"It is best to come clean," Mr Kendall said. "But an ounce of prevention is better than an ounce of cure."

2015 July 2, Tim Binsted, “Australians don't trust government or telcos to protect their data: survey”, in Sydney Morning Herald:

Let us clean up beautiful Jamaica. Clean up the issues before the problems gets worse and get out of control. Government, I call on you to save Jamaica now, because an ounce of prevention is better than an ounce of cure.

2016 January 16, “Clear Bush From Vacant Lots”, in The Gleaner:

“It’s very rewarding because you can make an impact at a population level,” Dr. Gaglani said. “An ounce of prevention is better than an ounce of cure.”

2017 March 1, Stephen Adams, “Central Texas doctor conducts life-saving flu vaccine research”, in KCEN-TV:

an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure#English

(rare) Alternative form of an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure


head

the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry

From a Scots poem by Robert Burns, To a Mouse.

But mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!

Knowing her supremely perfect being was completely mine […] I could conceive of no obstacle to my satisfaction, well, “the best laid plans of mice & men go astray” and my nemesis was her sister, the bitch.

1971, Neal Cassady, “Letter to Jack Kerouac, March 7, 1947”, in The First Third, City Lights, page 125:

No matter how well a project is planned, accidents or misfortune can still occur.

the best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray

accidents will happen in the best regulated families


預防勝於治療

ㄩˋ ㄈㄤˊ ㄕㄥˋ ㄩˊ ㄓˋ ㄌㄧㄠˊ

юйфан шэнъюй чжиляо

/y⁵¹ fɑŋ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ y³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵/

/jyː²² fɔːŋ²¹ sɪŋ³³ jyː⁵⁵ t͡siː²² liːu̯²¹/

/y⁵¹ fɑŋ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ y³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵/

prevention is better than cure
prevention is better than cure


a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down

a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down#English

Alternative form of a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down


parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraa

Literally, “better a virsta of a crooked (path) than a vaaksa of a dangerous (path)”, or more loosely translated as “it is better to take one virsta (“around a kilometre”) of detour than take a vaaksa (“about 20 centimetres”) of dangerous shortcut”.

lit

It's better to do things in a safe way, even if it's burdensome.


there are two sides to every story

there are two sides to every question#English

Synonym of there are two sides to every question


గరుత్మంతుణ్ని చూచిన పాము వలె

head

గరుత్మంతుణ్ని చూచిన పాము వలె • (garutmantuṇni cūcina pāmu vale)

garutmantuṇni cūcina pāmu vale (romanization)

en-గరుత్మంతుణ్ని_చూచిన_పాము_వలె-te-proverb-YcpGByFl


గాజుపూసల గనిలో ఘనమయిన మణి కలుగునా

గాజుపూసల గనిలో ఘనమయిన మణి కలుగునా • (gājupūsala ganilō ghanamayina maṇi kalugunā)

Will a large gem be found in a crystal bead mine?

en-గాజుపూసల_గనిలో_ఘనమయిన_మణి_కలుగునా-te-proverb-FKl7Alnw


గాలి వచ్చినప్పుడుగదా తూర్పార పట్టుకోవలెను • (gāli vaccinappuḍugadā tūrpāra paṭṭukōvalenu)

strike while the iron is hot
strike while the iron is hot

Is it not when the wind blows that you must winnow? (Similar to strike while the iron is hot.)

en-గాలి_వచ్చినప్పుడుగదా_తూర్పార_పట్టుకోవలెను-te-proverb-A5qWaYqF


గుడ్డివాడికి గుడ్డివాడు దారి చూపితే, యిద్దరూ గోతిలో పడతారు • (guḍḍivāḍiki guḍḍivāḍu dāri cūpitē, yiddarū gōtilō paḍatāru)

guḍḍivāḍiki guḍḍivāḍu dāri cūpitē (romanization)
yiddarū gōtilō paḍatāru (romanization)

If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into the pit.

en-గుడ్డివాడికి_గుడ్డివాడు_దారి_చూపితే,_యిద్దరూ_గోతిలో_పడతారు-te-proverb-Qs2K6C~5


great haste makes great waste

Doing things too quickly results in mistakes.


नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा

hi-proverb

ناچ نہ جانے آنگن ٹیڑھا

नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा • (nāc na jāne āṅgan ṭeṛhā) (Urdu spelling ناچ نہ جانے آنگن ٹیڑھا)

nāc na jāne āṅgan ṭeṛhā (romanization)
ناچ نہ جانے آنگن ٹیڑھا (Urdu)

/nɑːt͡ʃ nə d͡ʒɑː.neː ɑːŋ.ɡən ʈeː.ɽʱɑː/

[näːt͡ʃ‿nɐ‿d͡ʒäː.neː‿ä̃ːŋ.ɡɐ̃n‿ʈeː.ɽʱäː]

a bad workman always blames his tools
a bad workman always blames his tools

"knows no dance, says the stage is askew"; a bad workman always blames his tools

en-नाच_न_जाने_आँगन_टेढ़ा-hi-proverb-4PZVzbb0


बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद

बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद • (bandar kyā jāne adrak kā svād)

bandar kyā jāne adrak kā svād (romanization)

/bən.d̪əɾ kjɑː d͡ʒɑː.neː əd̪.ɾək kɑː sʋɑːd̪/

[bɐ̃n̪.d̪ɐɾ‿kjäː‿d͡ʒäː.neː‿ɐd̪.ɾɐk‿käː‿sʋäːd̪]

cast pearls before swine
cast pearls before swine

"what does a monkey know about the taste of ginger"? – cast pearls before swine

en-बंदर_क्या_जाने_अदरक_का_स्वाद-hi-proverb-iRnz3znA


घर का भेदी लंका ढाये

گھر کا بھیدی لنکا ڈھایے

घर का भेदी लंका ढाये • (ghar kā bhedī laṅkā ḍhāye) (Urdu spelling گھر کا بھیدی لنکا ڈھایے)

ghar kā bhedī laṅkā ḍhāye (romanization)
گھر کا بھیدی لنکا ڈھایے (Urdu)

/ɡʱəɾ kɑː bʱeː.d̪iː ləŋ.kɑː ɖʱɑː.jeː/

[ɡʱɐɾ‿käː‿bʱeː.d̪iː‿lɐ̃ŋ.käː‿ɖʱäː.jeː]

"he who knows household secrets can bring down Lanka (a prosperous ancient city)"


en-proverb

January 17, 2017 CommunityNews Australia
Labor should beware, though, of aligning itself with the dreadlocks and thumb-locks brigade – he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon.

One must be careful when dealing with bad people.


who keeps company with wolves, will learn to howl

The prosecutors who reviewed the Peabody case in 1988 described his behaviour as “infantilism.” In other words, he who keeps company with wolves will learn to howl.

1992, New Times International - Issues 1-13, page 37:

After hearing this proverb, Chadwick went out to see if it was true. "I thoroughly tested it," he said, "and though it may apply to people, it doesn't pertain to cats." Who keeps company with wolves learns to howl warns us that if we associate with bad company we, too, will become bad.

2005, John Smithback, Fun with Proverbs, →ISBN, page 246:

A well known proverb says that 'who keeps company with wolves will learn to howl'. The biggest influence on my personality had these people with whom I spent the most of the time.

2016, Dawid Piątkowski, Impossible, →ISBN:

who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl#English

Alternative form of who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl


it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness#English

Alternative form of better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness


The whole thing is to keep working and pretty soon they'll think you're good. Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.

2003, Lagoon Books, How to Be a Huge Success, →ISBN:

In the adage that says “genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration,” this is the all important one percent.

2006, John Kundert-Gibbs, Peter Lee, Dariush Derakhshani, Maya 5 Savvy, →ISBN, page 34:

His life mirrored his words: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

2015, Christine A. Hult, The Handy English Grammar Answer Book, →ISBN:

Certainly he has shown himself to be one step cleverer than inventor Thomas Edison with the simple philosophy he has brought to Stamford Bridge, very much in line with the famous quote, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

26 December 2016, Matthew Dun, “Chelsea stars shed light on Antonio Conte's genius as they bid to continue winning streak”, in Daily Express (UK):

Thomas Edison famously said that “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” What that means is “inspired” ideas may come and go, but to make them function is a lot of hard work

March 2, 2017, John Wright, “Column: The Power of Persistence”, in Parker Life:

A genius depends more on hard work than imagination.

genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration


finders, keepers; losers, weepers

en-au-finders, keepers; losers, weepers.ogg

finders, keepers
finders, keepers#English


to err is human; to forgive, divine

An extended form of earlier to err is human (a calque of Latin errāre hūmānum est) from the poem An Essay on Criticism (written in 1709, published in 1711) by Alexander Pope; see quotation.

Now thoſe that reach Parnaſſus’ lofty Crown, / Employ their Pains to ſpurn ſome others down; / And while Self-Love each jealous Writer rules, / Contending Wits become the Sport of Fools: / But ſtill the Worſt with moſt Regret commend, / And each Ill Author is as bad a Friend. / To what baſe Ends, and by what abject Ways, / Are Mortals urg’d by Sacred Luſt of Praiſe? / Ah ne’er ſo dire a Thirſt of Glory boaſt, / Nor in the Critick let the Man be loſt! / Good-Nature and Good-Senſe muſt ever join; / To Err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine.

1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC, page 30:


in wine, there is truth

It is a saying, that “wine inspires wit;' and that in wine “there is truth.” These sayings are the apologies of drinkers.

1823, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine - Volume 14, page 321:

In wine there is truth. People who love wine and have a lot of it still like to get a great wine as a present.

1998 December, Ron Loutherback, “Beyond the Label”, in Orange Coast Magazine, page 174:

In wine there is truth, or so they say, and this just may be the way to heaven, then again we began this time just fine, with a bottle of red wine, parked on an incline just you and I, not far from my safe haven, inhabited by ravens sex laden, with a maiden which is you,

2003, Kanaan, Delicate Torture: (Living Poetically), →ISBN, page 79:

“My grandfather never understood the point of a mission statement. But whenever anybody asked him about making wine, he always said this,” and Mr. Main pointed at a sign that read: In wine, there is truth. In good wine, there is hard work.

2011, Donald L. Anderson, Cases and Exercises in Organization Development & Change, →ISBN, page 35:

In wine there is truth, and although I was able to contain my excesses, and fell short of protesting my undying amour, our conversation had touched on most remarkably personal matters.

2014, Christopher Priest, The Space Machine, →ISBN:

Things said under the influence of alcohol reveal true beliefs not expressed when sober.

الْحَقِيقَة فِي النَّبِيذ

one tells the truth under the influence of alcohol

af børn og fulde folk skal man høre sandheden

kinderen en dronken mensen spreken altijd de waarheid

οἶνος ἐστίν ἀληθής (oînos estín alēthḗs, literally “wine is truthful”)

ובכעסו.

bish'loshá d'varím 'adám nikkár: b'khosó, b'khisó, uv'kha`asó.

что у тре́звого на уме́, то у пья́ного на языке́ (što u trézvovo na umé, to u pʹjánovo na jazyké, literally “what a sober man has on his mind, a drunk man has on his tongue”)


la mela non cade lontano dall'albero

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree

la mela non cade mai lontano dall'albero

la mela non cade molto lontano dall'albero


jabuka ne pada daleko od stabla

sh-proverb

jabuka ne pada daleko od stabla (Cyrillic spelling јабука не пада далеко од стабла)

јабука не пада далеко од стабла (Cyrillic)

apple does not fall far from the tree
apple does not fall far from the tree


jabolko ne pade daleč od drevesa

jábołko ne pāde dáleč od drevẹ̑sa (canonical)

/jàːbɔʋkɔ nɛ pàːdɛ dàːlɛt͡ʃ ɔd drɛʋéːsa/

/jàːbɔʋkɔ nɛ páːdɛ dàːlɛt͡ʃ ɔd drɛʋéːsa/


јабука не пада далеко од стабла

јабука не пада далеко од стабла (Latin spelling jabuka ne pada daleko od stabla)

jabuka ne pada daleko od stabla (romanization)

en-јабука_не_пада_далеко_од_стабла-sh-proverb-NwUZBV8s


kakav otac, takav sin

kakav otac, takav sin (Cyrillic spelling какав отац, такав син)

какав отац, такав син (Cyrillic)

like father, like son
like father, like son


какав отац, такав син

какав отац, такав син (Latin spelling kakav otac, takav sin)


the truth is in the wine

in wine, there is truth
in wine, there is truth#English

Alternative form of in wine, there is truth


appearances are deceptive

It is not possible to judge a person's character from their outward appearance.

المظاهر خداعة

Appearance is not enough to judge anything or anyone

外見で自分の性格を判断することはできません

gaiken de jibun no seikaku o handan suru koto wa dekimasen


הדרך לגיהנום רצופה כוונות טובות

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הדרך לגיהנום רצופה כוונות טובות

הדרך לגיהנום רצופה כוונות טובות • (hadérekh lagehenóm r'tzufáh kavanót tovót)

the road to hell is paved with good intentions

en-הדרך_לגיהנום_רצופה_כוונות_טובות-he-proverb-SI39hLnV


a danger foreseen is half avoided

It is necessary to foresee danger as it helps you to avoid it.


never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Near-synonyms: he who hesitates is lost, procrastination is the thief of time, there's no time like the present

Do not procrastinate whatever that can be done today until tomorrow.

ei huomenna vaan tänään

do not procrastinate whatever can be done today until tomorrow

was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen

nie odkładaj na jutro tego, co możesz zrobić dzisiaj

nikóly ne vidkladáj na závtra te, ščo móžeš zrobýty sʹohódni

ніко́ли не відклада́й на за́втра те, що мо́жеш зроби́ти сього́дні


stille Wasser sind tief

still waters run deep
still waters run deep


lépe pozdě než nikdy

[lɛːpɛ pozɟɛ nɛʃ ɲɪɡdɪ]

better late than never
better late than never


no one is born a master

Cleverness and education can be gained only by effort.

es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen


en-proverb

“The jug goes to the well until it breaks” – this may not be so terrible involving a jug – translated to the failure of a scaffolding assembly, it may, however, involve loss of life.

