酒壯慫人膽

ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄓㄨㄤˋ ㄙㄨㄥˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄢˇ

цзю чжуан сун жэнь дань

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵¹ sʊŋ³⁵ ʐən³⁵ tän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄓㄨㄤˋ ㄙㄨㄥˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄢˇㄦ

цзючжуансунжэньданьр

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵¹ sʊŋ³⁵ ʐən³⁵ tɑɻ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/


磨刀不誤砍柴工

Sharpening the axe will not hold up the work of chopping firewood

ㄇㄛˊ ㄉㄠ ㄅㄨˋ ㄨˋ ㄎㄢˇ ㄔㄞˊ ㄍㄨㄥ

módāo bù wù kǎnchái gōng [Phonetic:módāo bú wù kǎnchái gōng]

модао бу у каньчай гун

/mu̯ɔ³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ u⁵¹ kʰän²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰaɪ̯³⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

Making full preparation will not delay your job but quicken the process.


não fede, nem cheira

something is neutral (i.e. neither good nor bad)


alte Ziegen lecken auch gern Salz

/ˈaltə ˈt͡siːɡən ˈlɛkən ˈaʊ̯x ɡɛʁn ˈzalt͡s/

De-alte Ziegen lecken auch gern Salz.ogg

Literally, “old goats like to lick salt, too”, i.e. no less than young ones. Attested since at least 1541.

lit

Older women, or older people in general, still have sexual needs.


faute de grives on mange des merles

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-faute de grives on mange des merles.wav

Literally, “if there are no thrushes, we'll eat blackbirds”.

beggars can't be choosers
beggars can't be choosers

half a loaf is better than none
half a loaf is better than none

beggars can't be choosers, half a loaf is better than none, any port in a storm


it is darkest just before the dawn

the darkest hour is just before the dawn#English

Alternative form of the darkest hour is just before the dawn


head

the darkest hour is always just before the dawn


it is always darkest just before the dawn


ufaj, ale sprawdzaj

(idiomatic) trust, but verify, trust is not enough; verification is required


Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser

Literally, “trust is good, verification is better”.

lit

„Wenn die Geschichte des BER uns eins gelehrt hat, dann das: Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser“, so der Verkehrsexperte der Abgeordnetenhausfraktion, Harald Moritz.

2020 June 11, Stefan Alberti, quoting Harald Moritz, “Finanzen am Flughafen: BER-Finanzen: Es bleiben Fragen”, in Die Tageszeitung: taz, →ISSN:

trust, but verify (trust is not enough; verification is required)


大事化小，小事化了

ㄉㄚˋ ㄕˋ ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄒㄧㄠˇ

ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄕˋ ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄌㄧㄠˇ

даши хуа сяо

сяоши хуа ляо

/tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯ä⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯ä⁵¹ li̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/taːi̯²² siː²² faː³³ siːu̯³⁵ siːu̯³⁵ siː²² faː³³ liːu̯¹³/

大事化小，小事化無 大事化小，小事化無#Chinese

大事化小，小事化无 大事化小，小事化无#Chinese

Synonym of 大事化小，小事化無／大事化小，小事化无 (dàshì huà xiǎo, xiǎoshì huà wú, “Turn big problems into small ones, and small ones into no problems at all.”)


quanto mais, melhor

the more the merrier
the more the merrier


âld en earm is bodders lean

Literally "old and poor is a toiler's pay".

a workman will never become rich of his hard labour.


天は自ら助くる者を助く

ja-pos

てん は みずから たすくる もの を たすく

てんはみづからたすくるものをたすく

天(てん)は自(みずか)ら助(たす)くる者(もの)を助(たす)く • (ten wa mizukara tasukuru mono o tasuku) ^(←てんはみづからたすくるものをたすく (tenfamidukaratasukurumonowotasuku)?)

天は自ら助くる者を助く (canonical)
ten wa mizukara tasukuru mono o tasuku (romanization)
tenfamidukaratasukurumonowotasuku (romanization)
てんはみづからたすくるものをたすく (hiragana historical)

[te̞ɰ̃ β̞a̠ mʲizɨka̠ɾa̠ ta̠sɨkɯ̟ɾɯ̟ mo̞no̞ o̞ ta̠sɨkɯ̟]

heaven helps those who help themselves
heaven helps those who help themselves


van dik hout zaagt men planken

/vɑn ˈdɪk ˌɦɑu̯t ˈzaːxt mɛn ˈplɑŋ.kə(n)/

Literally, “one saws planks from thick wood”.

lit

Indicates that something is done crudely or imprecisely, or is unnuanced, prurient or coarse.

Indicates that someone is beaten up or spanked.


自助者天助之

ㄗˋ ㄓㄨˋ ㄓㄜˇ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄨˋ ㄓ

цзычжу чжэ тянь чжу чжи

czyčžu čžɛ tjanʹ čžu čži

/t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/t͡siː²² t͡sɔː²² t͡sɛː³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː²² t͡siː⁵⁵/


自助者天助

ㄗˋ ㄓㄨˋ ㄓㄜˇ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄨˋ

цзычжу чжэ тянь чжу

/t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹/

/t͡siː²² t͡sɔː²² t͡sɛː³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː²²/


в тихом омуте черти водятся

head

в ти́хом о́муте че́рти во́дятся

в ти́хом о́муте че́рти во́дятся • (v tíxom ómute čérti vódjatsja)

в ти́хом о́муте че́рти во́дятся (canonical)
v tíxom ómute čérti vódjatsja (romanization)

[ˈf‿tʲixəm ˈomʊtʲe ˈt͡ɕertʲɪ ˈvodʲɪt͡sə]

Ru-в тихом омуте черти водятся.ogg

Literally, “in a quiet pool, devils dwell.”

lit

Осо́бенно пло́хо приходи́лось тому́ ма́льчику, кото́рый постоя́нно вел себя́ хорошо́; сто́ило ему́ попа́сться в како́й-нибудь обыкнове́нной де́тской ша́лости, и Елизаве́та Никола́евна, кро́ме наказа́ния, донима́ла таки́ми замеча́ниями: «Небо́сь тихо́ня, а сам исподтишка́, лука́вый мальчи́шка, в ти́хом о́муте че́рти во́дятся» и т. п.

