My Proverbs

7/26/2019 My Proverbs

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/my-proverbs 1/12

Alphabetical list of proverbs - A - Z

Proverb Explanation / Meaning

A Absence makes the heart grow fonder. When you are away from someone you love, you love them evenmore.

Accidents will happen. Some unfortunate events must be accepted as inevitable.

Actions speak louder than words. What a person actually does is more important that what they saythey will do.

Advice is cheap. It doesn't cost anything to offer advice.

Advice is least heeded when most

needed.

When a problem is serious, people often do not follow the advice

given. Advisers run no risks. It's easier to give advice than to act.

All cats are gre in the dark. People are undistinguished until they have made a name.

All good things come to those who wait. Patience brings rewards.

All that glitters is not gold. Appearances can be deceptive.

All das are short to !ndustr and long to!dleness.

Time goes by slowly when you have nothing to do.

All is fair in love and war Things that are done in love or war can often be ecused.

All"s well that ends well There is a solution to everything even though there are doubts.

All that glitters is not gold. What loo! good on the outside may not be so in reality.

All things grow with time - except grief. As time goes by, grief subsides little by little.

All things are difficult before the areeas.

With practice things become easier.

All work and no pla makes #ack a dullbo.

"verybody needs a certain amount of relaation. It is not good to wor! all

the time.

An apple a da keeps the doctor awa.$ "ating an apple every day can help to !eep you healthy. #ther interpretation $ A small preventive treatment wards off seriousproblems.

An empt purse frightens awa friends. When one's financial situation deteriorates, friends tend to disappear.

An Englishman"s home is his castle. An "nglishman's home is a place where he feels safe, en%oys privacy

and can do as he wishes.

An idle brain is the devil"s workshop. When you wor! you avoid temptation.

An onion a da keeps everone awa.$ &A humoristic version of an apple a day...

An ounce of prevention is worth a poundof cure.

It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair thedamage or

cure the disease later.

Anger is the one thing made better b

dela.

When you are angry, it is best not to spea! or act immediately.

An time means no time. If the date of an event remains vague, it will never happen.



April showers bring Ma flowers. Something bad or unpleasant today may bring good things in thefuture.

A bad tree does not ield good apples. A bad parent does not raise good children.

A bad workman blames his tools. (laming the tools for bad wor!manship is an ecuse for lac! of s!ill.

A bird in hand is worth two in a bush. It's better to !eep what you have than to ris! losing it by searching forsomething better.

A broken friendship ma be soldered butwill never be sound.

)riendships can be rebuilt after a dispute but will never be as strongas before.

A burden of one"s own choice is not felt. Something difficult seems easier when it is done voluntarily.

A burnt child dreads the fire. A bad eperience will ma!e people stay away from certain things.

A cat has nine lives. *+ ats can survive many accidents because they land on their feet without in%ury. -+ Three lives / years to play, / years to stray, / years to stay.

A chain is no stronger than its weakestlink. The strength of a group depends on each individual member.

A change is as good as a rest. A change in routine is often as refreshing as a brea! or a holiday.

A dr March% a wet April and a cool Ma

fill barn and cellar and bring much ha. 0arvest predictions according to the weather.

A fault confessed is half redressed. onfession is the beginning of forgiveness.

A flower blooms more than once. If you miss an occasion, you can avail of it at another time.

A fool and his mone are soon &easil'parted.

A foolish person usually spends money carelessly.

A fool at fort is a fool forever. If a person hasn't matured by the age of 12, they never will.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Someone who helps you when you are in trouble is a real friend.

A friend to all is a friend to none. Someone who is a friend to everyone ma!es none of them feelspecial.

A friend"s ee is a good mirror. A real friend will tell you the truth.

A good example is the best sermon. 3iving an eample is better than giving advice.

A good beginning makes a good end. If a tas! is carefully planned, there's a better chance that it will bedone well.

A good conscience is a soft pillow. 4ou sleep well when you have nothing to feel guilty about.

A guilt conscience needs no accuser.

A leopard cannot change its spots. It is not possible for a bad or unpleasant person to become good orpleasant.