2009, Franz Knoll, Thomas Vogel, Design for Robustness, →ISBN, page 78:

It was not the mother herself, but good neighbor women who uncovered the danger. And as always in such cases: the jug goes to the well until it breaks! The court sentenced the man to two years in a penitentiary, five years loss of civic right, and expulsion from this country for ten years, although he had not previously been sentenced.

2013, Hubert Kennedy -, The Ideal Gay Man: The Story of Der Kreis, →ISBN, page 197:

“The jug goes to the well until it breaks,” said Xandi. Brigitte frequently quoted the saying when confronted by her boys' obstinacy.

2015, Hermann Kauders, And God Created Bedbugs Too, →ISBN:

Even though something can be used, it may contain flaws that will lead it to ultimately fail.

tak dlouho se chodí se džbánem pro vodu, až se ucho utrhne

tant va la cruche à l’eau qu’à la fin elle se casse

der Krug geht so lange zum Brunnen, bis er bricht

póty dzban wodę nosi, póki się ucho nie urwie

povádilsja kuvšín pó vodu xodítʹ, tut jemú i gólovu slomítʹ

пова́дился кувши́н по́ воду ходи́ть, тут ему́ и го́лову сломи́ть

skólʹko verjóvočke ni vítʹsja, a koncú bytʹ

ско́лько верёвочке ни ви́ться, а концу́ быть

the pitcher goes so often to the well, that it is broken at last


head

if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain

But for a recent work trip from his home base of Milan to the small town of Corridonia in the country’s Marche region, Zanini did something out of the ordinary: He brought along a Polaroid camera, and captured what he saw over three days of meetings, fittings and factory visits exclusively with T. (He even took a break for some chocolate.)
“To extensively travel between workshops and factories is my way of doing my job: As a designer I always seek direct contact and one-to-one exchange of ideas with artisans, pattern-makers and seamstresses,” he says. “In my opinion, fashion is about teamwork, and I believe that the designer shouldn’t live aloof in his or her ivory tower... I always prefer to be on the front line!”[…]
Ancona, 11:30 a.m., Nov. 8: “More travel. It’s an ‘If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain’ kind of thing ...”

2017 November 30, Isabel Wilkinson, “Marco Zanini Captures His Italian Trip — in Polaroids”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2017-12-02, Fashion & Beauty:

if the mountain won't come to Muhammad#English

Alternative form of if the mountain won't come to Muhammad


you never miss the water until the well runs dry

you never miss the water till the well runs dry#English

Alternative form of you never miss the water till the well runs dry


en-proverb

you pays your money and you takes your chances

Probably from you pays your money and you takes your choice.

There is no guarantee that you will get the result you want.

you pays your nickel and you takes your chances


the devil makes work for idle hands

idle hands are the devil's workshop#English

Alternative form of idle hands are the devil's workshop


head

those who live in glass houses should not throw stones

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones#English

Alternative form of people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones


De-wer andern eine Grube gräbt, fällt selbst hinein.ogg

he who digs a pit for others falls in himself

wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus


people that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones


people who live in glass houses should not throw stones


people that live in glass houses should not throw stones


judge not, that you be not judged

judge not, that ye be not judged#English

Alternative form of judge not, that ye be not judged


those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones


care killed the cat

curiosity killed the cat
curiosity killed the cat#English

(archaic) Synonym of curiosity killed the cat


en-proverb

he who digs a pit for others falls in himself

Someone that plans harm or misfortune for others may also inadvertently be the recipient of that same misfortune.

he who digs a pit for others, falls in himself

man ḥafara ḥufratan liʔaḵīhi waqaʕa fīhā

مَنْ حَفَرَ حُفْرَةً لِأَخِيهِ وَقَعَ فِيهَا

den, der graver en grav for andre, falder selv i den

den, der graver en grav for andre, falder tit selv i den

joka toiselle kuoppaa kaivaa, hän itse siihen lankeaa

ópoios skávei to lákko tou allounoú, péftei o ídios mésa

όποιος σκάβει το λάκκο του αλλουνού, πέφτει ο ίδιος μέσα

chi scava la fossa agli altri, vi cade dentro egli stesso

incidit in foveam qui primus fecerat illam

kto pod kim dołki kopie, sam w nie wpada

den som gräver en grop åt andra, faller ofta själv däri

den som gräver en grop åt andra faller ofta själv däri


a problem shared is a problem halved

If a problem is shared with others, it becomes easier to be solved


a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds

Quotation from Self-Reliance, an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson, published 1841.

Consistency may not be the key to success; changes, even minor ones, must be introduced.


head

a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor and the same concept applies to a relationship. If you have a relationship where there is never tough times to work through together, there will never be an opportunity to gain strength within the relationship. Accept the good with the bad because it all happens for a reason, and will teach you something.

L.K. Elliott (2015 March 23) Confessions of an Ex Hot Mess: 10 Steps to Beat Stress and Feel Your Best, FriesenPress, page 53

Challenging experiences are the most educational and thus, ultimately, the most beneficial.


you cannot please everyone

It is not possible to act in a manner that will please everyone


you can't catch old birds with chaff

Referenced a quote by Miguel de Cervantes, "You must not think, sir, to catch old birds with chaff"

The wisest and the most experienced cannot be easily deceived.


en-proverb

the apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest

the grass is always greener on the other side#English

Synonym of the grass is always greener on the other side


a drowning man will clutch at a straw

A person in desperate need of help will grab hold of some help, even if it is insignificant.


unity makes strength

unity is strength
unity is strength#English


it takes two to make a quarrel

En-au-it takes two to make a quarrel.ogg

(ethics, idiomatic) It takes two or more people to cause a quarrel; one cannot blame an argument entirely on the other side.

one volunteer is equal to two pressed men


no rest for the weary

(humorous) Even people who are tired must still work.


no peace for the weary

no rest for the weary
no rest for the weary#English

Alternative form of no rest for the weary


unity is strength

mabigat man ang kalap at tulong ang mag-anak, magaan ang pagbuhat


不聽老人言，吃虧在眼前

if one doesn't listen to elders' words, losses come before his or her eyes

ㄅㄨˋ ㄊㄧㄥ ㄌㄠˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄧㄢˊ

ㄔ ㄎㄨㄟ ㄗㄞˋ ㄧㄢˇ ㄑㄧㄢˊ

bat¹ ting³ lou⁵ jan⁴ jin⁴, hek³ kwai¹ zoi⁶ ngaan⁵ cin⁴

бутин лаожэнь янь

чикуй цзай яньцянь

/pu⁵¹ tʰiŋ⁵⁵ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ jɛn³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ jɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵/

bāt ting lóuh yàhn yìhn, hek kwāi joih ngáahn chìhn

bat⁷ ting³ lou⁵ jan⁴ jin⁴, hek⁸ kwai¹ dzoi⁶ ngaan⁵ tsin⁴

bed¹ ting³ lou⁵ yen⁴ yin⁴, hég³ kuei¹ zoi⁶ ngan⁵ qin⁴

/pɐt̚⁵ tʰɪŋ³³ lou̯¹³ jɐn²¹ jiːn²¹ hɛːk̚³ kʷʰɐi̯⁵⁵ t͡sɔːi̯²² ŋaːn¹³ t͡sʰiːn²¹/


uneasy lies the head that wears a crown

Such terrors as these were unguessed by me in the days of my obscurity. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, uneasy also, lies the wife of that head, and the best friend of the wife. I dismissed my stenographer, and spent ten or fifteen restless minutes until Sylvia appeared.

1914, Upton Sinclair, Sylvia's Marriage:

A person of high rank or status has more problems than those of lower rank.

the bigger they are, the harder they fall

the highest branch is not the safest roost


judge not, that ye be not judged

From the King James Bible of Matthew 7: 1-3.

Judge me not lest ye be judged thineself

2001, J. G. Thirlwell (lyrics and music), “Heuldoch 7B”, in Flow, performed by Foetus:

Do not criticize others if you are not prepared to be criticized in return

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones


there is strength in numbers

There is more strength in groups than individuals.


a carne é fraca

From a passage in Matthew 26:41: “na verdade, o espírito está pronto, mas a carne é fraca” (“the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”).

the flesh is weak (people are unable to completely refrain from sinning)


why keep a dog and bark yourself

En-au-why keep a dog and bark yourself.ogg

(rhetorical question, colloquial) One should not do something that one has hired someone else to do.


costa abaixo todos os santos axudan

(idiomatic, sarcastic) "all the saints help when going downwards" (in reference to a Catholic procession, when statues and representation of saints are taken out of the churches): everyone volunteers for a simple job ("going downwards"), but not for heavy work ("going upwards with a heavy load")

misfortunes never come singly
misfortunes never come singly

(idiomatic) misfortunes never come singly


a burnt child dreads the fire

The Continental insurance company has instructed its agents not to use Rubber Stamps to affix their signatures to policies, renewals, etc., because “Rubber Stamps are easily duplicated, at small expense, even in the case of fac-similes of signatures, and forgery and fraud are facilitated by their use.” […] A burnt child dreads the fire and the Continental has had a painful experience.

1886 December 23, “The Week”, in The Chronicle: A Weekly Insurance Journal, volume 38, number 26, page 309:

A.—They struck. A combination of the Knights of Labor caused them to strike. / […] / Q.—Did you refuse to give them work again? A.—I did. / Q.—What was the reason? A.—Because a “burnt child dreads the fire,” and we did not want them again.

1888 May 4, Sam Heakes, Joseph Gray, “[Questioning]”, in Report of the Royal Commmission on the Relations of Capital and Labor in Canada: Evidence—Ontario, published 1889, page 1092:

I didn’t mean to interfere, dear. I never will again. You can rely on me. A burnt child dreads the fire. Once bitten—

1923, George S. Kaufman, Marc Connelly, Dulcy: A Comedy in Three Acts, page 126:

[…] I doubt very much whether such funds will soon be placed in the channels of trade, because “a burnt child dreads the fire.” These depositors will not entrust their earnings any time soon to another banking institution unless they have some assurance or guarantee that such deposits will be protected.

1932 January 14, Butler B. Hare, “Reconstruction Finance Corporation”, in Proceedings and Debates of the First Session of the Seventy-Second Congress of the United States of America, volume 75, part 2, published 1932, page 1968:

They are the living antithesis of the saying, “A burnt child dreads the fire,” since they repeat the same fiascos time and again in an impressively self-destructive fashion.

1945 April 26, Phyllis Greenacre, Conscience in the Psychopath; republished as J. Reid Meloy, editor, The Mark of Cain: Psychoanalytic Insight and the Psychopath, 2001, →ISBN:

(dated) A person harmed by something becomes more cautious about it.

ঘর পোড়া গরু সিঁদুরে মেঘ দেখে ডরায়

a person harmed by something becomes more cautious about it — see also once bitten, twice shy

十年怕井绳

yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo, shí nián pà jǐng shéng

ópoios kaeí sto chyló fysáei kai to giaoúrti

όποιος καεί στο χυλό φυσάει και το γιαούρτι

kto raz się sparzył, ten na zimne dmucha


opportunity seldom knocks twice

lightning never strikes twice in the same place


pisang tidak akan berbuah dua kali

(Literally: The ensete never bears fruit twice)
"Pisang" in this passage refers to an Ensete because unlike the true bananas of Musa that sometimes fruit more than once. Ensetes only fruit once.

opportunity seldom knocks twice
opportunity seldom knocks twice

(idiomatic) opportunity seldom knocks twice


ljubav je slijepa

sh-proverb

ljubav je slijepa (Cyrillic spelling љубав је слијепа)

љубав је слијепа (Cyrillic)


head

cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye

cross my heart and hope to die
cross my heart and hope to die#English

Synonym of cross my heart and hope to die


љубав је слијепа

sh-proverb

љубав је слијепа (Latin spelling ljubav je slijepa)


head

mati tidak kerana sumpah, hidup tidak kerana kaul


bad news travels fast

After all, reorganizations, personnel changes, new policies on subjects such as travel and expense reports, are everyday occurrences, but the rumor that the Vice President of Sales has a son at college who was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, aha! That is another matter. That is news! Once put out on the grapevine, it will travel with blinding speed around the circuit. Bad news travels fast.

1992, Robert L. Genua, Managing Your Mouth: An Owner's Manual for Your Most Important Business Asset, →ISBN:

Bad news travels fast, especially when it travels by satellite. I had picked up the receiver with a sense of dread. I expected to hear on the other end an obscene caller, a local news person looking for fresh dirt, a concerned but nosy friend.

In small towns, as the saying goes, bad news travels fast. St. Charles, Idaho was no exception. Recent going's on eventually makes their way to people one might not expect.

2012, J.W. James III, North Beach Road, →ISBN, page 66:

Bad news circulates quickly because people often circulate it everywhere.

Schlechte Nachrichten verbreiten sich schnell


From Malay di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung. Literally "where the feet touch the ground, there the sky held up".

inh

when in Rome, do as the Romans do
when in Rome, do as the Romans do

di mana bumi dipijak, di sana langit dijunjung

di mana bumi diinjak, di sana langit dijunjung

di mana bumi diinjak, di situ langit dijunjung

di mana tanah diinjak, di sana langit dijunjung

di mana tanah diinjak, di situ langit dijunjung

di mana tanah dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung


head

render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's

From Matthew 22:23 of the (King James Bible):.

One must give something (especially taxes) owed to the relevant authority.


there is a time and place for everything

Certain things are appropriate at a certain time and place.

there is a time and a place for everything

there's a time and a place for everything

there is a place and time for everything


/ðə ˈdɑː(ɹ)kɪst ˈaʊ̯əɹ ɪz ˈd͡ʒʌst bɪˈfɔː(ɹ)ðə ˈdɔːn/

While I'm far away from you my baby / Whisper a little prayer for me my baby / Because it's hard for me my baby / And the darkest hour is just before dawn

1967, Ralph Bass (lyrics and music), “Dedicated to the One I Love”, in The Mamas & The Papas Deliver:

“Sometimes the darkest hour is just before the dawn,” he said.