1904, Владимир Георгиевич фон Бооль (Vladimir Georgievich von Bool'), “Воспоминания педагога [Recollections of a pedagog]”, in Русская старина, volume 118, Saint Petersburg, page 115:

It went particularly badly for any boy who always behaved well; as soon as he got himself into some ordinary sort of childhood mischief, Elizaveta Nikolaevna, in addition to punishment, would pester him with such remarks as: "He may well be a quiet one, but he's a sneaky, cunning little boy, in a still pond devils dwell" etc.

Osóbenno plóxo prixodílosʹ tomú málʹčiku, kotóryj postojánno vel sebjá xorošó; stóilo jemú popástʹsja v kakój-nibudʹ obyknovénnoj détskoj šálosti, i Jelizavéta Nikolájevna, króme nakazánija, donimála takími zamečánijami: «Nebósʹ tixónja, a sam ispodtišká, lukávyj malʹčíška, v tíxom ómute čérti vódjatsja» i t. p.

— То́лько оно́ всегда́ в ней сиде́ло, – отве́тила та. – Я хозя́йке ча́сто гова́ривала, какова́, по-мо́ему, э́та де́вочка, и хозя́йка, она́ со мной соглаша́лась. В ти́хом о́муте че́рти во́дятся. В жи́зни не ви́дела, чтоб ма́ленькая де́вочка была́ тако́й скры́тной.

2017, Наталья Николаевна Игрунова (Natalya Nikolaevna Igrunova), transl., Джейн Эйр: Роман; translation of Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1847, chapter 2:

"But it was always in her," was the reply. "I've told Missis often my opinion about the child, and Missis agreed with me. She's an underhand little thing: I never saw a girl of her age so reserved."

— Tólʹko onó vsegdá v nej sidélo, – otvétila ta. – Ja xozjájke částo govárivala, kaková, po-mójemu, éta dévočka, i xozjájka, oná so mnoj soglašálasʹ. V tíxom ómute čérti vódjatsja. V žízni ne vídela, štob málenʹkaja dévočka bylá takój skrýtnoj.

beneath a placid exterior, a person may harbor turbulent desires.

en-в_тихом_омуте_черти_водятся-ru-proverb-YzS1hdzU


parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna

speak of the devil and he appears
speak of the devil and he appears

(idiomatic) speak of the devil and he appears, speak of the devil


prudence est mère de sûreté

Literally, “caution is the mother of safety”.

discretion is the better part of valour
discretion is the better part of valour

better safe than sorry
better safe than sorry

discretion is the better part of valour, diffidence is the right eye of prudence, better safe than sorry


不怕慢，只怕站

чжи па чжань

čži pa čžanʹ

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ pʰä⁵¹⁻⁵³ män⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂän⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ pʰaː³³ maːn²² t͡siː³⁵ pʰaː³³ t͡saːm²²/

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


two's company, three's trumpery

two's company, three's a crowd
two's company, three's a crowd#English

(dated) Synonym of two's company, three's a crowd


il faut que jeunesse se passe

Fr-Paris--il faut que jeunesse se passe.ogg

youth must have its fling; boys will be boys

si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait


la cabra siempre tira al monte

Literally, “the goat always goes to the mountain”.

a leopard can't change his spots
a leopard can't change his spots


tem louco pra tudo

Literally, “There are mad people for everything”.

even if some activity seems unusual or weird, there is probably someone involved in it


head

Bescheidenheit ist eine Zier, doch weiter kommt man ohne ihr

Ascribed to Erich Kästner. Literally, “modesty/humility is an ornament (i.e. a virtue), but one gets further without it”. The dative case after ohne is now ungrammatical, but used to be fairly common; it is needed here for the rhyme.

lit

Being modest and humble is a morally commendable approach in life, but it is not usually the most productive in terms of personal success.

Bescheidenheit ist eine Zier, doch besser lebt man ohne ihr


一子失著，滿盤皆輸

ㄇㄢˇ ㄆㄢˊ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄕㄨ

и цзы шичжао

маньпань цзе шу

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/

一著不慎，滿盤皆輸 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸#Chinese

一着不慎，满盘皆输 一着不慎，满盘皆输#Chinese

Synonym of 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸／一着不慎，满盘皆输 (“one careless move and the whole game is lost”)


棋錯一著，滿盤皆輸

one wrong move and the whole game is lost

ㄑㄧˊ ㄘㄨㄛˋ ㄧ ㄓㄠ

ㄇㄢˇ ㄆㄢˊ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄕㄨ

ㄑㄧˊ ㄘㄨㄛˋ ㄧ ㄓㄨㄛˊ

маньпань цзе шу

/t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ³⁵ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/

A big failure is caused by a small mistake.


一著不慎，全盤皆輸

ㄧ ㄓㄠ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄣˋ

ㄑㄩㄢˊ ㄆㄢˊ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄕㄨ

ㄧ ㄓㄨㄛˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄣˋ

ичжао бушэнь

цюаньпань цзе шу

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʂən⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʂən⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/

一著不慎，滿盤皆輸 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸#Chinese

一着不慎，满盘皆输 一着不慎，满盘皆输#Chinese


一著錯，滿盤俱是空

ㄇㄢˇ ㄆㄢˊ ㄐㄩˋ ㄕˋ ㄎㄨㄥ

маньпань цзюй ши кун

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕy⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ kʰʊŋ⁵⁵/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ³⁵ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕy⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ kʰʊŋ⁵⁵/

一著不慎，滿盤皆輸 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸#Chinese

一着不慎，满盘皆输 一着不慎，满盘皆输#Chinese


一著不慎，滿盤皆輸

ㄧ ㄓㄠ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄣˋ

ㄇㄢˇ ㄆㄢˊ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄕㄨ

ㄧ ㄓㄨㄛˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄣˋ

jat¹ zoek⁶ bat¹ san⁶, mun⁵ pun⁴ gaai¹ syu¹

ичжао бушэнь

маньпань цзе шу

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʂən⁵¹ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʂən⁵¹ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵/

jat⁷ dzoek⁹ bat⁷ san⁶, mun⁵ pun⁴ gaai¹ sy¹

/jɐt̚⁵ t͡sœːk̚² pɐt̚⁵ sɐn²² muːn¹³ pʰuːn²¹ kaːi̯⁵⁵ syː⁵⁵/

one careless move and the whole game is lost


một công đôi việc

[mot̚˧˨ʔ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˧ viək̚˧˨ʔ]