A loaded wagon makes no noise. 5eally wealthy don't tal! about money.

A loveless life is a living death.

A man can die but once.

A man is as old as he feels himself to be.

A man is known b the compan he

keeps.

A person's character is %udged by the type of people with whom theyspend

their time.

A monke in silk is a monke no less. 6o matter how someone dresses, it's the same person underneath.



A new broom sweeps clean. A newly7appointed person ma!es changes energetically.

A problem shared is a problem halved. It will be easier to deal with a problem if you discuss it with someone.

A rising tide lifts all boats. 8escribes something that will be helpful to all.

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

If a person !eeps moving from place to place, they gain neitherfriends nor possessions.Another interpretation is that, by moving often, one avoids being tied

down9

A rotten apple spoils the barrel. A dishonest or immoral person can have a bad influence on a group.

A smooth sea never made a skilledmariner.

#vercoming adversity leads to competence.

A stitch in time saves nine. It's better to deal with a problem at an early stage, to prevent it fromgetting worse.

A stumble ma prevent a fall. orrecting a small mista!e may help you to avoid ma!ing a biggerone.

A swallow does not make the summer. #ne good event does not mean that everything is alright.

A tree is known b its fruit. A man is %udged by his actions.

A watched pot never boils If you wait aniously for something, it seems to ta!e a long time.

A oung idler% an old beggar. If you don't wor!, you won't have any money when you're old.

After dinner rest a while% after supper walka mile.

Today 'dinner' is usually called 'lunch', and 'supper' more often called'dinner'.

As ou sow% so shall ou reap 4ou have to accept the conse:uences of your actions.

Ask me no (uestions% !"ll tell ou no lies. There are sub%ects I'd rather not discuss.

) )ad news travels fast. People tend to circulate bad news ;accidents, illness etc.+ very:uic!ly.

)eaut is onl skin deep. A person's character is more important than their appearance.

)eaut is in the ee of the beholder. 8ifferent people have different tastes.

)eaut is the wisdom of women. *isdom

is thebeaut of men.

)e swift to hear% slow to speak. <isten carefully before spea!ing.

)etter be alone than in bad compan. (e careful in the choice of the people you associate with.

)etter be the head of a dog then the tail of a lion.

It's better to be the leader of a small group than a subordinate in abigger one.



)etter flatter a fool than fight him. It's better to avoid disputes with stupid people.

)etter the devil ou know than the devil

oudon"t know

It's better to deal with somebody difficult but familiar, than change and

ris! dealing with somebody worse.

)etter late than never. It's better to do something, even if it's late, than not do it at all.

)etter lose the saddle than the horse. It's better to stop and accept a small loss, rather than continue andris! losing everything.

)etter safe than sorr It's better to be too careful than to be careless and regret it later.

)etter to drink the milk than to eat thecow.

(e careful not to destroy the source of your income or welfare.

)etter untaught than ill-taught It's better not to be taught at all than to be taught badly.

)eware of +reeks bearing gifts. 8on't trust your enemies.

)irds of a feather flock together. People of the same sort are usually found together.

)lood is thicker than water )amily relationships are stronger than relationships with other people.

)lood will out. A person's bac!ground or education will eventually show.

, ,harit begins at home. A person's first duty is to help and care for his own family.

,hildren and fools tell the truth.

,leanliness is next to godliness. A clean body is %ust as important as a pure soul.

,lear moon% frost soon. If the atmosphere is clear, frost may form.

,lothes don"t make the man. Appearances can be deceiving.

,onstant occupation prevents temptation. When you wor! you avoid temptation.

ead men tell no tales

A dead person cannot cause difficulties by revealing something that it

would bepreferable to conceal.

iamond cuts diamond. 5efers to two people e:ually matched in wit or cunning.

iligence is the mother of good fortune. 0ard wor! brings rewards.

iscretion is the better part of valour It is useless to ta!e unnecessary ris!s.

iseases of the soul are more dangerousthanthose of the bod.

istance makes the heart grow fonder.When you are separated from the person you love, your feelings are

even stronger.

ogs of the same street bark alike. People from the same bac!ground have the same behaviour.



on"t bark if ou can"t bite. 8on't complain if you can't enforce your point of view.

on"t count our chickens before the"rehatched. 4ou must not be too confident that something will be successful.

on"t dig our grave with our own knifeand fork.

