who retreated fifty paces laughed at the one who had fallen back a hundred paces

2] Since god has not bent the top of the palm tree, he has given a long neck to the giraffe

3] A short cut is often a wrong cut

4] Keep conscience clear, then never fear

5] Things are seldom what they seem.

6] Set a beggar on horse back and he’ll ride to the devil

7] Never make threats you cannot carry out.

8] Fortune does not stand waiting at any man’s door

9] If you want a thing well done, do it yourself

10] Content is better than riches

11] When in doubt, do nothing

12] When you are an anvil, hold still; when you are an anvil, hold still; when you are a hammer, strike your fill.

13] Three helping one another, bear the burthen of six

14] In wine there is truth

15] One reason is as good as fifty

16] Better belly burst than good meat lost

17] Who is more busy than he that has least to do?

18] A good horse cannot wear two saddles

19] Great trees keep down the little ones

20] When we have gold, we are in fear; when we have none we are in danger

21] Birds once snared fear all bushes

22] The best throw of the dice is to throw them away

23] Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm

24] Words and feathers the wind carries away

25] The sun shines upon all alike.

26] One volunteer is worth two pressed men

27] Good broth may be made in an old pot

28] The greatest talkers are the least doers

29] Go while the going is good

30] The pitcher goes often to the well that it is broken at last

31] A penny weight of love is worth a pound of law

32] Dogs that bark at a distance bite not at hand

33] A good anvil does not fear the hammer

34] Hew not too high lest the chips fall in thine eye

35] A nod is as good as wink to a blind horse

36] Wash your dirty linen at home

37] Innocence is no protection

38] A good word stills great anger

39] The resolved mind has no cares

40] A bully is always a coward

41] Nothing crave, nothing have

42] Who repairs not his gutter, repairs his whole house

43] He who comes first, grinds first.

44] How who makes no mistakes, makes nothing.

45] Honest is the best policy

46] When a dwarf ascends a staircase, he gets higher every step

47] Necessity and opportunity may make a coward valiant

48] Cast not the first stone.

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

50] What children hear at home, soon files abroad

51] He wants both the flour and the cake that it makes

52] Gifts are scorned where givers are despised

53] He gives twice who gives quickly

54] Great talkers are never great doers

55] A lion may be beholden to a mouse

56] The envious grow thin at others’ prosperity

57] Distance lends enchantment to the view

58] It is not every question that deserves an answer

59] He who owes is in all the wrong

60] At the end of the game, the king and pawn go in to the same bag.

61] All doors open to courtesy

62] Appetite comes with eating

63] Jackdaw always perches by jackdaw.

64] Fools rejoice at promises

65] Never do things by halves

66] Valour would fight, but discretion would run away

67] Marriage is a lottery

68] He that is afraid of bad luck will never know good.

69] Content is more than a kingdom

70] He who has a mind to beat his dog will easily find a stick.

71] Better to wear out than rust out

72] Good to begin well, better to end well.

73] The fox may grow grey, but never good

74] Kill not the goose that lays the golden eggs

75] He who makes no mistakes makes nothing

76] Praise without profit puts little in the pot

77] The fairest silk is soonest stained

78] He that would eat the kernel must crack the nut

79] There’s always room at the top

80] Even Buddha has a limit to what he can tolerate

81] The death of the wolves is the safety of the sheep

82] Soon hot, soon cold

83] Wine unveils the words of the heart

84] It foolish sheep that makes the wolf his confessor

85] One hand washes the other

86] The Friar Preached against stealing and had a goose in his sleeve

87] Much babbling is not without offence

88] If an ass goes a – traveling, he’ll not come home a horse

89] Self do, self have

90] He that would eat the kernel must crack the nut

91] He cannot speak well that cannot hold his tongue

92] It is as hard to please a knave as knight

93] The proud will sooner lose than ask the way

94] One cannot love and be wise

95] Beauty is only skin deep

96] A still tongue makes a wise head

97] Like will to like

98] An account is an account, and a brother a brother.

99] Better beg than steal.

100] Better to ask the way than go astray.