[mok̚˨˩ʔ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˧ viək̚˨˩ʔ]

[mok̚˨˩˨ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˧ viək̚˨˩˨]

[mok̚˨˩˨ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˧ jiək̚˨˩˨]

một (“one”) + công (“labor”) + đôi (“double”) + việc (“job”), possibly a word play on công việc.

compound

kill two birds with one stone
kill two birds with one stone


nhất cử lưỡng tiện

[ɲət̚˧˦ kɨ˧˩ lɨəŋ˦ˀ˥ tiən˧˨ʔ]

[ɲək̚˦˧˥ kɨ˧˨ lɨəŋ˧˨ tiəŋ˨˩ʔ]

[ɲək̚˦˥ kɨ˨˩˦ lɨəŋ˨˩˦ tiəŋ˨˩˨]


nhất tiễn song điêu

[ɲət̚˧˦ tiən˦ˀ˥ sawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗiəw˧˧]

[ɲək̚˦˧˥ tiəŋ˧˨ ʂawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗiw˧˧]

[ɲək̚˦˧˥ tiəŋ˧˨ sɔŋ˧˧ ʔɗiw˧˧]

[ɲək̚˦˥ tiəŋ˨˩˦ ʂawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗiw˧˧]

[ɲək̚˦˥ tiəŋ˨˩˦ sawŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗiw˧˧]


một công đôi chuyện

[mot̚˧˨ʔ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˧ t͡ɕwiən˧˨ʔ]

[mok̚˨˩ʔ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˧ t͡ɕwiəŋ˨˩ʔ]

[mok̚˨˩˨ kəwŋ͡m˧˧ ʔɗoj˧˧ c⁽ʷ⁾iəŋ˨˩˨]

một (“one”) + công (“labor”) + đôi (“double”) + chuyện (“job, matter”)


急いては事を仕損じる

ja-pos

せいて は こと を しそんじる

急(せ)いては事(こと)を仕(し)損(そん)じる • (seite wa koto o shisonjiru)

急いては事を仕損じる (canonical)
seite wa koto o shisonjiru (romanization)

[se̞ːte̞ β̞a̠ ko̞to̞ o̞ ɕisõ̞ɲ̟d͡ʑiɾɯ̟]

Phrase consisting of 急い (sei, イ音便 (i-onbin, euphonic change) of 急き (seki), the 連用形 (continuative form) of 急く (seku, “make haste”)) + ては (te wa, undesirable assumption) + 事 (koto, “thing”) + を (o, accusative case particle) + 仕損じる (shisonjiru, “miscarry, fail”).


fr-proverb

on n'apprend pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces

on n’apprend pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces

/ɔ̃ n‿a.pʁɑ̃ pa a œ̃ vjø sɛ̃ʒ a fɛʁ de ɡʁi.mas/

/ɔ̃ n‿a.pʁɑ̃ pɑ a œ̃ vjø sɛ̃ʒ a fɛʁ de ɡʁi.mas/

ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces#French

Alternative form of ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire des grimaces


play stupid games, win stupid prizes

(humorous) If one makes poor decisions, then one should expect negative consequences.


急がば回れ

急がば回れ (canonical)
isogaba maware (romanization)

Phrase consisting of 急が (isoga, 未然形 (imperfective form) of 急ぐ (isogu, “husten, rush”)) + ば (ba, “if, when”) + 回れ (maware, 命令形 (imperative form) of 回る (mawaru, “go round”)).

more haste, less speed
more haste, less speed

more haste, less speed; slow and steady wins the race


慌てる乞食は貰いが少ない

ja-pos

あわてる こじき は もらい が すくない

慌(あわ)てる乞(こ)食(じき)は貰(もら)いが少(すく)ない • (awateru kojiki wa morai ga sukunai)

慌てる乞食は貰いが少ない (canonical)
awateru kojiki wa morai ga sukunai (romanization)

Phrase consisting of 慌(あわ)てる (awateru, “be in a hurry”) + 乞(こ)食(じき) (kojiki, “beggar”) + は (wa, topic marker) + 貰(もら)い (morai, “alms”) + が (ga, subject marker) + 少(すく)ない (sukunai, “few”), "the impatient beggar receives little".


en casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo

en casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo#Spanish

Alternative form of en casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo


non è tutto oro quello che luccica

Literally, “it is not all gold that which glimmers”. Compare French tout ce qui brille n’est pas or.

lit

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


il mattino ha l'oro in bocca

Literally, “the morning has (the) gold in (the) mouth”.

lit

the early bird gets the worm
the early bird gets the worm


di mana ada kemahuan, di situ ada jalan

where there's a will, there's a way
where there's a will, there's a way


sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit

many a mickle makes a muckle
many a mickle makes a muckle

sehari selembar benang, lama-lama menjadi kain


on ne vit qu'une fois

you only go around once
you only go around once

you only go around once, you only live once, YOLO


head

kleine Sünden bestraft der liebe Gott sofort

Literally, “minor sins are punished by God right away”.

lit

Er hat geschimpft und sich aufgeregt und hörte nicht auf, bis er sich dann auf einmal verschluckt hat und anfing, laut zu husten. Da dachte ich mir: „Kleine Sünden bestraft der liebe Gott sofort.“

He was railing and got worked up and wouldn’t stop, until suddenly he choked [on his drink] and started coughing loudly. That’s when I thought: “Instant karma.”

Said when someone does or says something rude, or something one does not like, and that person experiences a mishap shortly after. Comparable to the English phrase instant karma.


mèo già hoá cáo

[mɛw˨˩ zaː˨˩ hwaː˧˦ kaːw˧˦]

[mɛw˦˩ jaː˦˩ hwaː˨˩˦ kaːw˨˩˦]

[mɛw˨˩ jaː˨˩ waː˦˥ kaːw˦˥]

(literal) when a cat is old enough, it will turn into a fox

(figurative, disapproving) the older someone is, the more cunning they become


nhất nam viết hữu, thập nữ viết vô

[ɲət̚˧˦ naːm˧˧ viət̚˧˦ hiw˦ˀ˥ tʰəp̚˧˨ʔ nɨ˦ˀ˥ viət̚˧˦ vo˧˧]

[ɲək̚˦˧˥ naːm˧˧ viək̚˦˧˥ hɨw˧˨ tʰəp̚˨˩ʔ nɨ˧˨ viək̚˦˧˥ vow˧˧]