8on't do something yourself which causes your own downfall.

on"t udge a book b its cover. 8on't %udge by appearances.

E Earl to bed and earl to rise makes aman health% wealth and wise.

Easier said than done. What is suggested sounds easy but it is more difficult to actually do it.

Elbow grease is the best polish. 0ard wor! gives the best results.

Empt vessels make the most noise. The least intelligent people are often the most tal!ative or noisy.

Ever ass likes to hear himself bra. People li!e to listen to themselves tal!ing.

Ever cloud has a silver lining There is a positive or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation.

Ever man for himself. 4ou must thin! of your own interests before the interests of others.

Ever man has his price. "veryone's loyalty can be bought for a price.

Ever man is the architect of his ownfortune.

<ife is what you ma!e it.

Ever path has its puddle. Progress is rarely without difficulty.

Ever rose has its thorn. "very good thing has an unpleasant side.

Ever wh has a wherefore. There is an eplanation for everything.

Everthing in the garden is ros. "verything is satisfactory.

Experience is the father of wisdom. "perience and !nowledge result in better %udgement.

acts speak louder than words. People show what they are really li!e by what they do, rather than by what they say.

ailure teaches success.

alse friends are worse than openenemies.

amiliarit breeds contempt =nowing somebody very well may lead to a lac! of respect for them.

ine words butter no parsnips. 6o amount of tal!ing can replace action.

irst come% first served. The first person in the line will be attended to first.

ool me once% shame on ou0fool me twice% shame on me.

#ne should learn from one's mista!es.

ools rush in where angels fear to tread Ineperienced people act in situations that more intelligent people would avoid

riendship is love with understanding.



+ +ardens are not made b sitting in theshade.

6othing is achieved without effort.

+ive someone an inch and the will take a mile &or ard'.

3ive someone a little and they will want more 7 some people arenever satisfied.

+ive someone enough rope and the willhang themselves.

3ive someone enough time and freedom and they will get intotrouble.

+od helps those who help themselves.

+ood accounting makes good friends. 4ou will !eep your friends if you avoid disputes over money.

+ood and (uickl seldom meet. A well7done %ob ta!es time.

+ood management is better than goodincome.

+reat minds think alike. Said when you epress the same opinion as another person at thesame time.

+reat oaks grow from little acorns. <arge successful operations can begin in a small way.

+rief divided is made lighter If you share your grief it is easier to bear.

1 1alf a loaf is better than none. 4ou should be grateful for something, even if it's not as much as you wanted.

1ard words break no bones.

1aste makes waste.

If something is done too :uic!ly, it may be done carelessly and need

to be redone.

1atred is a blind as love. A person who feels hatred does not see any :ualities in the personhe>she hates.

1e can who believes he can. If you believe you can do something, you will be able to do it.

1e has enough who is content. A happy person needs nothing more.

1e who hesitates is lost. If you delay your decision too long, you may miss a good opportunity.

1e who is everwhere is nowhere. It's not good to do too many things at the same time.

1e who knows nothing% doubts nothing. =nowledge leads us to ma!e choices.

1e who pas the piper calls the tune. The person who provides the money for something should controlhow it is spent

1e who plas with fire gets burnt. If you behave in a ris!y way, you are li!ely to have problems.

1e who wills the end wills the means. If you are determined to do something you will find a way.

1e laughs best who laughs last. 8on't epress your %oy, or your triumph, too soon9

1ealth is better than wealth. It's better to be in good health than to be rich.

1ome is where the heart is. 4ou call home the place where the people you love are.

1onest is the best polic. It's always better to be honest.

1one catches more flies than vinegar. 4ou can obtain more cooperation from others by being nice.

1owever long the night% the dawn willbreak

(ad things don't last forever.



1unger is a good sauce. All food tastes good when you are hungry.

! !n times of prosperit friends are plentiful. 4ou have many friends when you have no difficulties.

!f a camel gets his nose in a tent% his bodwill follow.