2017 September 13, “Dispute over casino funds casts pall over falls”, in Niagara Gazette:

“‘The darkest hour is just before dawn.’ I indulged myself in total chaos, ordering it made me get clearance again,” Sevdaliza said via email. Her debut album is set for 2017.

2016 December 16, “A$AP Ferg Adds Intensity to Sevdaliza’s “That Damaged Girl””, in XXL Mag:

The New Day's downfall was a combination of bad storytelling and an ill-advised gimmick in a cynical era. But the overly positive group will be the first to tell you that the darkest hour is just before the dawn.

2015 April 4, Alfred Conua, “Examining Why New Day Failed as a Babyface Stable”, in Bleacher Report:

The worst situation comes before a good one.


牛唔飲水唔撳得牛頭低

牛唔饮水唔揿得牛头低
牛唔飲水唔㩒得牛頭低

If a cow does not drink water, one cannot press its head down

ngau⁴ m⁴ jam² seoi² m⁴ gam⁶ dak¹ ngau⁴ tau⁴ dai¹

ngàuh m̀h yám séui m̀h gahm dāk ngàuh tàuh dāi

ngau⁴ m⁴ jam² soey² m⁴ gam⁶ dak⁷ ngau⁴ tau⁴ dai¹

ngeo⁴ m⁴ yem² sêu² m⁴ gem⁶ deg¹ ngeo⁴ teo⁴ dei¹

/ŋɐu̯²¹ m̩²¹ jɐm³⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ m̩²¹ kɐm²² tɐk̚⁵ ŋɐu̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹ tɐi̯⁵⁵/

(Cantonese) you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink; you cannot force someone to do something


en-proverb

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink

“Hush! hush! there is Angel on the piazza. I don’t see,” sinking into a chair, for she had been standing, “how this has come about. I thought Allen—” / “He never cared a straw for me—in that way. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Not that I would leave any stone unturned to get Allen, but it’s of no use, with that Cecile Fay’s beautiful eyes and magnificent hair under his nose every day!”

1874 October, Esther Serle Kenneth, “By a Hair’s Breadth”, in Ballou’s Monthly Magazine, volume XL (238 total), number 4 (238 overall), Boston, Mass.: Thomes & Talbot, […], page 356, column 2:

Let the Legislature pass a law compelling the State to furnish every man with work, and what good would that do? It has been proved within the last six months that there is employment in Chicago, at fair wages, for all who want work. The State could not make them work. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Unless the State is endowed with the power of working miracles it cannot convert the lazy Socialistic loafer into an industrious citizen.

1879 January 2, “Socialistic Stupidity”, in The Cleveland Leader, number 2, Cleveland, Oh.: […] Leader Printing Company […], page 4, column 4:

Whenever we’re asked, we give them some [contraceptive] pills. We bring it up, as a matter of fact. But, of course, we’ve got no way of knowing if they use them or not. Nothing I can do about that. You know, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

1968, the editors of Look, “[Overheard in Suburbia] Abortionist”, in Suburbia: The Good Life in Our Exploding Utopia, New York, N.Y.: Cowles Education Corporation, →LCCN, page 97:

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink#English

Alternative form of you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.


kukaan ei ole seppä syntyessään

no one is born a master
no one is born a master

no one is born a master (one should not be expected to master something they have not tried before)


it takes two to quarrel

it takes two to make a quarrel
it takes two to make a quarrel#English

Alternative form of it takes two to make a quarrel


滿招損，謙受益

мань чжаосунь

/män²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ su̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹/

/muːn¹³ t͡siːu̯⁵⁵ syːn³⁵ hiːm⁵⁵ sɐu̯²² jɪk̚⁵/

It is virtue that moves Heaven; there is no distance to which it does not reach. Pride brings loss, and humility receives increase - this is the way of Heaven.

The Book of Documents, circa 4ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ century BCE

Wéi dé dòng tiān, wú yuǎn fú jiè, mǎn zhāosǔn, qiān shòuyì, shí nǎi tiāndào.

惟德動天，無遠弗屆，滿招損，謙受益，時乃天道。

惟德动天，无远弗届，满招损，谦受益，时乃天道。

pride comes before a fall
pride comes before a fall

A conceited person receives failure, whereas a modest person receives benefits; pride comes before a fall


a bad tree does not yield good apples

the apple does not fall far from the tree


fair exchange is no robbery

"You can get anything you need here," Shamlack explained. "Longheads will adapt to whatever trade is needed at any given time and they have an excellent eye and mind for business. They are always honest, but don't ever expect to get anything for nothing -- you get what you ask for and nothing more or less than that." "Well, you know, fair exchange is no robbery," one of the Longheads chipped in, overhearing them.

2006 -, Michele Baxter, The Chronicles of Serendipus: The Tale of the Secret Keeper, →ISBN, pages 118–119:

When you add all the other elements (risk, security, deposit, currency, condition, title, mortgage interest, planning consents, inhibitions, tenants' titles, access, utilities, damage, landscaping and so on) of the sale or purchase of the building, the 'equal' movement fantasy is exposed as meaningless in detail. 'Fair exchange is no robbery' is true but it says nothing about a fair exchange being equal in some way. In fact, no exchange is an equal transaction.

2012, Gavin Kennedy, Everything is Negotiable, →ISBN:

The current maxim that a fair exchange is no robbery—so confidently urged— cannot apply to the profit system, for if the exchange is fair there is no profit, and if there is no profit there will be no exchange

2013, Vernon Louis Parrington, The Beginnings of Critical Realism in America, →ISBN:

An old saying has it that “fair exchange is no robbery,” and in fact, exchange, per se, is a form of interdependence that can make both sides better off.

2014, Roger A McCain, Reframing Economics: Economic Action as Imperfect Cooperation, →ISBN:

Swapping two things or subjects of equal value is considered an honest deal.


τα σιγανά ποτάμια να φοβάσαι

head

τα σιγανά ποτάμια να φοβάσαι

τα σιγανά ποτάμια να φοβάσαι • (ta siganá potámia na fovásai)

ta siganá potámia na fovásai (romanization)

still waters run deep
still waters run deep

still waters run deep (literally: "beware of gentle rivers")

en-τα_σιγανά_ποτάμια_να_φοβάσαι-el-proverb-QDDgq0Ff


least said, soonest mended

Hurt feelings are most quickly healed by not discussing (revisiting) the event giving rise to the hurt.


charity begins at home

Charity begins at home, is the voyce of the world, yet is every man his greatest enemy, and as it were, his owne executioner.

1643, Sir Thomas Browne, Religio Medici:

One should help the people closest to oneself before thinking of helping others.

الأقربون اولى بالمعروف

you should help the people closest to oneself before helping others

博爱始于家门；施舍先及亲友

bó'ài shǐyú jiāmén; shīshě xiān jí qīnyǒu

charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même


μιλάνε όλοι, μιλάν κι οι κώλοι

μιλάνε όλοι, μιλάν κι οι κώλοι • (miláne óloi, milán ki oi kóloi)

miláne óloi (romanization)
milán ki oi kóloi (romanization)
everyone talks (literally)
too (literally)

(colloquial, humorous, vulgar) Of persons who try and offer an opinion in areas in which they are unqualified or unknowledgable

en-μιλάνε_όλοι,_μιλάν_κι_οι_κώλοι-el-proverb-IKgpC-YG


οποία πέτρα κι αν σηκώσεις, τον βρίσκεις από κάτω • (opoía pétra ki an sikóseis, ton vrískeis apó káto)

opoía pétra ki an sikóseis (romanization)
ton vrískeis apó káto (romanization)
whichever stone you pick up (literally)

/ˈopça ˈpetɾa c‿an siˈkosis toɱ ˈvɾiscis ˈapo ˈkato/

Of people who are ubiquitous, who have many connections and seem to be everywhere.

en-οποία_πέτρα_κι_αν_σηκώσεις,_τον_βρίσκεις_από_κάτω-el-proverb-OZhz-XaU


πότε ο Γιάννης δεν μπορεί, πότε ο κώλος του πονεί • (póte o Giánnis den boreí, póte o kólos tou poneí)

póte o Giánnis den boreí (romanization)
póte o kólos tou poneí (romanization)
one moment John can't (literally)

/ˈpote o ˈʝanis ðen boˈɾi ˈpote o ˈkolos tu poˈni/

(colloquial, humorous, vulgar) Of lazy people who feign illness whenever it's convenient. Lazy people always have an excuse.

en-πότε_ο_Γιάννης_δεν_μπορεί,_πότε_ο_κώλος_του_πονεί-el-proverb-RaXMpUlI


hlas lidu, hlas boží

the voice of the people, the voice of God


vox populi, vox bovi

Pseudo-Latinism, literally "the voice of the people [is] the voice of a cow", with a humorously rhyming but grammatically incorrect genitive bovi instead of bovis.

(Dog Latin, rare (at least in writing)) the voice of the people is worth nothing

Dog Latin; rare (at least in writing); Dog Latin; rare (at least in writing)


vox populi, vox Rindvieh

From Latin vōx (“voice”), populī (“of the people”) and German Rindvieh, compare Latin vōx populī, vōx Deī. Literally, “voice of the people, voice [of] cattle” (in mixed Latin/German).


vox populi, vox Dei

vōx populī (canonical)
vōx Deī (canonical)

vox populi vox Dei

the voice of the people [is] the voice of God


en-proverb

the voice of the people, the voice of God

Calque of Latin vōx populī, vōx Deī (“the voice of the people [is] the voice of God”).

cal

the voice of the people 􂀿is􂁀 the voice of God

The voice of the people should be heard.


money is the root of all evil

A misquotation of 1 Timothy 6:10 in the King James Bible, which actually reads "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

The desire for money is the root cause of all evil.


學如逆水行舟，不進則退

ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄖㄨˊ ㄋㄧˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄡ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄊㄨㄟˋ

hok⁶ jyu⁴ jik⁶ seoi² hang⁴ zau¹, bat¹ zeon³ zak¹ teoi³

сюэ жу нишуйсинчжоу

буцзиньцзэтуй

/ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ ʐu³⁵ ni⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕiŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

hohk yùh yihk séui hàhng jāu, bāt jeun jāk teui

hok⁹ jy⁴ jik⁹ soey² hang⁴ dzau¹, bat⁷ dzoen³ dzak⁷ toey³

hog⁶ yu⁴ yig⁶ sêu² heng⁴ zeo¹, bed¹ zên³ zeg¹ têu³

/hɔːk̚² jyː²¹ jɪk̚² sɵy̯³⁵ hɐŋ²¹ t͡sɐu̯⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ t͡sɵn³³ t͡sɐk̚⁵ tʰɵy̯³³/

Learning is like making the boat go against the current; if you stop moving forward, you will go back.


หมากัดอย่ากัดตอบ

th-proverb

หมากัดอย่ากัดตอบ

หมากัดอย่ากัดตอบ • (mǎa-gàt-yàa-gàt-dtɔ̀ɔp)

/maː˩˩˦.kat̚˨˩.jaː˨˩.kat̚˨˩.tɔːp̚˨˩/

หมา (mǎa, “dog”) + กัด (gàt, “to bite”) + อย่า (yàa, “do not”) + กัด (gàt, “to bite”) + ตอบ (dtɔ̀ɔp, “back; in response”); literally "[when] a dog bite [you], don't bite it back"; probably from or influenced by the following old stanza:
:: mǎa dai dtuua ráai kòp · táaw
:: yàa kòp dtɔ̀ɔp dtɔ̀ɔ mǎa · dùuan kʉ̂ng
:: tɔɔ-rá-chon châat chûuang taa · run tôot
:: yàa gròot yàa nâa bʉ̂ng · dtɔ̀ɔp tɔ̂ɔi sà-maa-kom
: When any dog that is fierce bites your feet,
: do not bite the dog back, do not get angry too easily.
: When any fool, a man of corrupt character, hurts you or does you wrong,
: do not feel offended, do not show him your frowning face – just say nothing to him in return and shun him.

lang

หมาใดตัวร้ายขบ

หมาใดตัวร้ายขบ

อย่าขบตอบต่อหมา

อย่าขบตอบต่อหมา

ทรชนชาติช่วงทารุณ

ทรชนชาติช่วงทารุณ

อย่าโกรธอย่าหน้าบึ้ง

อย่าโกรธอย่าหน้าบึ้ง

ตอบถ้อยสมาคม

ตอบถ้อยสมาคม

(idiomatic) do not lower yourself to give any response to those who speak ill of you; do not fight with people of low character when they hurts you.


what's done cannot be undone

what's done is done
what's done is done#English


he who pays the piper calls the tune

who pays the piper calls the tune#English

Alternative form of who pays the piper calls the tune


something is better than nothing

It is better to be contented over something than to have nothing at all.

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


人心齊，泰山移

When people's thoughts are even, they can moveMount Tai

/ʐən³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹ ʂän⁵⁵ i³⁵/

/ʐən³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹ ʂän⁵⁵ i³⁵/

When people are united in their determination, they can work miracles


the nut does not fall far from the tree

the apple does not fall far from the tree#English

Synonym of the apple does not fall far from the tree


neither a borrower nor a lender be

It is not good to borrow money from anybody, lest you will lose their trust and friendship.


slow but sure wins the race

slow and steady wins the race
slow and steady wins the race#English

Alternative form of slow and steady wins the race


you are never too old to learn

you're never too old to learn
you're never too old to learn#English

Alternative form of you're never too old to learn


the best things in life are free

The most valuable things in life (e.g. friendship, courtesy) cost nothing.

contentement passe richesse

the most valuable things in life (e.g. friendship, courtesy) cost nothing


lookers-on see most of the game

Those who do not participate in an event observe or experience it more of it than the participants.

當局者迷，旁觀者清

those who do not participate in an event see more of it than the participants


manners maketh man

(idiomatic) A person may be judged according to his behaviour towards other people


art is long, life is short

In the side of a storage structure, I note a surely-not-officially sanctioned graffiti slogan, "Art is Long, Life is Short".

August 24, 2017, Passport Magazine, Hong Kong:

Remembrance of Things Past Marc Lida's Proust Watercolors Jonathan Weinberg "Art is long, life is short," or so we are told.