[ɲək̚˦˥ naːm˧˧ viək̚˦˥ hɨw˨˩˦ tʰəp̚˨˩˨ nɨ˨˩˦ viək̚˦˥ vow˧˧]

[ɲək̚˦˥ naːm˧˧ jiək̚˦˥ hɨw˨˩˦ tʰəp̚˨˩˨ nɨ˨˩˦ jiək̚˦˥ jow˧˧]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 一 (“one”), 男 (“male”), 曰 (“means”) and 有 (“yes”)
and Sino-Vietnamese word from 十 (“ten”), 女 (“female”), 曰 (“means”) and 無 (“no”)

vi-etym-sino

(literal) one boy means one, ten girls mean none


χαλεπὰ τὰ καλά

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χᾰλεπὰ τὰ κᾰλά

χᾰλεπὰ τὰ κᾰλά • (khalepà tà kalá)

χᾰλεπὰ τὰ κᾰλά (canonical)
khalepà tà kalá (romanization)

An Ancient Greek aphorism, quoted in Plato's "Hippias Major" and "Republic (Plato)"

beautiful/good things [are] difficult [to attain]


morto un papa se ne fa un altro

Literally, “dead one pope (when one pope dies) one makes another (one)”.

lit

there are plenty of fish in the sea
there are plenty of fish in the sea

no one is indispensable; there are plenty of fish in the sea


faute avouée est à demi pardonnée

faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée#French

Alternative form of faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée


faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée

LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée.wav

a fault confessed is half redressed
a fault confessed is half redressed


fr-proverb

/le kɔʁ.dɔ.nje sɔ̃ tu.ʒuʁ le ply mal ʃo.se/

Fr-Paris--les cordonniers sont toujours les plus mal chaussés.ogg

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-les cordonniers sont toujours les plus mal chaussés.wav

the shoemaker's children go barefoot
the shoemaker's children go barefoot


nul n'est prophète en son pays

nul n’ est prophète en son pays (canonical)

Paraphrase of the Gospel according to Luke 4:24, “aucun prophète n'est bien reçu dans sa patrie” (“no prophet is well received in his native country”) (Louis Segond).

no man is a prophet in his own country
no man is a prophet in his own country

no one is a prophet in their own land
no one is a prophet in their own land

no man is a prophet in his own country, no one is a prophet in their own land


fact is stranger than fiction

truth is stranger than fiction
truth is stranger than fiction#English

Alternative form of truth is stranger than fiction


truth is stranger than fiction

It has often been said that truth is stranger than fiction. But what writer of the most extravagant fiction could have thought up such a life as that of William Kiffin? A poor orphan becoming one of the wealthiest merchants in the country; […]

1989, B. A. Ramsbottom, Stranger Than Fiction: The Life of William Kiffin, Gospel Standard Publications, →ISBN, page 7:

In the end, truth is stranger than fiction: reality has more complications, more unanticipable twists and turns than fiction could ever imagine.

2003, Nicholas Rescher, Imagining Irreality: A Study of Unreal Possibilities, Open Court Publishing, →ISBN, page 239:

Sometimes actual events are stranger than imagined ones.

totuus on tarua ihmeellisempää

sometimes actual events are stranger than imagined ones


autres temps, autres mœurs

other days, other ways
other days, other ways

other days, other ways; customs change with the times


à quelque chose malheur est bon

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-à quelque chose malheur est bon.wav

Literally, “[a] misfortune is good for something”.

lit

every cloud has a silver lining
every cloud has a silver lining

every cloud has a silver lining; it's an ill wind that blows no one any good (even a bad situation conceals some benefit)


it's lonely at the top

A highly successful person in a particular field will inevitably suffer from a feeling of isolation.

高處不勝寒

highly successful person will suffer from isolation


龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠的兒子會打洞

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龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠的兒子會打洞

龙生龙，凤生凤，老鼠的儿子会打洞

ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄕㄥ ㄌㄨㄥˊ

ㄌㄠˇ ㄕㄨˇ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄦˊ ˙ㄗ ㄏㄨㄟˋ ㄉㄚˇ ㄉㄨㄥˋ

lǎoshǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng [Phonetic:lóngshēnglóng

лаошу дэ эрцзы хуэй да дун

/lʊŋ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ lʊŋ³⁵ fɤŋ⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂu²¹⁴ d̥ə⁴ ˀɤɻ³⁵ d͡z̥z̩³ xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʊŋ⁵¹/

like father, like son
like father, like son

(of behavior, etc) like father, like son


Dio li fa e poi li accoppia

birds of a feather flock together
birds of a feather flock together


chi si assomiglia si piglia

Dio li fa e poi li accoppia
Dio li fa e poi li accoppia#Italian


il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchi

la verità viene sempre a galla
la verità viene sempre a galla#Italian

Synonym of la verità viene sempre a galla

the devil teaches us his tricks but not how to hide them


il diavolo si nasconde nei dettagli

devil is in the details
devil is in the details


occhio non vede, cuore non duole

Literally, “eye doesn't see, heart doesn't ache”.

lit

what you don't know can't hurt you
what you don't know can't hurt you

ignorance is bliss, what you don't know can't hurt you


chi si accontenta gode

a contented mind is a perpetual feast
a contented mind is a perpetual feast


meglio poco che niente

a little is better than none
a little is better than none


lontano dagli occhi, lontano dal cuore

Literally, “far from the eyes, far from the heart”. Compare French loin des yeux, loin du cœur.

out of sight, out of mind
out of sight, out of mind


it-pos

l'occhio del padrone ingrassa il cavallo

Literally, “the eye of the owner fattens the horse”.