If you let something intrusive enter your life, your life will becomedifficult .

!f in ebruar there be no rain% "tis neithergood for ha nor grain.

Plants and crops will grow badly if there is no rain in early spring.

!f ou are patient in one moment of anger%ou will avoid 233 das of sorrow.

Avoid regrets by ta!ing time to thin! before spea!ing or acting angrily.

!f ou chase two rabbits% ou will notcatch either

one.

If you try to do two things at the same time, you won't succeed in

doing either of them.

!f two ride a horse% one must ride behind. When two people do something together, one will be the leader

and the other will be the subordinate.

!f ou want a friend% be a friend.

!f wishes were horses% then beggarswould ride.

Wishing alone is of no use? you must act as well.

!gnorance is bliss. Possible interpretation$ What you do not !now causes no worry orsadness.

!n for a penn% in for a pound. If you start something, it's better to spend the time or moneynecessary to complete it.

!n the land of the blind% the one-eed man

is king.

A man of even limited ability has an advantage over a person who is

less able. !t never rains but it pours. @isfortunes usually come in large numbers.

!t is alwas darkest before the dawn The most difficult time is %ust before a problem is solved.

!t"s no use cring over spilt milk. 8on't epress regret for something that has happened and cannot beremedied.

!t takes all sorts to make a world. People vary in character and abilities, and this is a good thing.

J #ustice delaed is ustice denied. If the law is applied too late, there is no %ustice.

4 4nowledge in outh is wisdom in age. What you learn when you are young will be invaluable when you growold.

4nowledge is power. =nowledge ma!es it possible for you to act.

4ill one to warn a hundred. Warn many by punishing a few.

4ill the goose that las the golden egg. 8estroy something that would be a source of wealth or success.

4indness begets kindness. If you are !ind to people, they will be !ind to you.

Proverb "planation > @eaning

L 5aughter is the best medicine.

5earn to walk before ou run. 8on't rush into doing something until you !now how to do it. 5earning is a treasure that will follow its "ducation is something you !eep forever.



owner everwhere.

5east said soonest mended. The more discreet you are, the less damage you cause.

5et bgones be bgones. <et's forgive and forget past :uarrels.

5et not the sun go down on our wrath. 8o not stay angry for more than one day.

5et the chips fall where the ma. We should not try to control our destiny.

5iars need good memories. People who do not tell the truth must be careful to remember whatthey say.

5ightning never strikes in the same placetwice

An unusual event is not li!ely to occur again in eactly the samecircumstances.

5ike father% like son. A son's character can be epected to resemble his father's.

5ittle strokes fell great oaks. If you divide a tas! into small parts, it becomes easier to do.

5ook before ou leap. onsider possible conse:uences before ta!ing action.

5oose lips sink ships. 8isclosing important information ; to the enemy or a competitor+ couldresult in large

losses.

5osers weepers% finders keepers. If you lose something you weep, if you find something you !eep it.

5ove is blind. A person in love does not see the faults of the person he>she loves.

M Make a silk purse out of a sow"s ear @anage to produce something good using poor material.

Man is the head of the famil0woman is the neck that turns the head.

Man proposes% +od disposes. #ur destiny depends on 3od's will.

Manners make the man. Possibly$ a person's manners show their origins.

Man hands make light work. Sharing wor! ma!es wor! easier. Marr in haste% repent at leisure. If you get married too :uic!ly, you may spend all your life regretting it.

Memor is the treasure of the mind.

Men make houses% women make homes.

Might as well be hanged for a sheep as&for' a lamb

If the penalty is going to be the same, you might as well commit thegreater offence.

Mone begets mone. If you have money you can ma!e more money.

Mone doesn"t grow on trees. 4ou shouldn't waste money because it is not plentiful.

Mone is the root of all evil. @oney is the main cause of wrongdoing and problems.

N 6ecessit is the mother of invention. The need for something forces people to find a way of obtaining it.

6eed teaches a plan. 6ecessity will ma!e you find a solution.

6ever put off till tomorrow what can bedone toda

8on't postpone something you can do now.

6ever sa die. 6ever give up.