2002, Edmund White, Loss Within Loss: Artists in the Age of AIDS:

Alas! art is long and life is short! My friends would comfort me with the idea of a name, they say I shall leave behind me; and they tell me I have lived long enough to nature and to glory .

2011, Benjamin Franklin with John Bigelow, The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Written by Himself:

Art is more enduring than an individual's lifetime.


en-proverb

First attested in the early 19th century. Popularised by Charles Dickens' novel The Personal History of David Copperfield (1850).

In spite of all precautions, accidents will happen in the best regulated families, and wolves steal in, in the fleeces of Merinos.

1837 June, “Spanish Theatre”, in The London Quarterly Review, number 117, page 50:

1842, Life in the West: Back-wood Leaves and Prairie Flowers, Saunders and Otley (publ.), page 65.
“Why, for my own part, I never like to alarm people—I hate that; but, when accidents will happen in the best regulated families, why not in this very irregular?”

1843 February, Charles Starr, Jr., "Inversion of the womb, or the casting of the withers" (letter to the editor), American Agriculturalist, page 22.
It is an old saying, that "accidents will happen in the best-regulated families;" and as it is important for every farmer to know how to repair the damages to which he is liable, I send you an account of an accident which occurred in my experience last months, and the remedy which was successfully applied.

We do not claim to be infallible; as the proverb says, “accidents will happen in the best regulated families;” but so far as integrity and the exercise of the utmost care and circumspection on the part of the Proprietors, and the employment by them of experienced and careful hands, will ensure correctness, purchasers may rely upon every variety sent proving true to name.

1845, Descriptive Catalogue of fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, plants, etc., Winter & Co., page 6:

“Accidents will happen in the best regulated families,” and the best regulated steam-ships may not enjoy perfect immunity from them; but as some children are eternally in mischief, and some persons never walk out of their own houses without meeting with adventures out of the common way, so there are steam-vessels, and the Virago seems to be one of them, which never put to sea without an accident.

1846 April 2, Allens Indian Mail, page 248:

"My dear friend Copperfield," said Mr. Micawber, "accidents will occur in the best regulated families; and in families not regulated by that pervading influence which sanctifies while it enhances the —a— I would say, in short, by the influence of Woman, […]"

1850, Charles Dickens, chapter 28, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, page 291:

With home and family defined as the private sphere, its members were reminded that Accidents will happen in the best regulated families and they should not wash dirty linen in public.

1987, Cambridge University, The Social History of Language, page 54:

Occasionally there is a hiatus; for instance, our sweet potatoes, turnips and cabbages arrived late this morning but "accidents will happen in the best regulated families.

1995, Louis P. Masur, The Real War Will Never Get in the Books: Selections from Writers During the Civil War, pages 88–89:

Accidents will always happen, even where there is an expectation of success.

the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry


gũota mwaki nĩ kũhuria

no gain without pain
no gain without pain

no gain without pain (lit. to warm oneself is to stoke the fire)


kenen leipää syöt, sen lauluja laulat

who pays the piper calls the tune
who pays the piper calls the tune


head

es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen

"a master has never come falling from heaven"; to become good at something, effort is required; don’t rely on providence


aus dem Stein der Weisen macht ein Dummer Schotter

"out of a philosopher’s stone, a fool will make just pebbles"


wo nichts ist, hat der Kaiser, das Recht verloren

"where nothing is left, even the ruler has lost his powers"; only talent and beauty have real value


wer alles haben will, bekommt am Ende nichts

"He who wants to have everything, gets nothing in the end"; One cannot like everything and give equally to everyone, therefore must take sides and choose.


der Weg zur Hölle ist mit guten Vorsätzen gepflastert

the road to hell is paved with good intentions


in Gefahr und größter Not ist der Mittelweg der Tod

"In danger and great need, the middle way is death"


die großen Diebe hängen die kleinen

"the greatest thieves hang the small ones"; some evil people are worse than others


Dummheit und Stolz wachsen auf einem Holz

"Stupidity and pride grow from the same tree"

"Stupidity and pride grow on the same side" (analogous)


wer sich zum Schaf macht, wird von den Wölfen gefressen

"He who wants to be a sheep, will be eaten by wolves"


je strenger die Gesetze, desto schlechter die Menschen

"The stricter the laws, the worse are the people"


jeder Vögel singt, wie ihm der Schnabel gewachsen ist

"Each bird can only sing according to how his beak grew"


ein offener Feind ist besser als ein ungewisser Freund

"An openly hostile enemy is better than an unknown friend"


der Tyrann braucht einen Pfaffen an seiner Seite, und der Pfaff einen Tyrann

"The tyrant needs a priest at his side and the priest a tyrant"


du gibst ihnen die Hand, und sie nehmen dir deinen Fuß

"You give them the hand and they take your foot"


wenn das Aug nicht sehen will, helfen weder Brillen noch Licht

"when the eye doesn’t want to see, neither glasses nor light will help"


wer mit dem Teufel frühstücken will, muss einen großen Löffel haben

"he who wants to breakfast with the devil should have a big spoon"


江山易改，本性難移

江山易改，本性难移
江山易改，稟性難移

Therivers and mountains are easily altered, but one's inherent nature is difficult to change

ㄐㄧㄤ ㄕㄢ ㄧˋ ㄍㄞˇ

ㄅㄣˇ ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄋㄢˊ ㄧˊ

gong¹ saan¹ ji⁶ goi², bun² sing³ naan⁴ ji⁴

цзяншань и гай

бэньсин нань и

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ i⁵¹ kaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ pən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕiŋ⁵¹ nän³⁵ i³⁵/

gong¹ san¹ yi⁶ goi², bun² xing³ nan⁴ yi⁴

/kɔːŋ⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ jiː²² kɔːi̯³⁵ puːn³⁵ sɪŋ³³ naːn²¹ jiː²¹/

/kaŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ san⁴⁴ i³³⁻²¹ kai²¹ pun⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ siɪŋ²¹ lan²³⁻³³ i²³/

/kaŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ san⁴⁴ i³³⁻¹¹ kai¹¹ pun⁵³⁻⁴⁴ siɪŋ¹¹ lan²⁴⁻¹¹ i²⁴/

[Though] things change any moment / But I’m still the same person / Love you always, till the end

2021 March 14, 愛情你比我想的閣較偉大 (Oh Love, You Are Much Greater Than I Imagined), wrttien by 黃奇斌 (Ki-pin N̂g), performed by 茄子蛋 (EggPlantEgg)

sui-jiân Kang-san ī-kài tān pún-sèng lân-î ài lí ài kah pe̍h ba̍k-bâi

雖然江山易改但本性難移愛你愛甲白目眉

虽然江山易改但本性难移爱你爱甲白目眉

a leopard can't change its spots
a leopard can't change its spots


jedermanns Freund ist jedermanns Narr

"Everybody’s friend is everybody’s fool"; Being objective and conciliatory with people with whom one has nothing in common is a form of cowardice and a way of avoiding responsibility


十年樹木，百年樹人

ㄕˊ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄕㄨˋ ㄇㄨˋ

ㄅㄞˇ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄕㄨˋ ㄖㄣˊ

sap⁶ nin⁴ syu⁶ muk⁶, baak³ nin⁴ syu⁶ jan⁴

байнянь шужэнь

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ ni̯ɛn³⁵ ʂu⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹ paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵ ʂu⁵¹ ʐən³⁵/

sahp nìhn syuh muhk, baak nìhn syuh yàhn

/sɐp̚² niːn²¹ syː²² mʊk̚² paːk̚³ niːn²¹ syː²² jɐn²¹/

/t͡sap̚⁴⁻² ni⁵⁵ su³⁵⁻¹¹ bak̚⁴ peʔ²⁻⁴ ni⁵⁵ su³⁵⁻¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵/

The proverb likely originates as a paraphrase of a quotation from Records of the Grand Historian (《史記·貨殖列傳》):
:
The 16th-century politician Sun Jigao (孫繼皐) wrote

lang

《又贈郡大夫河南錢公應覲敘》

《又贈郡大夫河南錢公應覲敘》

To plan for the next year, grow grains. For the next decade, plant trees. For the next century, cultivate the humanity that people admire. By humanity, we refer to what is in humans.

The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Jū zhī yī suì, zhǒng zhī yǐ gǔ; shí suì, shù zhī yǐ mù; bǎi suì, lái zhī yǐ dé. Dé zhě, rénwù zhī wèi yě.

居之一歲，種之以穀；十歲，樹之以木；百歲，來之以德。德者，人物之謂也。

居之一岁，种之以谷；十岁，树之以木；百岁，来之以德。德者，人物之谓也。

That it takes one year to grow grains, one decade to grow trees, and one century to grow humans — this is what we say about education.

c. 16th century, Sun Jigao (孫繼皐), 《又贈郡大夫河南錢公應覲敘》, in 《宗伯集》

Fú yī nián shùgǔ, shínián shùmù, bǎinián shùrén, yán yùcái yě.

夫一年樹榖，十年樹木，百年樹人，言育材也。

夫一年树榖，十年树木，百年树人，言育材也。

Being glad to hear that it had been twenty years since CWAE was founded, I automatically remembered that old saying, "it takes a long time to produce a competent person". Many feelings welled up inside my mind. If I change its way of expression, then could it be "How many 'twenty years' are there in a person's life?"

2011 November 1, 凌鼎年, 《同心同德、互學互幫》, from 《迤邐文林二十年：歐華作協二十華誕紀念文集》, page 23

Xīnwén Ōuzhōu huáwén zuòjiā xiéhuì chénglì èrshí nián le, wǒ zìrán'érrán xiǎngqǐ le “shínián shùmù, bǎinián shùrén” de lǎohuà, pōduō gǎnkǎi. Rúguǒ huàn yīzhǒng biǎoshù fāngshì, nà shìfǒu kěyǐ shuō: rénshēng jǐgè èrshí nián?

欣聞歐洲華文作家協會成立二十年了，我自然而然想起了「十年樹木，百年樹人」的老話，頗多感慨。如果換一種表述方式，那是否可以說：人生幾個二十年？

欣闻欧洲华文作家协会成立二十年了，我自然而然想起了「十年树木，百年树人」的老话，颇多感慨。如果换一种表述方式，那是否可以说：人生几个二十年？

"It takes a long time to produce a competent person." Education is a long-term project so don't expect your children to change much or make clear progress after only one to two months

2011 October 3, 盧靜文, 《一生不能不懂的教育學故事》, page 190

“Shínián shùmù, bǎinián shùrén”, jiàoyù shì chángqī gōngchéng, bùyào zhǐwàng háizǐ yīliǎnggè yuè jiù huì fāshēng duōdà biànhuà, jìnbù duōme míngxiǎn

「十年樹木，百年樹人」，教育是長期工程，不要指望孩子一兩個月就會發生多大變化、進步多麼明顯

「十年树木，百年树人」，教育是长期工程，不要指望孩子一两个月就会发生多大变化、进步多么明显

(figurative) it takes a long time for good education to bear fruit (i.e. to produce a competent person)


kolmas kerta toden sanoo

third time's a charm
third time's a charm


head

wenn das Arbeiten nur leicht wäre, tät's der Bürgermeister selber

"if working were easy, even the Mayor himself would engage on it"


玉不琢，不成器

/y⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/

/jʊk̚² pɐt̚⁵ tœːk̚³ pɐt̚⁵ sɪŋ²¹ hei̯³³/

/ɡiɔk̚⁴⁻³² put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔk̚³² put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kʰi²¹/

/ɡiɔk̚²⁴⁻² put̚⁵⁻²⁴ tɔk̚⁵ put̚⁵⁻²⁴ siɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kʰi⁴¹/

/ɡiɔk̚¹²¹⁻²¹ put̚³²⁻⁵ tɔk̚³² put̚³²⁻⁵ siɪŋ¹³⁻²² kʰi²¹/

/ɡiɔk̚⁴⁻³² put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔk̚³² put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ kʰi¹¹/

/ɡiɔk̚⁴⁻³² put̚³²⁻⁴ tɔk̚³² put̚³²⁻⁴ siɪŋ²³⁻³³ kʰi²¹/

/ɡek̚⁴⁻² puk̚²⁻⁴ tok̚² puk̚²⁻⁴ seŋ³³⁻²³ kʰi²¹³/

/jʊk̚² pɐt̚⁵ tœːk̚³ pɐt̚⁵ sɪŋ²¹ hei̯³³/

From the Book of Rites, Book 18 (《禮記·學記》)

The jade uncut will not form a vessel for use; and if men do not learn, they do not know the way (in which they should go). On this account the ancient kings, when establishing states and governing the people, made instruction and schools a primary object.

The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Yù bù zhuó, bù chéng qì; rén bù xué, bù zhī dào. Shìgù gǔ zhī wáng zhě jiàn guó jūn mín, jiào xué wèi xiān.

玉不琢，不成器；人不學，不知道。是故古之王者建國君民，教學為先。

玉不琢，不成器；人不学，不知道。是故古之王者建国君民，教学为先。

One must be educated and endure trials to succeed.


besser ein schreckliches Ende, als ein Schrecken ohne Ende

The origin of this aphorism is not known with certainty. It was ascribed in 1924 to “a leading [Austrian] politician”. However, the Prussian officer Ferdinand von Schill is reported to have used a close variant in a speech already in 1809 and to have been so fond of it that he used it frequently.
Its literal translation is: “Better [to have] a frightful end than a fright without end”.

[…] Donaureiche herrschte, drückte wohl am besten das Wort aus, das damals einer der führenden Staatsmänner gebrauchte: „Besser ein schreckliches Ende, als ein Schrecken ohne Ende.“

1924, Viktor Bibl, Von Revolution zu Revolution (Zerfall Österreichs), Rikola Verlag, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 473:

Walter Ulbricht bestand gegenüber dem sowjetischen Botschafter M. G. Perwuchin darauf, Klarheit zu schaffen: Besser ein schreckliches Ende als ein Schrecken ohne Ende, wie es Friedrich Schiller ausdrückte.