lit

a business thrives when the owner keeps his eye on it

the master's eye makes the horse fat
the master's eye makes the horse fat


un'immagine vale più di mille parole

a picture is worth a thousand words
a picture is worth a thousand words


l'erba cattiva non muore mai

a bad penny always turns up
a bad penny always turns up


i soldi non crescono sugli alberi

money doesn't grow on trees
money doesn't grow on trees

there's no such thing as a free lunch
there's no such thing as a free lunch

money doesn't grow on trees; there's no such thing as a free lunch


chi va piano va sano e va lontano

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


presto e bene non vanno insieme

la gatta frettolosa fece i gattini ciechi#Italian

Synonym of la gatta frettolosa fece i gattini ciechi

la fretta è una cattiva consigliera#Italian

Synonym of la fretta è una cattiva consigliera

chi va piano, va sano e va lontano#Italian

Synonym of chi va piano, va sano e va lontano


chi va piano, va sano e va lontano

presto e bene non vanno insieme
presto e bene non vanno insieme#Italian

Synonym of presto e bene non vanno insieme


ogni lasciata è persa

opportunity seldom knocks twice
opportunity seldom knocks twice


fr-proverb

c'est dans les vieux pots qu'on fait la meilleure soupe

c’est dans les vieux pots qu’on fait la meilleure soupe

/s‿ɛ dɑ̃ le vjø po k‿ɔ̃ fɛ la mɛ.jœʁ sup/

/s‿ɛ dɑ̃ le vjø po k‿ɔ̃ fɛ la me.jœʁ sup/

Literally, “it's in the old pots that the best soup is made”.

lit

tried and tested methods are the best ones

c’est dans les vieux pots qu’on fait les meilleures soupes

c’est dans les vieux pots qu’on fait les meilleures confitures


chi si ferma è perduto

one who hesitates is lost
one who hesitates is lost


confidenza toglie riverenza

familiarity breeds contempt
familiarity breeds contempt


đàn ông xây nhà, đàn bà xây tổ ấm

[ʔɗaːn˨˩ ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ səj˧˧ ɲaː˨˩ ʔɗaːn˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ səj˧˧ to˧˩ ʔəm˧˦]

[ʔɗaːŋ˦˩ ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ səj˧˧ ɲaː˦˩ ʔɗaːŋ˦˩ ʔɓaː˦˩ səj˧˧ tow˧˨ ʔəm˦˧˥]

[ʔɗaːŋ˨˩ ʔəwŋ͡m˧˧ səj˧˧ ɲaː˨˩ ʔɗaːŋ˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩ səj˧˧ tow˨˩˦ ʔəm˦˥]


dimmi con chi vai e ti dirò chi sei

a man is known by the company he keeps
a man is known by the company he keeps


紙裡包不住火

ㄓˇ ㄌㄧˇ ㄅㄠ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄨˋ ㄏㄨㄛˇ

zhǐ lǐ bāo bùzhù huǒ [Phonetic:zhílǐbāobúzhùhuǒ]

чжи ли бао бучжу хо

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ pɑʊ̯⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

紙包不住火 紙包不住火#Chinese

纸包不住火 纸包不住火#Chinese

Alternative form of 紙包不住火／纸包不住火 (zhǐ bāo bùzhù huǒ, “there is no concealing the truth; the truth will come out”)


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[ʔɗem˧˧ tʰaːŋ˧˦ nam˧˧ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ nam˨˩ ʔɗaː˦ˀ˥ saːŋ˧˦ ŋaj˨˩ tʰaːŋ˧˦ mɨəj˨˩ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ kɨəj˨˩ ʔɗaː˦ˀ˥ toj˧˦]

[ʔɗem˧˧ tʰaːŋ˦˧˥ nam˧˧ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ nam˦˩ ʔɗaː˧˨ ʂaːŋ˦˧˥ ŋaj˦˩ tʰaːŋ˦˧˥ mɨj˦˩ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ kɨj˦˩ ʔɗaː˧˨ toj˨˩˦]

[ʔɗem˧˧ tʰaːŋ˦˧˥ nam˧˧ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ nam˦˩ ʔɗaː˧˨ saːŋ˦˧˥ ŋaj˦˩ tʰaːŋ˦˧˥ mɨj˦˩ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ kɨj˦˩ ʔɗaː˧˨ toj˨˩˦]

[ʔɗem˧˧ tʰaːŋ˦˥ nam˧˧ cɨə˧˧ nam˨˩ ʔɗaː˨˩˦ ʂaːŋ˦˥ ŋa(ː)j˨˩ tʰaːŋ˦˥ mɨj˨˩ cɨə˧˧ kɨj˨˩ ʔɗaː˨˩˦ toj˦˥]

[ʔɗem˧˧ tʰaːŋ˦˥ nam˧˧ cɨə˧˧ nam˨˩ ʔɗaː˨˩˦ saːŋ˦˥ ŋa(ː)j˨˩ tʰaːŋ˦˥ mɨj˨˩ cɨə˧˧ kɨj˨˩ ʔɗaː˨˩˦ toj˦˥]

LL-Q9199 (vie)-Penn Zero MSSJ-đêm tháng năm chưa nằm đã sáng, ngày tháng mười chưa cười đã tối.wav

(literal) during May nights you can barely rest before the sun rises, and during October days you can barely have fun before it sets

(figurative) May nights are shorter and October days are longer than usual


la pazienza è la virtù dei forti

good things come to those who wait
good things come to those who wait


ei korppi korpin silmää noki

one crow does not peck the other's eyes out


ei lämmin luita riko

A little warm weather won't cause any harm.


ei työ tekemällä lopu

no matter how much you work, there will always be more work to do


ei kaikki kultaa, mikä kiiltää

kaikki ei ole kultaa mikä kiiltää#Finnish

Synonym of kaikki ei ole kultaa mikä kiiltää


hullu paljon työtä tekee, viisas pääsee vähemmällä

thinking or planning may save you a lot of work


一樣米飼百樣人

一样米饲百样人
一樣米飼百樣儂

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² iũ²²⁻²¹ bi⁵³ t͡sʰi²²⁻²¹ pa(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ iũ²²⁻²¹ laŋ²⁴/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² iũ⁴¹⁻²² bi⁵⁵⁴ t͡sʰi⁴¹⁻²² pa(ʔ)⁵ iũ⁴¹⁻²² laŋ²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² iũ³³⁻²¹ bi⁴¹ t͡sʰi³³⁻²¹ pa(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ iũ³³⁻²¹ laŋ²³/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² iũ³³⁻¹¹ bi⁵³ t͡sʰi³³⁻¹¹ pa(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ iũ³³⁻¹¹ laŋ²⁴/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ iɔ̃²²⁻²¹ bi⁵³ t͡sʰi²²⁻²¹ pɛ(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ iɔ̃²²⁻²¹ laŋ¹³/

(Southern Min) Everybody thinks and acts a little differently.


rakkaalla lapsella on monta nimeä

Probably a calque of Swedish kärt barn har många namn.

calque

(often ironic) a dear child has many names; used whenever someone or something has multiple names

a rose by any other name would smell as sweet


chi trova un amico trova un tesoro

a good friend is worth his weight in gold


a buon intenditor poche parole

a nod is as good as a wink
a nod is as good as a wink

word to the wise, a nod is as good as a wink


la nuit porte conseil

Literally, “the night carries advice”, or more loosely translated as “night is a good advisor/counselor”. Compare Italian la notte porta consiglio.

lit

in the cold light of day
in the cold light of day#English

sleep on it! (it's better to examine things in the cold light of day)


due torti non fanno una ragione

two wrongs don't make a right
two wrongs don't make a right


když kocour není doma, mají myši pré

Literally, “when the cat's away from home, the mice are having free time”.

lit

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


en-proverb

ask a silly question, get a silly answer

If one asks a question that is stupid or to which the answer is obvious, one should not be surprised or displeased to receive a silly or bizarre response.

ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer

wer dumm fragt, bekommt eine dumme Antwort


raglio d'asino non sale al cielo

raglio d' asino non sale al cielo (canonical)

sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me


有理走遍天下，無理寸步難行

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有理走遍天下，無理寸步難行

有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行

ㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄧˇ ㄗㄡˇ ㄅㄧㄢˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

ㄨˊ ㄌㄧˇ ㄘㄨㄣˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄢˊ ㄒㄧㄥˊ

jau⁵ lei⁵ zau² pin³ tin¹ haa⁶, mou⁴ lei⁵ cyun³ bou⁶ naan⁴ haang⁴

юли цзоу бянь тянься

ули цуньбунаньсин

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pi̯ɛn⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ u³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰu̯ən⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ nän³⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵/

yáuh léih jáu pin tīn hah, mòuh léih chyun bouh nàahn hàahng

jau⁵ lei⁵ dzau² pin³ tin¹ haa⁶, mou⁴ lei⁵ tsyn³ bou⁶ naan⁴ haang⁴

yeo⁵ léi⁵ zeo² pin³ tin¹ ha⁶, mou⁴ léi⁵ qun³ bou⁶ nan⁴ hang⁴

/jɐu̯¹³ lei̯¹³ t͡sɐu̯³⁵ pʰiːn³³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː²² mou̯²¹ lei̯¹³ t͡sʰyːn³³ pou̯²² naːn²¹ haːŋ²¹/

With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can't take a step.


hai voluto la bicicletta e adesso pedala

make one's bed and lie in it
make one's bed and lie in it


tra il dire e il fare c'è di mezzo il mare

saying is one thing, doing is another
saying is one thing, doing is another

easier said than done
easier said than done

saying is one thing, doing is another; easier said than done


無風不起浪

ㄨˊ ㄈㄥ ㄅㄨˋ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄤˋ

у фэн бу ци лан

/u³⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ lɑŋ⁵¹/

/mou̯²¹ fʊŋ⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ hei̯³⁵ lɔːŋ²²/

/u³⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ lɑŋ⁵¹/

/mou̯²¹ fʊŋ⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ hei̯³⁵ lɔːŋ²²/

No smoke without fire
no smoke without fire


fa agli altri quel che vorresti fosse fatto a te

do unto others as you would have them do unto you


ثبت العرش ثم انقش

ثَبِّتِ الْعَرْشَ ثُمَّ ٱنْقُش

ثَبِّتِ الْعَرْشَ ثُمَّ ٱنْقُش • (ṯabbiti l-ʕarša ṯumma nquš)

ثَبِّتِ الْعَرْشَ ثُمَّ ٱنْقُش (canonical)
ṯabbiti l-ʕarša ṯumma nquš (romanization)

Literally: “Fasten the throne [first], then engrave [it].”

prove that your claims are true or your sources reliable, before you draw deductions from them

do not get into idle discussions about the details of something that is not even realistic or possible; (somewhat like) don't count your chickens before they're hatched


en-proverb

the nail that sticks out gets hammered down

Calque of Japanese 出る釘は打たれる (deru kugi wa utareru)

calque

(idiomatic) Those who are too different or conspicuous get criticized or sanctioned by others.

wer den Kopf zu weit aus dem Loch steckt, kann ihn leicht verlieren


il bisogno aguzza l'ingegno

il bisogno aguzza l' ingegno (canonical)

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


di necessità virtù

il bisogno aguzza l'ingegno
il bisogno aguzza l'ingegno#Italian


言必信，行必果

ㄧㄢˊ ㄅㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄣˋ

ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄧˋ ㄍㄨㄛˇ

/jɛn³⁵ pi⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕin⁵¹ ɕiŋ³⁵ pi⁵¹ ku̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jiːn²¹ piːt̚⁵ sɵn³³ hɐŋ²¹ piːt̚⁵ kʷɔː³⁵/

Zigong asked, saying, "What qualities must a man possess to entitle him to be called an officer? The Master said, "He who in his conduct of himself maintains a sense of shame, and when sent to any quarter will not disgrace his prince's commission, deserves to be called an officer."
Zigong pursued, "I venture to ask who may be placed in the next lower rank?" And he was told, "He whom the circle of his relatives pronounce to be filial, whom his fellow villagers and neighbors pronounce to be fraternal."
Again the disciple asked, "I venture to ask about the class still next in order." The Master said, "They are determined to be sincere in what they say, and to carry out what they do. They are obstinate little men. Yet perhaps they may make the next class."

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐgòng wèn yuē: “Hérú sī kě wèi zhī ‘shì’ yǐ?” Zǐyuē: “Xíng jǐ yǒu chǐ, shǐ yú sìfāng, bù rǔ jūn mìng; kěwèi ‘shì’ yǐ.”
Yuē: “Gǎnwèn qícì.” Yuē: “Zōngzú chēng xiào yān, xiāngdǎng chēng tì yān.”
Yuē: “Gǎnwèn qícì.” Yuē: “Yán bì xìn, xíng bì guǒ, kēngkēng rán, xiǎorén zāi, yì yì kěyǐ wèi cì yǐ.”