6obod is perfect.

6o man can serve two masters. It's impossible to follow instructions from two different sources.

6o man is an island. We all need other people.

6o news is good news.

If the news was bad, we would hear of it. Since we have heard

nothing, we can assume that all is well.



6o smoke without fire. There could be some truth in the rumour...

6o wind% no waves. Similar to $ 'no smo!e without fire'.

6othing ventured% nothing gained. 4ou cannot epect to achieve anything if you don't ta!e ris!s.

O 7nce bitten% twice sh. After an unpleasant eperience, people are careful to avoidsomething similar.

7ne father is more than a hundredschoolmasters.

7ne good turn deserves another. 4ou should be helpful to someone who helps you.

7ne of these das is none of these das. '#ne of these days' remains vague.

7ne toda is worth two tomorrow. What you have today is better than what is promised or hoped for.

7ne man"s meat is another man"s poison People don't always li!e the same things.

7ne man"s trash is another man"streasure.

What is useless to one person could be valuable to another.

7ne swallow doesn"t make a summer. A single satisfactory event does not mean that all the others will be asgood.

7nl real friends will tell ou when ourface is dirt.

#nly a real friend will tell you the truth.

7pportunit seldom knocks twice. 8on't miss opportunities that come along.

7ut of the mouths of babes and sucklings hildren often spea! wisely.

7ut of sight% out of mind. We tend to forget people or things that we do not see.

P Patience is a virtue It is good to be patient.

Penn wise% pound foolish. 5efers to a person who is careful about spending small amounts ofmoney, but not careful about spending large amounts of money.

People who live in glass houses shouldnot throw stones.

#ne should not criticie others for faults similar to one's own.

Povert waits at the gates of idleness. If you do not wor! you will not ma!e money.

Practice makes perfect. 8oing something repeatedly is the only way to become good at it.

Practise what ou preach 8o yourself what you advise others to do.

Prevention is better than cure It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair thedamage or cure the

disease later.

Pride comes before a fall. 8on't be too self7confident or proud? something may happen to ma!eyou loo! foolish.

Procrastination is the thief of time 8elaying an action for too long is a waste of time.

Punctualit is the soul of business 4ou should always be on time for your business appointments.

Put all our eggs in one basket 5is! everything by relying on one plan ;by putting all one's money inone business+.

R 8evenge is sweet. There is satisfaction in returning an in%ury.

8ome was not built in a da. It ta!es a long time to do a %ob properly. 4ou should not epect to doit :uic!ly.



S 9ave me from m friends. )riends can be more dangerous than enemies.

9aing is one thing% doing is another. People don't always do what they announce.

9hort reckonings make long friends. 8ebts paid :uic!ly encourage friendship.

9ickness in the bod brings sadness tothe mind.

9ilence gives consent. If you don't ob%ect to something it can be assumed that you agree withit.

9nug as a bug in a rug. )eeling very comfortable.

9pare the rod and spoil the child If you don't punish a child when he does wrong, you will spoil hischaracter.

9ticks and stones will break m bones butnameswill never hurt me

Physical attac!s may harm me, but cruel words will not.

9till waters run deep. A :uiet person can have much !nowledge or wisdom.

A stitch in time saves nine

It's better to deal with a problem in its early stages, because if you

don't, it will get worse.

9tolen fruit is the sweetest. What is forbidden is the most tempting.

T :all oaks grow from little acorns. 3reat things may come from small beginnings.

:he apple doesn"t fall far from the tree. hildren resemble their parents.

:he best advice is found on the pillow. After a good night's sleep we may find an answer to our problem.

:he best things in life are free. 4ou don't have to pay for what is important $ happiness, friendship,good health.

:he darkest hour is ust before dawn. There is hope even in the worst of times.

:he devil looks after his own. Success comes to those who deserve it least .

:he devil makes work for idle hands People who have no wor!, or are idle, often get into or ma!e trouble.

:he die is cast. A decision has been made and it's impossible to change it.

:he earl bird catches the worm. If you want to do something successfully, you should do it as soon asyou can.

:he end ustifies the means. Wrong or unfair methods may be used if the result of the action isgood.