2013 June 17, Egon Krenz, Walter Ulbricht, Das Neue Berlin, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 534:

Besser ein schreckliches Ende, als ein Schrecken ohne Ende. Und dieser Schrecken dauert nun schon achtzehnhundert Jahre.

2018 October 29, Sascha Rauschenberger, SPQR - Der Falke von Rom: Teil 6: Der Römer Zorn, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 22:

(rare) However painful, dealing resolutely with a problematic situation is preferable to allowing it to go on indefinitely.

lieber ein schreckliches Ende als ein Schrecken ohne Ende

lieber ein Ende mit Schrecken, als ein Schrecken ohne Ende

lieber ein Ende mit Schrecken als ein Schrecken ohne Ende

besser ein Ende mit Schrecken, als ein Schrecken ohne Ende

besser ein Ende mit Schrecken als ein Schrecken ohne Ende


wer nichts Gutes tut, tut schon Böses genug

"He who does nothing good has already done enough evil"


/deːɐ̯ kʁuːk ɡeːt zoː ˈlaŋə t͡sʊm ˈbʁʊnən bɪs eːɐ̯ bʁɪçt/

De-der Krug geht so lange zum Brunnen, bis er bricht.ogg

Literally, “a jug goes to the well, until it breaks”.

lit

the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last


善有善報，惡有惡報

ㄕㄢˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄕㄢˋ ㄅㄠˋ

ㄜˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄜˋ ㄅㄠˋ

шань ю шаньбао

/ʂän⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂän⁵¹⁻⁵³ pɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀɤ⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/siːn²² jɐu̯¹³ siːn²² pou̯³³ ɔːk̚³ jɐu̯¹³ ɔːk̚³ pou̯³³/

what goes around comes around
what goes around comes around


種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆

Plantmelons and you get melons, plant beans and you get beans

ㄓㄨㄥˋ ㄍㄨㄚ ㄉㄜˊ ㄍㄨㄚ

ㄓㄨㄥˋ ㄉㄡˋ ㄉㄜˊ ㄉㄡˋ

zung³ gwaa¹ dak¹ gwaa¹, zung³ dau⁶⁻² dak¹ dau⁶⁻²

чжунгуадэгуа

чжундоудэдоу

/ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹ ku̯ä⁵⁵ tɤ³⁵ ku̯ä⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ toʊ̯⁵¹ tɤ³⁵ toʊ̯⁵¹/

dzung³ gwaa¹ dak⁷ gwaa¹, dzung³ dau⁶⁻² dak⁷ dau⁶⁻²

zung³ gua¹ deg¹ gua¹, zung³ deo⁶⁻² deg¹ deo⁶⁻²

/t͡sʊŋ³³ kʷaː⁵⁵ tɐk̚⁵ kʷaː⁵⁵ t͡sʊŋ³³ tɐu̯²²⁻³⁵ tɐk̚⁵ tɐu̯²²⁻³⁵/

as you sow, so shall you reap
as you sow, so shall you reap

as you sow, so shall you reap; you reap what you sow


瓜田不納履，李下不整冠

ja-r

李下 に 冠 を 正さず

りか に かんむり を たださず

瓜%田に履を納れず、李下に冠を正さず

か%でん に くつ を いれず、 りか に かんむり を たださず

→ Japanese: (calque) 李下(りか)に冠(かんむり)を正(ただ)さず (rika ni kanmuri o tadasazu), 瓜(か)田(でん)に履(くつ)を納(い)れず、李下(りか)に冠(かんむり)を正(ただ)さず (kaden ni kutsu o irezu, rika ni kanmuri o tadasazu)

→ Korean: 과전불납리 (瓜田不納履, gwajeonbullamni), 이하부정관 (李下不整冠, ihabujeonggwan)

ㄍㄨㄚ ㄊㄧㄢˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄚˋ ㄌㄩˇ

ㄌㄧˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄥˇ ㄍㄨㄢ

lǐxià bù zhěng guān [Phonetic:guātián bú nà lǚ

гуатянь бу на люй

лися бу чжэн гуань

/ku̯ä⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ nä⁵¹ ly²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯än⁵⁵/

from Cao Zhi's poem Jūnzǐ Xíng (《君子行》, Three Kingdoms period).

do not put onshoes in a melon patch; do not adjust a hat under a plum tree.

to avoid suspicion, don't put yourself in suspicious situations


eat to live, not live to eat

Often attributed to Socrates and Benjamin Franklin.

Balance can be used to heighten matched pairs of ideas, as in the maxim "one should eat to live, not live to eat."

2013, Carl H. Klaus, A Self Made of Words: Crafting a Distinctive Persona in Nonfiction Writing, →ISBN:

(medicine, imperative) It is best not to be gluttonous; eating shouldn't be one's favorite activity, but one should eat only to supply health.


人不可貌相

ㄖㄣˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄇㄠˋ ㄒㄧㄤˋ

жэнь букэ маосян

/ʐən³⁵ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ mɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/

/jɐn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ maːu̯²² sœːŋ³³/

/jɐn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ maːu̯²² sœːŋ³³/

you can’t judge a book by its cover
you can’t judge a book by its cover

one cannot judge someone by his or her appearance; you can’t judge a book by its cover


en-proverb

the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last

On these last two points the Chancellor could have given way. He was adamant because he and Hebert wanted to demonstrate their power. The pitcher goes so often to the well, that it is broken at last.

1957, Norman Rich, M.H. Fisher, The Holstein Papers, volume 2, page 317:

She couldn't have expected her luck to last forever: The pitcher goes so often to the well, that it is broken at last, wasn't that what they said?

2006, Nigel McCrery, Still Waters, Book 1, page 267:

Madame knew her hour was fixed and she would not live a minute beyond it; nor did she want to, for, as she said, "The pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last." They bled her when she was too weak to resist, as doctors always do what they like when the patient is feeble.

2005, Julie Baumgold, The Diamond: A Novel, page 116:

When an object is used too much, it ultimately breaks down at some point.

When you use a thing too much, it ultimately breaks

tak dlouho se chodí se džbánem pro vodu, až se ucho utrhne

tant va la cruche à l’eau qu’à la fin elle se casse

póty dzban wodę nosi, póki się ucho nie urwie

tantas vezes vai o cântaro à fonte, que um dia lá deixa a asa

пова́дился кувши́н по́ воду ходи́ть — там ему́ и го́лову сломи́ть (povádilsja kuvšín pó vodu xodítʹ — tam jemú i gólovu slomítʹ)

tanto va el cántaro a la fuente que al final se rompe


bad things come in threes

If an unfortunate event has already occurred twice, a third unfortunate event is likely to occur.

لا تأتى المصائب فرادى

several unfortunate events usually occur together


non c'è due senza tre

Literally, “there is no two without three”. Compare French jamais deux sans trois.

lit

bad things come in threes
bad things come in threes

good things come in threes
good things come in threes


työ tekijäänsä kiittää

a good deed is its own reward
a good deed is its own reward


wega uumaga na mũciĩ

charity begins at home
charity begins at home

charity begins at home (lit. goodness comes from home)


ei kahta kolmannetta

ei kahta ilman kolmatta
ei kahta ilman kolmatta#Finnish

Alternative form of ei kahta ilman kolmatta


前事不忘，後事之師

ㄑㄧㄢˊ ㄕˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄤˋ

hòushì zhī shī [Phonetic:qiánshì bú wàng

цяньши бу ван

хоуши чжи ши

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰiːn²¹ siː²² pɐt̚⁵ mɔːŋ²¹ hɐu̯²² siː²² t͡siː⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵/

/t͡sõĩ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ sɯ¹¹ puk̚²⁻⁴ buaŋ⁵⁵ au³⁵⁻¹¹ sɯ¹¹ t͡sɯ³³⁻²³ sɯ³³/

don't forget past events as they can guide you in the future; benefit from past experience


a buck's a buck

“When you play for money,” said Mrs. Prudence Reynolds of Short Hills. N.J., “the temperament changes. A trophy is a trophy, but a buck's a buck.”

1977, Steve Cady, “Warm Weather Is Most Upsetting Factor To Platform Tennis Players at Forest Hills”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-10-02:

It shouldn't matter whether a murderer tips you or a businessman. A buck's a buck. There's no morality attached to money.

2000, Adam Berlin, Headlock, →ISBN, page 110:

Anything that involves money is business to me. Granted, this is only pocket change to you, but a buck's a buck.

2011, Linda Turner, chapter 5, in Christmas Lone-Star Style, →ISBN:

And if many of the lawyers I work for are jerks, well, a buck's a buck.

2012, David Housewright, chapter 2, in The Holland Taylor Mysteries: Penance, →ISBN:

(chiefly US) Every dollar of income counts toward one's financial well-being; money is a strong motivator, even in unpleasant situations.


hiti ciathiĩ mbwe ciegangara

when the cat's away the mice will play
when the cat's away the mice will play

when the cat's away the mice will play (lit. when hyenas go away, foxes/jackals play)


an ihren Taten sollt ihr sie erkennen

Literally, “from their deeds you shall know them”. Based on Matthew 7:20.

actions speak louder than words
actions speak louder than words

actions speak louder than words (a person’s actions indicate their true sentiments)


男は閾を跨げば七人の敵あり

ja-pos

おとこ は しきい を またげば しちにん の てき あり

男は閾を跨げば七人の敵あり

男(おとこ)は閾(しきい)を跨(また)げば七(しち)人(にん)の敵(てき)あり • (otoko wa shikī o matageba shichinin no teki ari)

男は閾を跨げば七人の敵あり (canonical)

Literally, “When a man steps out of his door, there are already seven enemies (waiting for him)”.


救人一命，勝造七級浮屠

ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄧ ㄇㄧㄥˋ ㄕㄥˋ ㄗㄠˋ ㄑㄧ ㄐㄧˊ ㄈㄨˊ ㄊㄨˊ

gau³ jan⁴ jat¹ meng⁶ sing³ zou⁶ cat¹ kap¹ fau⁴ tou⁴

jiùrén yīmìng shèng zào qī jí fútú [Phonetic:jiùrén yímìng shèng zào qī jí fútú]

chiu⁴-jên² i¹-ming⁴ shêng⁴ tsao⁴ chʻi¹ chi² fu²-tʻu²

jyòu-rén yī-mìng shèng dzàu chī jí fú-tú

цзюжэнь имин шэн цзао ци цзи футу

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ miŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵ t͡ɕi³⁵ fu³⁵ tʰu³⁵/

gau yàhn yāt mehng sing jouh chāt kāp fàuh tòuh

gau³ jan⁴ jat⁷ meng⁶ sing³ dzou⁶ tsat⁷ kap⁷ fau⁴ tou⁴

geo³ yen⁴ yed¹ méng⁶ xing³ zou⁶ ced¹ keb¹ feo⁴ tou⁴

/kɐu̯³³ jɐn²¹ jɐt̚⁵ mɛːŋ²² sɪŋ³³ t͡sou̯²² t͡sʰɐt̚⁵ kʰɐp̚⁵ fɐu̯²¹ tʰou̯²¹/

[Phonetic: jiùrén yímìng shèng zào qī jí fútú]

Based on ultimately a line in 《佛說罵意經》 (“The Buddha Speaks of Thoughts about Scolding Sūtra”), as translated by An Shigao:
*

Building one hundred Buddhist temples cannot compare to saving just one human life.

作百佛寺，不如活一人。

saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda

The Tang Monk replied, “The way she called me makes a lot of sense. She said, ‘If you a living human passed by and refused to free, What Buddha or scriptures could such blindness hope to see?’ As the proverb also puts the matter, ‘Saving one life is better than building a seven-tiered stūpa’. Let’s go quickly and rescue her. It’ll be as good as fetching scriptures and worshipping Buddha.”

唐僧道：「他叫得有理。說道：『活人性命還不救，昧心拜佛取何經？』『救人一命，勝造七級浮屠。[[#Chinese|]]

saving a life is of boundless beneficence


alah bisa, tegal biasa

practice makes perfect
practice makes perfect


콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다

ko-proverb

콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다

콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다 • (kong simeun de kong nago pat simeun de pat nanda)

[kʰo̞ŋ ɕʰi(ː)mɯn te̞ kʰo̞ŋ na̠ɡo̞ pʰa̠t̚ ɕʰi(ː)mɯn te̞ pʰa̠t̚ na̠nda̠]

콩시(ː)믄데콩나고팓시(ː)믄데팓난다

[콩시(ː)믄데콩나고팓시(ː)믄데팓난다]

Literally, “If you plant soybeans, you get soybeans. If you plant red beans, you get red beans.”

As you sow, so shall you reap.
as you sow, so shall you reap


one man's fish is another man's poisson

Pun on one man's fish is another man's poison, replacing poison with the French word poisson (“fish”).

one man's meat is another man's poison#English

(uncommon, humorous) Alternative form of one man's meat is another man's poison.


one man's fish is another man's poison

(uncommon) Alternative form of one man's meat is another man's poison.


all roads lead to Mecca

all roads lead to Rome
all roads lead to Rome#English


en-proverb

if we had some ham we could have some ham and eggs, if we had some eggs

In some minds, optical computing was "wishful thinking on the order of: if we had some ham we could have some ham and eggs—if we had some eggs."

1992, Ernest Sternberg, Photonic Technology and Industrial Policy, →ISBN, page 195:

Despite the closures of Castles, the drop in profits, and the trend of overall decline, Billy Ingram joked in the General Letter of April, "If we had some ham we could have some ham and eggs if we had some eggs. If we had enough help we could do a good business if we had something to sell."

1999, David G. Hogan, Selling 'em by the Sack: White Castle and the Creation of American Food, →ISBN:

At this point, one is reminded of the saying, "If we had some ham, we could have some ham and eggs— if we had some eggs." It does little good to know what quality professional development might look like if schools and school systems are incapable of supporting it.