子貢問曰：「何如斯可謂之『士』矣？」子曰：「行己有恥，使於四方，不辱君命；可謂『士』矣。」
曰：「敢問其次。」曰：「宗族稱孝焉，鄉黨稱弟焉。」
曰：「敢問其次。」曰：「言必信，行必果，硜硜然，小人哉，抑亦可以為次矣。」

子贡问曰：「何如斯可谓之『士』矣？」子曰：「行己有耻，使于四方，不辱君命；可谓『士』矣。」
曰：「敢问其次。」曰：「宗族称孝焉，乡党称弟焉。」
曰：「敢问其次。」曰：「言必信，行必果，硁硁然，小人哉，抑亦可以为次矣。」

Suppose they are sincere in word and decisive in deed so that their word and deed are made to agree like the two parts of a tally, and that there is no word but what is realized in deed.

Mozi, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on Y. P. Mei's version

Dāngshǐ ruò èr shì zhě, yán bì xìn, xíng bì guǒ, shǐ yánxíng zhī hé yóu hé fújié yě, wú yán ér bù xíng yě.

當使若二士者，言必信，行必果，使言行之合猶合符節也，無言而不行也。

当使若二士者，言必信，行必果，使言行之合犹合符节也，无言而不行也。

In their relations with friendly parties and armies, Communists should take a firm stand of unity for resistance to Japan, uphold the programme of the united front and set an example in carrying out the tasks of resistance; they should be true in word and resolute in deed, free from arrogance and sincere in consulting and co-operating with the friendly parties and armies, and they should be models in inter-party relations within the united front.

1938, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《中國共產黨在民族戰爭中的地位》 (The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War), 《毛澤東選集》 (Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung), English translation based on the Foreign Language Press edition

Gòngchǎndǎngyuán zài hé yǒudǎng yǒujūn fāshēng guānxì de shíhou, yīnggāi jiānchí tuánjié kàngrì de lìchǎng, jiānchí tǒngyī zhànxiàn de gānglǐng, chéngwéi shíxíng kàngzhàn rènwù de mófàn; yīnggāi yánbìxìn, xíngbìguǒ, bù àomàn, chéngxīnchéngyì de hé yǒudǎng yǒujūn shāngliang wèntí, xiétóng gōngzuò, chéngwéi tǒngyī zhànxiàn zhōng gè dǎng xiānghù guānxì de mófàn.

共產黨員在和友黨友軍發生關係的時候，應該堅持團結抗日的立場，堅持統一戰線的綱領，成為實行抗戰任務的模範；應該言必信，行必果，不傲慢，誠心誠意地和友黨友軍商量問題，協同工作，成為統一戰線中各黨相互關係的模範。

共产党员在和友党友军发生关系的时候，应该坚持团结抗日的立场，坚持统一战线的纲领，成为实行抗战任务的模范；应该言必信，行必果，不傲慢，诚心诚意地和友党友军商量问题，协同工作，成为统一战线中各党相互关系的模范。

Promises must be kept and action must be resolute. / Always be true in word and resolute in deed.


ఓహో బాబూ కనుక్కొన్నారు అన్నాడట

head

ఓహో బాబూ కనుక్కొన్నారు అన్నాడట • (ōhō bābū kanukkonnāru annāḍaṭa)

ōhō bābū kanukkonnāru annāḍaṭa (romanization)

en-ఓహో_బాబూ_కనుక్కొన్నారు_అన్నాడట-te-proverb-CXsLklq3


కండ్లు ఆర్చినమ్మ యిండ్లు ఆర్చినది

కండ్లు ఆర్చినమ్మ యిండ్లు ఆర్చినది • (kaṇḍlu ārcinamma yiṇḍlu ārcinadi)

kaṇḍlu ārcinamma yiṇḍlu ārcinadi (romanization)

The winking woman ruined families. (A pun on word Arcu.)

en-కండ్లు_ఆర్చినమ్మ_యిండ్లు_ఆర్చినది-te-proverb-3RnYHjLx


కోపం పాపకారణం

కోపం పాపకారణం • (kōpaṁ pāpakāraṇaṁ)


కోతి చావు, కోమటి రంకు

కోతి చావు, కోమటి రంకు • (kōti cāvu, kōmaṭi raṅku)

kōti cāvu (romanization)
kōmaṭi raṅku (romanization)

A monkey's death, a Komati's adultery. (Both are concealed from the eye of the world.)

en-కోతి_చావు,_కోమటి_రంకు-te-proverb-9bLA58bF


il tempo è denaro

Il tempo è moneta
Il tempo è moneta#Italian


కొన్నది వంకాయ, కొసరినది గుమ్మడికాయ

కొన్నది వంకాయ, కొసరినది గుమ్మడికాయ • (konnadi vaṅkāya, kosarinadi gummaḍikāya)

konnadi vaṅkāya (romanization)
kosarinadi gummaḍikāya (romanization)

What he bought was a brinjal, what he got to boot was a gourd.

en-కొన్నది_వంకాయ,_కొసరినది_గుమ్మడికాయ-te-proverb-KbDpo-bu


కోల ఆడితే, కోతి ఆడును

కోల ఆడితే, కోతి ఆడును • (kōla āḍitē, kōti āḍunu)

kōla āḍitē (romanization)
kōti āḍunu (romanization)

If you shake the stick the monkey will dance.

en-కోల_ఆడితే,_కోతి_ఆడును-te-proverb-8D38SnuW


కోడిని గద్ద తన్నుకొని పోయినది

కోడిని గద్ద తన్నుకొని పోయినది • (kōḍini gadda tannukoni pōyinadi)

kōḍini gadda tannukoni pōyinadi (romanization)

en-కోడిని_గద్ద_తన్నుకొని_పోయినది-te-proverb-spAF9Ege


గురువుకు తగ్గ శిష్యుడు

గురువుకు తగ్గ శిష్యుడు • (guruvuku tagga śiṣyuḍu)

en-గురువుకు_తగ్గ_శిష్యుడు-te-proverb-JxipJSEw


గురికి జానెడు యెచ్చు తక్కువగా కాల్చేవాడు • (guriki jāneḍu yeccu takkuvagā kālcēvāḍu)

guriki jāneḍu yeccu takkuvagā kālcēvāḍu (romanization)

en-గురికి_జానెడు_యెచ్చు_తక్కువగా_కాల్చేవాడు-te-proverb-YG8Ht17z


గూట్లో దీపం, కుక్షిలో అన్నం

గూట్లో దీపం, కుక్షిలో అన్నం • (gūṭlō dīpaṁ, kukṣilō annaṁ)

gūṭlō dīpaṁ (romanization)
kukṣilō annaṁ (romanization)

