Famous Proverbs

1] Might is right

2] Exchange is no robbery

3] The fox may grow grey, but never good

4] It is easier to commend poverty than endure it.

5] Without diligence, no prize

6] No man so good but another may be as good as he

7] No news is good news

8] They can do least two boast loudest

9] No good building without a good foundation.

10] Do as most men do, then most men well speak well of you

11] Wise men are caught in wiles

12] If you trust before you try, you may repent before you die

13] Talk of the devil, and he is bound to appear

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

15] A blind man who sees is better than a seeing man who is blind

16] Discretion of speech is more than eloquence.

17] He that brings good news, knocks hard

18] Give a loan and buy quarrel

19] Rich folk have many friends

20] A man may lose more in an hour than he can get in seven

21] When meat is in anger is out

22] The healthful man can give counsel to the sick

23] Give me fire and I’ll give you light

24] When a tiger dies, it leaves a skin; when a man dies, he leaves a name

25] Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion

26] Covetousness breaks the sack

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

28] He that commits a fault, thinks everyone speaks of it.

29] Take the tone of the company you are in

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

31] What is brought by the wind will be carried away by the wind

32] Success makes a fool seem wise.

33] With wealth, you are as grand as a dragon; without wealth you are as insignificant as a worm.

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

35] An ounce of practice is worth a pound of theory

36] The sieve says to the needle, “You’ve hole in your head”.(

37] Better do a kindness near home than go to a temple far away to burn incense.

38] You cannot sell the cow and sup (or drink) the milk

39] He that has no money needs no purse

40] Take not a musket to kill a butterfly

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

42] Heaven takes care of children, sailor and drunken men

43] A bad shearer never had a good sickle

44] When good cheer is lacking, our friends will be packing

45] Petty laws breed great crimes

46] False friends are worse than bitter enemies.

47] The submitting to one wrong brings on another

48] He that is down need fear no fall

49] A guilty conscience feels continual fear

50] The belly carries the legs

51] He that dwells next door to a cripple, will learn to halt

52] A word before is worth two behind

53] There is no rose without a thorn

54] Don’t ride the high horse

55] He that would catch fish must venture his bait

56] It is profound ignorance that inspires the dogmatic tone

57] You cannot serve God and Mammon

58] What costs little is little esteemed

59] He that will not endure to itch must endure to smart

60] Poverty is no disgrace but it is a great inconvenience

61] Great alms-giving lessens no man’s living

62] He that speaks not, God hears not

63] If every man would sweep before his own door, the city would soon be clean

64] Possibilities are infinite

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

66] At open doors, dogs come in

67] Practice makes perfect

68] Law makers should not be law breakers

69] The anvil lasts longer than the hammer

70] He that loses anything and gets wisdom by it is a gainer by the loss

71] Silence is also speech

72] Whatsoever was the father of a disease, an ill diet was the mother.

73] It is easy to do what one’s own self wills

74] What the king wills, that the law wills

75] Tie a chicken with an elephant rope, and it will slip off; tie an elephant with a chicken-tether, and it will break away.

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

77] He that travels far knows much

78] One thief will not rob another

79] A rolling stone gathers no moss

80] Among the blind, the one-eyed man is king

81] No hair so small but has his shadow

82] If you would make an enemy, lend a man money and ask it of him again

83] Little things are pretty

84] A fox should not be of the jury at a goose’s trial

85] Opportunity makes the thief

86] Beauty is eloquent even when silent

87] Do as you would be done by

88] A forced kindness deserves no thanks

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

90] Praise without profit puts little in the pot

91] He who can wait obtains what he wishes.

92] Health is not value till sickness comes

93] New brooms sweep clean

94] Wine is the best broom for trouble

95] Wives must be had, be they good or bad

96] Every groom is a king at home

97] Be just before you are generous

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

99] Punishment is a cripple, but it arrives

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