2009, Catherine Miles Grant, Valerie L. Mills, Mary Bouck, Ellen Davidson, Secondary Lenses on Learning Participant Book, →ISBN, page 323:

if we had ham we could have ham and eggs, if we had eggs#English

Alternative form of if we had ham we could have ham and eggs, if we had eggs


kaara kamwe gatiũragaga ndaa

one hand washes the other, and both wash the face; union is strength (lit. one tiny finger does not kill a louse)


瘦死的駱駝比馬大

瘦死的骆驼比马大
餓死的駱駝比馬大

a camel starved to death is (still) bigger than a (living) horse

ㄕㄡˋ ㄙˇ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄌㄨㄛˋ ˙ㄊㄨㄛ ㄅㄧˇ ㄇㄚˇ ㄉㄚˋ

shòu sǐ de luòtuo bǐ mǎ dà [Phonetic:shòusǐdeluòtuobímǎdà]

шоу сы дэ лото би ма да

/ʂoʊ̯⁵¹ sz̩²¹⁴ d̥ə⁴ lu̯ɔ⁵¹ tʰu̯ɔ¹ pi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹/

(figurative) Although a rich family has become less rich than previous, they are still richer than a poor family.

(figurative) Although someone/something is inferior compared with oneself's past or fellows, the one is still better than people/things of one's inferior rank.


落水的鳳凰不如雞

ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄈㄥˋ ㄏㄨㄤˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄐㄧ

лошуй дэ фэнхуан бужу цзи

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴ d̥ə⁴ fɤŋ⁵¹ xu̯ɑŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/

an important person that has lost their power or has become down-and-out is even more inferior than common folk.


嘴上沒毛，辦事不牢

ㄗㄨㄟˇ ㄕㄤˋ ㄇㄟˊ ㄇㄠˊ

ㄅㄢˋ ㄕˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄠˊ

tsui³ shang⁴ mei² mao², pan⁴ shih⁴ pu⁴ lao²

цзуй шан мэй мао

бань ши бу лао

/t͡su̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɑŋ⁵¹ meɪ̯³⁵ mɑʊ̯³⁵ pän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ lɑʊ̯³⁵/

a young person is unreliable to do things.


ऊँची दुकान फीका पकवान

hi-proverb

ऊँची दुकान फीका पकवान • (ū̃cī dukān phīkā pakvān)

/ũː.t͡ʃiː d̪ʊ.kɑːn pʰiː.kɑː pək.ʋɑːn/

[ũː.t͡ʃiː‿d̪ʊ.kä̃ːn‿pʰiː.käː‿pɐk.wä̃ːn]

you can't judge a book by its cover
you can't judge a book by its cover

"fancy shop, tasteless food": you can't judge a book by its cover; reality may be different from image

en-ऊँची_दुकान_फीका_पकवान-hi-proverb-elV1RcUW


एक हाथ से ताली नहीं बजती

एक हाथ से ताली नहीं बजती

ایک ہاتھ سے تالی نہیں بجتی

एक हाथ से ताली नहीं बजती • (ek hāth se tālī nahī̃ bajtī) (Urdu spelling ایک ہاتھ سے تالی نہیں بجتی)

ek hāth se tālī nahī̃ bajtī (romanization)
ایک ہاتھ سے تالی نہیں بجتی (Urdu)

/eːk ɦɑːt̪ʰ seː t̪ɑː.liː nə.ɦĩː bəd͡ʒ.t̪iː/

[eːk‿ɦäːt̪ʰ‿seː‿t̪äː.liː‿nɐ.ɦĩː‿bɐd͡ʒ.t̪iː]

it takes two to make a quarrel
it takes two to make a quarrel

"one cannot clap with just one hand": it takes two to make a quarrel

en-एक_हाथ_से_ताली_नहीं_बजती-hi-proverb-6X1Hy91P


सब्र का फल मीठा होता है

صبر کا پھل میٹھا ہوتا ہے

सब्र का फल मीठा होता है • (sabra kā phal mīṭhā hotā hai) (Urdu spelling صبر کا پھل میٹھا ہوتا ہے)

sabra kā phal mīṭhā hotā hai (romanization)
صبر کا پھل میٹھا ہوتا ہے (Urdu)

/səb.ɾə kɑː pʰəl miː.ʈʰɑː ɦoː.t̪ɑː ɦɛː/

[sɐb.ɾɐ‿käː‿pʰɐl‿miː.ʈʰäː‿ɦoː.t̪äː‿ɦɛː]

patience is a virtue
patience is a virtue

"the fruit of patience is sweet"; patience is a virtue


垃圾進，垃圾出

ㄌㄜˋ ㄙㄜˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ

/lä⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵¹ lä⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵/

lê⁴-sê⁴ chʻu¹

/lɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ sɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹⁻⁵³ lɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ sɤ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵/

information technology
information technology

garbage in, garbage out
garbage in, garbage out

(computing, information technology, translation studies) garbage in, garbage out


en-proverb

if we had ham we could have ham and eggs, if we had eggs

The situation reminds me of the statement that "if we had ham, we could have ham and eggs — if we had eggs" — but in a world in which there are no hens. In theory, truly secure systems are impossible.

1997, United States Congress Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Encryption, Key Recovery, and Privacy Protection in the Information Age, →ISBN, page 110:

"And if we had ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had eggs," Esbeth grumped.

2005, Russ Hall, No Murder Before Its Time, →ISBN, page 117:

This is the, 'If we had ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had eggs' philosophy. . . . Delivering our cash to dictatorial and silly governments was bad, but even worse was delivering our big ideas about centralization, economic planning, and social justice to a country that had 120 university graduates at the time of independence.

2006, Tracey J. Kinney, Conflict and Cooperation: Documents on Modern Global History:

This is the "if we had ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had eggs" philosophy. Or as Nzezele put it as I was leaving Dar after having given him a large and not very well-earned tip, "When you get back to America, if you find that you have any extra money, could you send me a wristwatch?"

2015, P.J. O'Rourke, Thrown Under the Omnibus, →ISBN:

Draws attention to the futility of a plan or strategy in the absence of the resources necessary for it to work.


det er ikke alt guld, som glimrer

Det er ikke alt Guld, som glimrer. Herved maa dog bemærkes, at Krag ikke fik sit Arbejde fuldført, ...

1856, Niels Matthias Petersen, Bidrag til den danske literaturs historie: Det lærde tidsrum 1560-1710, page 409:

“Det er ikke alt guld, som glimrer,” sagde madam Moth.

2016, Carl Ewald, Sofie Amalie Moth og Christian 5., Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

Leander. Man lærer heraf, at det er ikke alt Guld, som glimrer.

1754, Ludvig baron Holberg, Holberg's Comedier, i eet bind, page 620:

Men, desværre! det er ikke Alt Guld som glimrer.

1807, Peder Syv, Peder Syvs Kjernefulde Ordsprog:

Og jeg siger endnu en Gang: Hvis eders Naade ikke giver mig Øen, fordi jeg er en Nar, vil jeg være klog nok til at finde mig deri, thi jeg har tit hørt sige: Hvor Gud har en Kirke har Djævelen et Kapel: og det er ikke alt Guld som glimrer; ...

1831, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Den sindrige adelsmand, Don Quixote, af Mancha's levnet og bedrifter, page 4:

Det var dog en smuk Mand, bemærkede nu Mamsellen med en vis Varme, hvorover Candidat Rose strax kom i Harnisk og udbrød: Det er ikke alt Guld, som glimrer! Saavidt jeg kan dømme, stod han paa et meget lavt moralsk Standpunkt.

2017, Frederik Paludan-Müller, Ivar Lykkes historie bind 1, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

Men det er ikke alt Guld, som glimrer.

1790, Levnets-historie: oversat af Svensk, page 122:

Det har næppe været Wagners dybere mening med sit værk. Skønt, hvem ved? Rhinguldet? Man plejer jo at sige, at det er ikke alt guld, som glimrer, haha ... “ Cay Holmes fremsatte sine overvejelser med en latter, der skulle virke forsonende.

2017, Peter Dürrfeld, Krible Krable, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

all that glitters is not gold
all that glitters is not gold


青出於藍，而勝於藍

thecolor blue is made out of indigo, but is better than indigo

ㄑㄧㄥ ㄔㄨ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ

ㄦˊ ㄕㄥˋ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ

cing¹ ceot¹ jyu¹ laam⁴, ji⁴ sing³ jyu¹ laam⁴

chʻing¹ chʻu¹ yü² lan², êrh² shêng⁴ yü² lan²

цин чу юй лань

эр шэн юй лань

/t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ y³⁵ län³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ y³⁵ län³⁵/

tsing¹ tsoet⁷ jy¹ laam⁴, ji⁴ sing³ jy¹ laam⁴

/t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ jyː⁵⁵ laːm²¹ jiː²¹ sɪŋ³³ jyː⁵⁵ laːm²¹/

青出於藍，而青於藍 青出於藍，而青於藍#Chinese

青出于蓝，而青于蓝 青出于蓝，而青于蓝#Chinese

Synonym of 青出於藍，而青於藍／青出于蓝，而青于蓝 (qīng chū yú lán, ér qīng yú lán)


1850, speech of Thomas W. Gibson, in H. Fowler, Report of the Debates and Proceedings of the Convention for the Revision of the Constitution of the State of Indiana, Indianapolis, page 448.
I did not expect, Mr. President, to hear such a doctrine as this from the gentleman who, this morning, so eloquently denounced alt attempts at disunion. That gentleman should remember the old Spanish proverb—“Curses, like chickens, come home to roost.”

1860, Timothy Shay Arthur, "Worse Enemies than Lions and Tigers", in Shadows and Sunbeams, J.W. Bradley, page 19.
Have you ever heard the old Spanish proverb, “Curses, like chickens, come home to roost?” If so, it were well for you to ponder its meaning.

“Peace, old mother,” he said in Spanish. “Remember that curses, like chickens, come home to roost. Put another on my head and I'll blow your beads down your throat.”

1907 April 12, “The Bradys and "Kid Joaquin"; or, The Greasers of Robbers Canyon.”, in Secret Service: Old and Young King Brady, Detectives, number 429, page 1:

the chickens come home to roost
the chickens come home to roost#English

Alternative form of the chickens come home to roost.


ng'aragu ndĩhoyagwo ũhoro

lit. Hunger is not asked for any account.

you should feed a hungry person/people first, then ask him/her/them what he/she/they need(s).

you should feed a hungry person/people first before you try to obtain news from him/her/them.


kĩara kĩmwe gĩtiũragaga ndaa

kaara kamwe gatiũragaga ndaa
kaara kamwe gatiũragaga ndaa#Kikuyu


una rondine non fa primavera

Literally, “one swallow doesn't make a spring”, a calque of Ancient Greek μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ (mía khelidṑn éar ou poieî).

cal

μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ

one swallow does not a summer make
one swallow does not a summer make


love the sinner, hate the sin

(chiefly Christianity) Do not treat people badly because of their faults, but do not go so far as to accept or approve the faults themselves.


τώρα στα γεράματα, μάθε γέρο γράμματα

head

τώρα στα γεράματα, μάθε γέρο γράμματα • (tóra sta gerámata, máthe géro grámmata)

tóra sta gerámata (romanization)
máthe géro grámmata (romanization)
Now in old age (literally)

/ˈtoɾa sta ʝeˈɾamata ˈmaθe ˈʝeɾo ˈɣɾamata/

you can't teach an old dog new tricks
you can't teach an old dog new tricks

you can't teach an old dog new tricks, old habits die hard (it is impossible to change people's habits, traits or mindset)

en-τώρα_στα_γεράματα,_μάθε_γέρο_γράμματα-el-proverb-10PnYbs7


यह मुँह और मसूर की दाल

hi-proverb

یہ منہ اور مسور کی دال

यह मुँह और मसूर की दाल • (yah mũh aur masūr kī dāl) (Urdu spelling یہ منہ اور مسور کی دال)

yah mũh aur masūr kī dāl (romanization)
یہ منہ اور مسور کی دال (Urdu)

/jeː mʊ̃ɦ ɔːɾ mə.suːɾ kiː d̪ɑːl/

[jeː‿mʊ̃ʱ‿ɔːɾ‿mɐ.suːɾ‿kiː‿d̪äːl]

"this face, and [you want] masoor dal"; do not demand more than you are worth

en-यह_मुँह_और_मसूर_की_दाल-hi-proverb-fbxn61Hm


槍打出頭鳥

ㄑㄧㄤ ㄉㄚˇ ㄔㄨ ㄊㄡˊ ㄋㄧㄠˇ

цян да чутоуняо

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ taː³⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ niːu̯¹³/

/t͡ɕʰiã⁵⁵ tã³³ t͡sʰəʔ³³ dɤ⁵⁵ n̠ʲiɔ²¹/

/t͡ɕʰiã⁵⁵ tã³³ t͡sʰəʔ³³ dɤ⁵⁵ n̠ʲiɔ²¹/

the nail that sticks out gets hammered down

One who is in the forefront will be attacked first. / The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.


星星之火，可以燎原

ㄒㄧㄥ ㄒㄧㄥ ㄓ ㄏㄨㄛˇ

ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ ㄌㄧㄠˊ ㄩㄢˊ

синсин чжи хо

/ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ ɥɛn³⁵/

/sɪŋ⁵⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ fɔː³⁵ hɔː³⁵ jiː¹³ liːu̯²¹ jyːn²¹/

From the Book of Documents:
Later popularized through a letter from Mao Zedong to Lin Biao (see 星星之火，可以燎原 on the Chinese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ᶻʰ).

pedia

When fire is burning the grassland, one (already) cannot stay near it, then how can one put it out?

The Book of Documents, circa 4ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ century BCE

Ruò huǒ zhī liáo yú yuán, bùkě xiàng'ěr, qí yóu kě pūmiè?