:he first step is the hardest. The most difficult thing is to begin.

:he more haste% the less speed. A person ma!es more progress if they do things less :uic!ly.

:he more ou have% the more ou want. People have a constant desire to possess more.

:he mouse that has but one hole is(uickl taken.

If you depend on %ust one thing, and it fails you, you will have noalternatives.

:he pen is mightier than the sword Words and communication have greater effect than war and fighting.

:he proof of the pudding is in the eating. The real value of something can be %udged only after it has been triedor tested.

:he road to hell is paved with goodintentions.

It's not enough to intend to do something, you must actually do it.

:he tongue wounds more than a lance. Insults can be more hurtful than physical in%uries.

:he truth is in the wine. People spea! more freely under the influence of alcohol.

:he wa to a man"s heart is through his

stomach.

)eed a man well and he will love you.

:he wish is father to the thought. 4ou thin! that something is true because you want it to be so.



:here is a black sheep in ever flock. There is always one who doesn't behave or perform li!e the others.

:here is a trick in ever trade. There is an established way of doing things.

:here is no fool like an old fool. A older person is epected to behave more sensibly.

:here is safet in numbers (eing in a crowd ma!es you feel more confident.

:ime and tide wait for no man. 8elaying a decision will not prevent events from ta!ing place.

:ime has wings. Time goes by :uic!ly.

:ime is mone. Time is valuable and should not be wasted.

:o err is human% to forgive divine It is human nature to ma!e mista!es, therefore one should forgive.

:oo man cooks spoil the broth. &1umoristic version ; :oo man clicksspoil the browse<'

If too many people are involved in something, it will not be doneproperly.

:oo much bed makes a dull head. If you sleep too much, you are not able to thin! clearly.

:rue friends are tested in adversit. It's when you have problems that you realie who your real friendsare.

:rust not a horse"s heel nor a dog"s tooth. (e careful of the reaction of animals.

:ruth has no answer. 4ou cannot argue against facts or refute what is true.

:ruth is stranger than fiction. "vents in real life are sometimes stranger than in fiction.

:wo wrongs don"t make a right It is wrong to harm someone because they have harmed you.

U =nion is strength. A group has more force than an individual.

=nwillingness easil finds an excuse. A person who doesn't want to do something always finds a reason toavoid it.

V >ariet is the spice of life. 8oing a lot of different things ma!es life more interesting.

>irtue is its own reward. 4ou should not epect praise for acting in a correct or moral way.

W *alls have ears. (e careful. People could be listening.

*aste not% want not. If you never waste anything, you will have it when you need it.

*hat the ee doesn"t see% the heartdoesn"t grieve over.

If a person doesn't !now about something, it cannot hurt them.

*hat a man sas drunk% he thinks sober. People spea! more freely under the influence of alcohol.

*hat soberness conceals% drunkennessreveals.

People are less discreet under the influence of alcohol.

*hen the cat"s awa% the mice pla. People misbehave when their boss, or the person in authority, isabsent.

*hen in 8ome% do as the 8omans do.

4ou should adopt the customs of the people or country you arevisiting,

and behave in the same way.

*hen povert come in the door% love goesout the window.

*here there"s life there"s hope.

*here there"s a will% there"s a wa. A person with determination will find a way of doing something.

*ho makes himself a sheep will be eaten Possible interpretation$ an easily influenced person can be mislead.



b the wolves.

*isdom is better than strength.

*onders will never cease< "presses surprise at an unepected pleasure or event ;ironic+.

*orr often gives a small thing a bigshadow.

Worrying over small details can ma!e them seem worse.

Y ?ou are what ou eat. What you eat has an effect on your well7being.

?ou are never too old to learn.

?ou can lead a horse to water but oucan"tmake it drink.

4ou can offer someone an opportunity to do something but you can'tforce them.

?ou can"t teach an old dog new tricks. A person who is used to doing things a certain way cannot change.

?ou never know what ou can do until outr.

Try first before deciding not to do something.

?ou scratch m back and !"ll scratch

ours. 4ou help me and I'll help you.

My Proverbs

Documents

Transcript of My Proverbs