若火之燎于原，不可嚮邇，其猶可撲滅？

若火之燎于原，不可向迩，其犹可扑灭？

an insignificant cause can have a massive effect


山中無老虎，猴子稱大王

山中无老虎，猴子称大王
山上無老虎，猴子稱大王
山中無老虎，猴子也稱王

the monkeys reign when there are no tigers in the mountain

ㄕㄢ ㄓㄨㄥ ㄨˊ ㄌㄠˇ ㄏㄨˇ

ㄏㄡˊ ˙ㄗ ㄔㄥ ㄉㄚˋ ㄨㄤˊ

ㄏㄡˊ ˙ㄗ ㄔㄥ ㄉㄞˋ ㄨㄤˊ

saan¹ zung¹ mou⁴ lou⁵ fu², hau⁴ zi² cing¹ daai⁶ wong⁴

hóuzi chēng dàwáng [Phonetic:shānzhōngwúláohǔ

шань чжун у лаоху

хоуцзы чэн даван

/ʂän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ u³⁵ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯³⁵ d͡z̥z̩³ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ⁵⁵ tä⁵¹ wɑŋ³⁵/

hóuzi chēng dàiwáng [Phonetic:shānzhōngwúláohǔ

хоуцзы чэн дайван

/ʂän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ u³⁵ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯³⁵ d͡z̥z̩³ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ⁵⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹ wɑŋ³⁵/

sāan jūng mòuh lóuh fú, hàuh jí chīng daaih wòhng

saan¹ dzung¹ mou⁴ lou⁵ fu², hau⁴ dzi² tsing¹ daai⁶ wong⁴

san¹ zung¹ mou⁴ lou⁵ fu², heo⁴ ji² qing¹ dai⁶ wong⁴

/saːn⁵⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ mou̯²¹ lou̯¹³ fuː³⁵ hɐu̯²¹ t͡siː³⁵ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ taːi̯²² wɔːŋ²¹/

when the cat's away the mice will play
when the cat's away the mice will play

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king; when the cat's away the mice will play

蜀中無大將，廖化作先鋒／蜀中无大将，廖化作先锋

Shǔ zhōng wú dàjiàng, Liào Huà zuò xiānfēng


lạt mềm buộc chặt

[laːt̚˧˨ʔ mem˨˩ ʔɓuək̚˧˨ʔ t͡ɕat̚˧˨ʔ]

[laːk̚˨˩ʔ mem˦˩ ʔɓuək̚˨˩ʔ t͡ɕak̚˨˩ʔ]

[laːk̚˨˩˨ mem˨˩ ʔɓuək̚˨˩˨ cak̚˨˩˨]

lạt (“bamboo straps”) + mềm (“soft”) + buộc (“to tie”) + chặt (“tightly”), i.e. "soft straps (can) tie (more) securely".

com

(figurative) apply gentle affection to strengthen a bond; don't be overbearing; you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar (especially romantically)


năng nhặt chặt bị

[naŋ˧˧ ɲat̚˧˨ʔ t͡ɕat̚˧˨ʔ ʔɓi˧˨ʔ]

[naŋ˧˧ ɲak̚˨˩ʔ t͡ɕak̚˨˩ʔ ʔɓɪj˨˩ʔ]

[naŋ˧˧ ɲak̚˨˩˨ cak̚˨˩˨ ʔɓɪj˨˩˨]

năng (“without fail”) + nhặt (“to pick up”) + chặt (“bursting at the seams”) + bị (“sack”).

(literal) pick up stuff without fail and you'll get a full bag in no time

Học ngoại ngữ thì không vội vàng một sớm một chiều được. Năng nhặt, chặt bị.

When it comes to learning a language, you're not gonna get good overnight. Take your time and you'll get there.

(figurative) save up stuff, such as money or knowledge, and you'll be good to go in no time


यथा राजा तथा प्रजा

hi-proverb

यथा राजा तथा प्रजा • (yathā rājā tathā prajā)

/jə.t̪ʰɑː ɾɑː.d͡ʒɑː t̪ə.t̪ʰɑː pɾə.d͡ʒɑː/

[jɐ.t̪ʰäː‿ɾäː.d͡ʒäː‿t̪ɐ.t̪ʰäː‿pɾɐ.d͡ʒäː]

"as is the king, so are the subjects": people follow the example of leaders


un palleiro non se fai sen palla

Literally, “you can't make a haystack without hay”, or more loosely translated as “it takes hay to make a haystack”.

lit

if you are a big person is because you have a hearty appetite


nhà ngói cây mít

[ɲaː˨˩ ŋɔj˧˦ kəj˧˧ mit̚˧˦]

[ɲaː˦˩ ŋɔj˨˩˦ kəj˧˧ mit̚˦˧˥]

[ɲaː˨˩ ŋɔj˦˥ kəj˧˧ mɨt̚˦˥]


díxolle a pota ao caldeiro

"The pot told the cauldron", shortened form from the proverb Díxolle a pota ao caldeiro: achégate aló que me luxas ("The pot told the cauldron: Go away, you're going to mess me up!").

pot calling the kettle black
pot calling the kettle black

(idiomatic, sarcastic) pot calling the kettle black


en-proverb

what you gain on the swings you lose on the roundabouts

what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts#English

Alternative form of what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts


what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts

you win some, you lose some
you win some, you lose some

(UK) There are both gains and losses in life; you win some, you lose some.


mente vazia, oficina do diabo

Literally, “an empty mind is the devil's workshop”.

lit

if one does not engage in any mind-exercising activity, they will start to have bad thoughts


嘴饞屄浪，早晚上當

嘴馋屄浪，早晚上当
嘴饞逼浪，早晚上當

ㄗㄨㄟˇ ㄔㄢˊ ㄅㄧ ㄌㄤˋ

ㄗㄠˇ ㄨㄢˇ ㄕㄤˋ ㄉㄤˋ

zuǐ chán bī làng, zǎowǎn shàngdàng [Phonetic:zuǐchánbīlàng,záowǎnshàngdàng]

цзуй чань би лан

цзаовань шандан

/t͡su̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰän³⁵ pi⁵⁵ lɑŋ⁵¹ t͡sɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ wän²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tɑŋ⁵¹/

(vulgar) one who cannot control their desire gets taken in sooner or later.


半大小子，吃死老子

ㄅㄢˋ ㄉㄚˋ ㄒㄧㄠˇ ˙ㄗ

баньда сяоцзы

чи сы лаоцзы

/pän⁵¹⁻⁵³ tä⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴ d͡z̥z̩⁴ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴ d͡z̥z̩⁴/


det er ikke alt guld som glimrer

head

det er ikke alt guld, som glimrer ("all that glitters is not gold.")

det er ikke alt guld (canonical)
som glimrer (canonical)


first catch your hare

Supposedly from an error in The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glasse, where "catch" should have read "case" (i.e. remove the skin); however, this is apocryphal.

Make sure you have a thing before you decide what to do with it.


the devil we know is better than the devil we don't

better the devil you know than the devil you don't know#English

Alternative form of better the devil you know than the devil you don't know


the devil we know is better than the devil we don't know


the devil you know is better than the devil you don't


a hit dog will holler

(US) An offended or defensive response to a statement suggests that the statement applies to the person complaining.

potrefená husa nejvíc kejhá

an offended or defensive response to a statement suggests that the statement applies to the person complaining

se koira älähtää, johon kalikka kalahtaa

excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta


w kraju ślepców jednooki jest królem

/ˈfkra.ju ˈɕlɛp.t͡suv jɛd.nɔˈɔ.ki jɛst ˈkru.lɛm/

Literally, “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed is king”.

lit

(idiomatic) in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king


szukajcie, a znajdziecie

seek and ye shall find
seek and ye shall find


το γινάτι βγάζει μάτι

head

το γινάτι βγάζει μάτι • (to gináti vgázei máti)

to gináti vgázei máti (romanization)
Stubbornness takes out your eye (literally)

hoist by one's own petard
hoist by one's own petard

cutting off one's nose to spite one's face, hoist by one's own petard (of cases where someone stubborn is hurt more than the person with whom they're being stubborn)

en-το_γινάτι_βγάζει_μάτι-el-proverb-xkBiw21D


nic nowego pod słońcem

there is nothing new under the sun
there is nothing new under the sun

(idiomatic) there is nothing new under the sun


ei yksi pääsky kesää tee

Calque of Ancient Greek μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ (mía khelidṑn éar ou poieî).

clq

μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ

one swallow does not a summer make
one swallow does not a summer make


ຊ່າງມືມັນຍາກ ຊ່າງປາກມັນງ່າຍ

head

ຊ່າງມືມັນຍາກ ຊ່າງປາກມັນງ່າຍ

ຊ່າງມືມັນຍາກ ຊ່າງປາກມັນງ່າຍ • (sāng mư̄ man nyāk sāng pāk man ngāi)

sāng mư̄ man nyāk sāng pāk man ngāi (romanization)

[saːŋ˧.mɯː˧˥.man˧˥.ɲaːk̚˥˨.saːŋ˧.paːk̚˧˩.man˧˥.ŋaːj˧]

[saːŋ˧˨.mɯː˩˨.man˩˨.ɲaːk̚˧˦.saːŋ˧˨.paːk̚˥˥˨.man˩˨.ŋaːj˧˨]

Literally: Mastering skills with the hands is difficult; mastering skills with the mouth (by speaking) is easy.

Easier said than done
easier said than done

en-ຊ່າງມືມັນຍາກ_ຊ່າງປາກມັນງ່າຍ-lo-proverb-Tcg6Bi0P


γελάει καλύτερα όποιος γελάει τελευταίος • (geláei kalýtera ópoios geláei teleftaíos)

he laughs best who laughs last (literally)

/ʝeˈlai kaˈliteɾa ˈopʝos ʝeˈlai teleˈfteos/

Calque of French rira bien qui rira le dernier or of English he who laughs last laughs best.

calque

he who laughs last laughs best
he who laughs last laughs best

he who laughs last laughs hardest
he who laughs last laughs hardest

he who laughs last laughs best, he who laughs last laughs hardest (success is better after having previously endured ridicule)

en-γελάει_καλύτερα_όποιος_γελάει_τελευταίος-el-proverb-qXgFgH9j


ອົດສົ້ມໄດ້ກິນຫວານ ອົດຄ້ານໄດ້ເງິນຄຳ

head

ອົດສົ້ມໄດ້ກິນຫວານ ອົດຄ້ານໄດ້ເງິນຄຳ • (ot som dai kin waan ot khaan dai ngoen kham)

[ʔot̚˧˥.som˧˩.daj˥˨.kin˩(˧).ʋaːn˩(˧).ʔot̚˧˥.kʰaːn˥˨.daj˥˨.ŋɤn˧˥.kʰam˧˥]

[ʔot̚˩˨.som˥˥˨.daj˧˦.kin˩˨.ʋaːn˥˧˧.ʔot̚˩˨.kʰaːn˧˦.daj˧˦.ŋɤn˩˨.kʰam˩˨]

ອົດ-ສົ້ມ-ໄດ້-ກິນ-ຫວານ-ອົດ-ຄ້ານ-ໄດ້-ເງິນ-ຄຳ

Literally: Suffer the sourness now, and you will taste the sweetness later; avoid laziness, and you will receive gold and silver. Another interpretation of the first phrase is that one must resist the temptation to eat a fruit not fully ripe which has a sour taste (e.g., a mango), so that when it is fully ripe he/she can enjoy its sweetness. Compare Thai อดเปรี้ยวไว้กินหวาน (òt-bprîao-wái-gin-wǎan)

cog

อดเปรี้ยวไว้กินหวาน

Delay gratification for the reward of a higher payoff.

en-ອົດສົ້ມໄດ້ກິນຫວານ_ອົດຄ້ານໄດ້ເງິນຄຳ-lo-proverb-DWynowpD


अपनी गली में कुत्ता भी शेर होता है

hi-proverb

اپنی گلی میں کتا بھی شیر ہوتا ہے

अपनी गली में कुत्ता भी शेर होता है • (apnī galī mẽ kuttā bhī śer hotā hai) (Urdu spelling اپنی گلی میں کتا بھی شیر ہوتا ہے)

apnī galī mẽ kuttā bhī śer hotā hai (romanization)
اپنی گلی میں کتا بھی شیر ہوتا ہے (Urdu)

/əp.niː ɡə.liː mẽː kʊt̪.t̪ɑː bʱiː ʃeːɾ ɦoː.t̪ɑː ɦɛː/

[ɐp.niː‿ɡɐ.liː‿mẽː‿kʊt̪̚.t̪äː‿bʱiː‿ʃeːɾ‿ɦoː.t̪äː‿ɦɛː]

"even a dog is a lion in his own alley"; one acts stronger in one's own neighbourhood

en-अपनी_गली_में_कुत्ता_भी_शेर_होता_है-hi-proverb-XQczMlZq


Christmas comes but once a year

Apparently coined by the English poet Thomas Tusser (c. 1524 – 1580): see the 1580 quotation.

coinage

At Christmas play and make good cheere, / For Christmas comes but once a yeere.

1878, Thomas Tusser, “The Fermers Dailie Diet”, in Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie. […], London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], →OCLC; republished as W[illiam] Payne, Sidney J[ohn Hervon] Herrtage, editors, Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie. […], London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], 1878, →OCLC, stanza 5, page 28:

Chriſtmaſſe commeth but once a yeere.

1623, M. N. [pseudonym; William Camden], “Certaine Prouerbes, Poemes or Poesies, Epigrammes, Rhythmes, and Epitaphs of the English Nation in Former Times, and Some of This Present Age”, in Remaines, Concerning Britaine: […], 3rd edition, London: […] Nicholas Okes, for Simon Waterson, […], →OCLC, page 267:

I urged to the good lady that this was Christmas-eve; that Christmas comes but once a year,—which is unhappily too true, for when it begins to stay with us the whole year round we shall make this earth a very different place; […]

1854, Charles Dickens, “The Seven Poor Travellers. Chapter I. In the Old City of Rochester.”, in Christmas Stories […] (The Works of Charles Dickens; XV), de luxe edition, London: Chapman and Hall, published 1881, →OCLC, page 5:

"Christmas comes but once a year, / And then Mother wishes it wasn't here."

1901, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “A Christmas Mistake”, in Short Stories: 1896—1901:

Christmas comes but once a year, which is just as well—shopping during the festive season can be no fun at all.

2006 December 9, Lila Das Gupta, “Christmas gifts”, in The Daily Telegraph, London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC:

Used to emphasize the annual distinctiveness of Christmas, especially in contexts where either the special joys or tribulations of the holiday are described.


no es oro todo lo que reluce

-¡Ah! usted mismo no tardará en reconocerlo. No es oro todo lo que reluce. Verdad es que para mí nunca ha brillado el D. Rafaelito sino como hojalata.

-Ah! it will not take long for you to recognize it yourself. Not all that glitters is gold. It is true that for me Don Rafaelito has never shone but like tin

all that glitters is not gold
all that glitters is not gold


nyoneka na rua yũraga na rua

quick come, quick go
quick come, quick go

easy come, easy go; quick come, quick go


a change is as good as a rest

"I guess there's a novelty factor element involved in working them. I think drivers like driving different traction, and there might also be a 'change is as good as a rest' element.

2022 September 21, Brendan Rice, “Ready for inspection”, in RAIL, page 61:

Doing something different from one's routine is as refreshing as taking a break from work altogether.


warĩire athĩnirie waigire

a fool and his money are soon parted
a fool and his money are soon parted

a fool and his money are soon parted (lit. one who had eaten bothered one who had stored)


you can't keep a good man down

En-au-you can't keep a good man down.ogg

"Isn't it perfectly splendid, Mr. Pepper, to think that Archie's genius has at last been recognized? How quiet he kept it. I had no idea that Mr. Brackett was even interested in his work. I wonder how he heard of it?"
"Oh, these things get about," I said. "You can't keep a good man down."

You can't keep a good man down. Like the corpse in The Trouble with Harry who just won't stay buried, Alfred Hitchcock keeps popping out of his grave to terrify and delight new audiences.

1984 March 26, Richard Corliss, “Cinema: The Master Who Knew Too Much”, in Time, retrieved 2018-01-18:

He cut a sorry figure after the thumping by England, but you can't keep a good man down. That familiar mix of manic energy and piratical lunacy enabled the totemic Irishman to reassert his status as a world-class performer.

2000 April 3, Chris Hewett, “Rugby: Running talent will put life into Lions”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 2018-01-18:

Dunlop suffered a coronary arrest—his heart stopped for almost six minutes. But even at 85, you can't keep a good man down, and he was able to recover.

2013 January 22, Jack Goodstein, “Music Review: Boyd Lee Dunlop—The Lake Reflections”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 2018-01-18:

A person who has talent, resolve, or moral strength will eventually succeed despite having been overlooked, injured, or defeated.


kapři si svůj rybník nevypustí

kapři si rybník nevypustí
kapři si rybník nevypustí#Czech

Alternative form of kapři si rybník nevypustí


kapři si rybník nevypustí

Literally, “carp will not release water from their pond”.

lit

Naléhavě proto potřebujeme efektivnostně (výkonově) orientovanou reformu státní správy. To je ovšem pro vládu ten nejtěžší úkol: protože platí teze, že „kapři si rybník sami nevypustí“. Nezanedbatelná část vládního aparátu takovéto změny vždy sabotuje, stejně jako nejdou pod fousy mnohým poslancům či jiným politikům, kteří za propojení s vládními úředníky z existujícího stavu benefitují […]

2007 December 13, Pavel Mertlík, “Naše fiskální reforma”, in Listy, volume XXXVII, number 6, page 107:

Therefore we urgently need an efficiency oriented reform of the state administration. However, that is the most difficult task for the government because of the principle that people do not act against their interests. A not negligible part of the bureaucracy always sabotage such changes, which many members of parliament or other politicians also cannot stomach, as they are interconnected with the administration and benefit from the existing situation […]

people do not act against their own interests


tel est pris qui croyait prendre

From the fable Le Rat et l'Huître by Jean de La Fontaine.

beaten at their own game
beat someone at their own game

the biter is bit; the tables are turned; someone was beaten at their own game

Jean de La Fontaine
fr:Le Rat et l'Huître


ผีซ้ำด้ำพลอย

th-proverb

ผีซ้ำด้ำพลอย • (pǐi-sám-dâm-plɔɔi)

From ผี (pǐi, “ghost; spirit”) + ซ้ำ (sám, “to repeat”) + ด้ำ (dâm, “tutelary spirit”) + พลอย (plɔɔi, “to join; to go along”); literally "a ghost repeats, a tutelary spirit joins".

com

misfortunes never come singly
misfortunes never come singly

(idiomatic) misfortunes never come singly.


head

Pişiyin əli ətə çatmayanda, deyir, ət iylənib

Pişiyin əli ətə çatmayanda (canonical)
deyir (canonical)
ət iylənib (canonical)

LL-Q9292 (aze)-Azerbaijani audiorecordings-pişiyin əli ətə çatmayanda, deyir, ət iylənib.wav

Literally, "When a cat doesn't reach the meat, it says, the meat stinks".


lo barato sale caro

Literally, “cheap [things] turn out expensive”.

lit

el dinero del avaro, dos veces va al mercado

cheap objects or solutions can end up being expensive, because they don’t last as long, require high maintenance or are inefficient

buy cheap, buy twice
buy cheap, buy twice

cheap things in expensive disguise make everything more costly, setting precedence to inflate true value while lowering quality not just for goods but services and society as a whole


κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος

head

κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος • (katá foní ki o gáidaros)

katá foní ki o gáidaros (romanization)
By voice (literally)

speak of the devil, talk of the devil (said when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene)

en-κατά_φωνή_κι_ο_γάιδαρος-el-proverb-oJiPD44Q


blaze tomu, kdo nic nemá, nestará se, kam to schová

[ˈblazɛ ˈtomu ˈɡdo ɲɪt͡s ˈnɛmaː ˈnɛstaraː sɛ ˈkam to ˈsxovaː]

Literally, “happy those who have nothing, they needn't worry where to hide it”.

lit

Jo, s majetkem je starost. Blaze tomu, kdo nic nemá, nestará se, kam to schová!

2014, Jan Cimický, Dvířka do neznáma, Praha: Baronet, →ISBN:

Yes, there are worries with possessions. Happy those who have nothing, they needn't worry where to hide it!

poor people are often happier because fortune brings worries


la nécessité est la mère de l'invention

fr-proverb

"Necessity is the mother of invention." or la nécessité est la mère de l’invention

"Necessity is the mother of invention." (canonical)
la nécessité est la mère de l’invention (canonical)

necessity is the mother of invention
necessity is the mother of invention


不塞不流，不止不行

ㄅㄨˋ ㄙㄜˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧㄡˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄓˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄥˊ

bat¹ sak¹ bat¹ lau⁴, bat¹ zi² bat¹ hang⁴

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ sɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ li̯oʊ̯³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹ ɕiŋ³⁵/

bat⁷ sak⁷ bat⁷ lau⁴, bat⁷ dzi² bat⁷ hang⁴

bed¹ seg¹ bed¹ leo⁴, bed¹ ji² bed¹ heng⁴

/pɐt̚⁵ sɐk̚⁵ pɐt̚⁵ lɐu̯²¹ pɐt̚⁵ t͡siː³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ hɐŋ²¹/

There is no flowing without damming and no motion without rest.


historie se opakuje

history repeats itself
history repeats itself


不怕慢，就怕站

ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄆㄚˋ ㄓㄢˋ

цзю па чжань

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ pʰä⁵¹⁻⁵³ män⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pʰä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂän⁵¹/

slow and steady wins the race
slow and steady wins the race

it's better to move ahead slowly than just to mark time; any movement is better than none; slow and steady wins the race


až to bude, tak to bude

Literally, “it won't be done until it has been done”.

lit

„Co s tím uděláte?“
„Posíláme tam vůz.“
„A kdy to spravíte?“
„Vždyť ještě nevíme, oč jde. Až to bude, tak to bude!“

1993, Roman Ráž, Cesta po kolenou, Favia International, →ISBN, page 127:

"What are you going to do with it?"
"We are sending a car there."
"And when are you going to mend it?"
"But we still don't know, what the problem is. We will do it, you have to wait!"

an oak is not felled at one stroke#English

the work cannot be done earlier or faster; close to an oak is not felled at one stroke


ill news spreads apace

Aware of the too great proneness of his countrymen to ideas of despondency, knowing that ill news spreads apace, and that in an overgrown metropolis few have the opportunity of ocular demonstration of the state of the country's agriculture, this insidious letter has been written, that it might become the subject of conversation, and thus glide unawares into the ears of those who are inclined to view things on the gloomy side— If it only raise doubt, much of the writer's or his abettor's views are answered; but where it is received as fast, and thus propagated to others, every purpose he intended is fulfilled.

1812, The Scouge; or Monthly Expositor of Imposture and Folly, Vol IV, page 135:

Ill news spreads apace, nor was it long before the tale reached Ertha von Reuth.

1908, Norman Innes, My lady's kiss: a romance, page 127:

Ill news spreads apace, and I found, on returning to the stage, Miss Foote and Mrs. Edmund Phelps crying bitterly, and waiting to descend with their condolences on the poor mother when she came out of her dressing-room; but I bundled both the ladies out of the theatre, for which, of course, I was put down as an unsympathetic brute!

1915, Townsend Walsh, The Career of Dion Boucicault, page 146:

(archaic) Bad news circulates quickly because people tend to gossip.


เคราะห์ซ้ำกรรมซัด

th-proverb

เคราะห์ซ้ำกรรมซัด • (krɔ́-sám-gam-sát)


เวรซ้ำกรรมซัด

เวรซ้ำกรรมซัด • (ween-sám-gam-sát)


บาปซ้ำกรรมซัด

บาปซ้ำกรรมซัด • (bàap-sám-gam-sát)


head

στου κουφού την πόρτα, όσο θέλεις βρόντα • (stou koufoú tin pórta, óso théleis vrónta)

stou koufoú tin pórta (romanization)
óso théleis vrónta (romanization)
At the deaf man's door (literally)

/stu kuˈfu tin ˈpoɾta ˈoso ˈθelis ˈvɾonda/

there are none so blind as those who will not see (understanding cannot be forced on someone who chooses to be ignorant)

en-στου_κουφού_την_πόρτα,_όσο_θέλεις_βρόντα-el-proverb-aUOZt~p~


a fault confessed is half redressed

By confessing to one's own faults, one will begin to make amends.

beter ten halve gekeerd dan ten hele gedwaald


αν δεν βρέξεις κώλο, ψάρι δεν τρως

αν δεν βρέξεις κώλο, ψάρι δεν τρως • (an den vréxeis kólo, psári den tros)

an den vréxeis kólo (romanization)
psári den tros (romanization)
If you don't get your arse wet (literally)

the cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet (in order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some sacrifices must occur)

en-αν_δεν_βρέξεις_κώλο,_ψάρι_δεν_τρως-el-proverb-KDWtxVg1


štěstí přeje připraveným

Literally, “fortune favours the prepared”.

lit

Mužstvu od Ještědu zařídil triumf především brankář Roman Will, jenž zneškodnil všechny "penalty" soupeře. "Myslím si, že štěstí přeje připraveným a to já byl. […]"

2018 February 5, “Čaroděj Will o nájezdech: Štěstí přeje připraveným. A to já byl”, in Týden.cz:

The victory of the team from under the Ještěd mountain was secured especially by the goalkeeper Roman Will, who caught all the penalty shots of the opposing team. "I think fortune favours the prepared, which I was. […] "

victory loves preparation
victory loves preparation#English

Luck is usually on the side of those who are prepared. Close to victory loves preparation


the house always wins

Don't go to that casino. All their games are designed to make you lose more money than you earn, so that the house always wins.

In a casino, all gambling is designed so that the house (i.e. the casino owners) will always net a profit, regardless of the successes of individual patrons.

The more we sell in our shop, the more profit for all of us. Our customers will be happy, but the house always wins.

The Reddit amateurs may be gloating about their victory over elite hedge funds now, but in the casino of Wall Street the house always wins, and many Redditors may be flirting with financial catastrophe.

2021 February 3, Farhad Manjoo, “Can We Please Stop Talking About Stocks, Please?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(by extension) Any economic system is designed to net a profit for the capital holders.

(by extension) A usually unpleasant scenario that is inevitable in the long run and that hopelessly cannot be overcome in the end, regardless of various actions attempting to mitigate or delay it in the short term.


ngatia ciathiĩ hiti cĩeragara

when the cat's away, the mice will play
when the cat's away, the mice will play

when the cat's away, the mice will play (lit. when lions have gone, hyenas dance)


सौ सुनार की, एक लोहार की

hi-proverb

سو سنار کی، ایک لوہار کی

सौ सुनार की, एक लोहार की • (sau sunār kī, ek lohār kī) (Urdu spelling سو سنار کی، ایک لوہار کی)

sau sunār kī (romanization)
ek lohār kī (romanization)
سو سنار کی، ایک لوہار کی (Urdu)

[sɔː‿sʊ.näːɾ‿kiː‿eːk‿loː.ɦäːɾ‿kiː]

a hundred blows of a goldsmith are worth one blow of a blacksmith

en-सौ_सुनार_की,_एक_लोहार_की-hi-proverb-jaA0m5EV


พูดไปสองไพเบี้ย นิ่งเสียตำลึงทอง

th-proverb

พูดไปสองไพเบี้ย นิ่งเสียตำลึงทอง

พูดไปสองไพเบี้ย นิ่งเสียตำลึงทอง • (pûut-bpai-sɔ̌ɔng-pai-bîia-nîng-sǐia-dtam-lʉng-tɔɔng)

/pʰuːt̚˥˩.paj˧.sɔːŋ˩˩˦.pʰaj˧.bia̯˥˩.niŋ˥˩.sia̯˩˩˦.tam˧.lɯŋ˧.tʰɔːŋ˧/

speech is silver, silence is golden
speech is silver, silence is golden

(idiomatic) speech is silver, silence is golden

en-พูดไปสองไพเบี้ย_นิ่งเสียตำลึงทอง-th-proverb-p-3SOw1-


rules are rules

The rules are certain and cannot be ignored or worked around.


jedde Jeck es anders

All people are crazy, but in different ways. You may think someone crazy for one thing, but they might think you crazy for another.


jeddem Dierche si Pläsierche

Literally: “To each little animal its own little pleasure.”


rules is rules

(slang, nonstandard) Alternative form of rules are rules


agua pasada no mueve molino

let bygones be bygones
let bygones be bygones


kamũingĩ koyaga ndĩrĩ

many hands make light work
many hands make light work

many hands make light work (lit. a group of people lifts a mortar)