[As soon as] the light [is] in the niche, [he puts his] food into his belly.

en-గూట్లో_దీపం,_కుక్షిలో_అన్నం-te-proverb-HSAoBiub


గుర్రము తోకకు కళ్లెము పెట్టినట్టు

గుర్రము తోకకు కళ్లెము పెట్టినట్టు • (gurramu tōkaku kaḷlemu peṭṭinaṭṭu)

gurramu tōkaku kaḷlemu peṭṭinaṭṭu (romanization)

Like putting the bridle on the horse's tail. (To put the cart before the horse.)

en-గుర్రము_తోకకు_కళ్లెము_పెట్టినట్టు-te-proverb-E0OAHIoc


గురువు నిలుచుండి తాగితే, శిష్యుడు పరుగెత్తుతూ తాగుతాడు • (guruvu nilucuṇḍi tāgitē, śiṣyuḍu parugettutū tāgutāḍu)

guruvu nilucuṇḍi tāgitē (romanization)
śiṣyuḍu parugettutū tāgutāḍu (romanization)

If the Guru drinks standing, the disciple will drink running. (According to Hindu practice, water should always be drunk sitting.)

en-గురువు_నిలుచుండి_తాగితే,_శిష్యుడు_పరుగెత్తుతూ_తాగుతాడు-te-proverb-Qw22gb4v


గొర్రె యేడిస్తే తోడేలుకు విచారమా

గొర్రె యేడిస్తే తోడేలుకు విచారమా • (gorre yēḍistē tōḍēluku vicāramā)

gorre yēḍistē tōḍēluku vicāramā (romanization)

When the sheep cries will the wolf be grieved?

en-గొర్రె_యేడిస్తే_తోడేలుకు_విచారమా-te-proverb-O74ABvOy


చంద్రుణ్ని చూచి కుక్కలు మొరిగినట్టు

చంద్రుణ్ని చూచి కుక్కలు మొరిగినట్టు • (candruṇni cūci kukkalu moriginaṭṭu)

candruṇni cūci kukkalu moriginaṭṭu (romanization)

en-చంద్రుణ్ని_చూచి_కుక్కలు_మొరిగినట్టు-te-proverb-H84NidJ6


చచ్చిన వాని తల తూర్పున వుంటేనేమి, పడమట వుంటేనేమి • (caccina vāni tala tūrpuna vuṇṭēnēmi, paḍamaṭa vuṇṭēnēmi)

caccina vāni tala tūrpuna vuṇṭēnēmi (romanization)
paḍamaṭa vuṇṭēnēmi (romanization)

What does it matter whether a dead man's head lie towards the east or towards the west?

en-చచ్చిన_వాని_తల_తూర్పున_వుంటేనేమి,_పడమట_వుంటేనేమి-te-proverb-PhK~Bx~f


చక్కెర పందిట్లో తేనెవాన కురిశినట్టు

చక్కెర పందిట్లో తేనెవాన కురిశినట్టు • (cakkera pandiṭlō tēnevāna kuriśinaṭṭu)

cakkera pandiṭlō tēnevāna kuriśinaṭṭu (romanization)

en-చక్కెర_పందిట్లో_తేనెవాన_కురిశినట్టు-te-proverb-xviijSwB


చదువూ లేదు, సంధ్యా లేదు, సంతానం మెండు

చదువూ లేదు, సంధ్యా లేదు, సంతానం మెండు • (caduvū lēdu, sandhyā lēdu, santānaṁ meṇḍu)

caduvū lēdu (romanization)
sandhyā lēdu (romanization)
santānaṁ meṇḍu (romanization)

[He has] no learning and [says] no prayers but [has] numerous issue. (Said of an ignorant, irreligious, sensual man.)

en-చదువూ_లేదు,_సంధ్యా_లేదు,_సంతానం_మెండు-te-proverb--JL97tKs


చింత లేదు, చింత లేకపోతే పులుసు లేదు

చింత లేదు, చింత లేకపోతే పులుసు లేదు • (cinta lēdu, cinta lēkapōtē pulusu lēdu)

cinta lēdu (romanization)
cinta lēkapōtē pulusu lēdu (romanization)

"No matter" said one, "Then if there's no tamarind, there's no acid" said the other. (There is here a pun upon the word Chinta which means both "thought, sorrow" and also "tamarinds.")

en-చింత_లేదు,_చింత_లేకపోతే_పులుసు_లేదు-te-proverb-sUW7hzSK


చినుకులకు చెరువులు నిండుతవా

చినుకులకు చెరువులు నిండుతవా • (cinukulaku ceruvulu niṇḍutavā)

cinukulaku ceruvulu niṇḍutavā (romanization)

Will the tanks be filled by drizzling rain?

en-చినుకులకు_చెరువులు_నిండుతవా-te-proverb-B3D-BwGB


చీమలు పెట్టిన పుట్టలు పాములకు యిరవు అవుతున్నవి • (cīmalu peṭṭina puṭṭalu pāmulaku yiravu avutunnavi)

Anthills raised by ants become the dwelling of snakes. (One enjoys what another has acquired.)

en-చీమలు_పెట్టిన_పుట్టలు_పాములకు_యిరవు_అవుతున్నవి-te-proverb-tia03~qZ


చీకటి కొన్నాళ్లు, వెన్నెల కొన్నాళ్లు

చీకటి కొన్నాళ్లు, వెన్నెల కొన్నాళ్లు • (cīkaṭi konnāḷlu, vennela konnāḷlu)

cīkaṭi konnāḷlu (romanization)
vennela konnāḷlu (romanization)

Darkness for some days, moonlight for some days. (Joy and sorrow are equally divided.)

en-చీకటి_కొన్నాళ్లు,_వెన్నెల_కొన్నాళ్లు-te-proverb-5bAHDA9Y


చిన్నక్కను పెద్దక్కను, పెద్దక్కను చిన్నక్కను చేశేవాడు • (cinnakkanu peddakkanu, peddakkanu cinnakkanu cēśēvāḍu)

cinnakkanu peddakkanu (romanization)
peddakkanu cinnakkanu cēśēvāḍu (romanization)

He makes the younger sister the elder, and the elder sister the younger. (Said of an unprincipled, untruthful man.)

en-చిన్నక్కను_పెద్దక్కను,_పెద్దక్కను_చిన్నక్కను_చేశేవాడు-te-proverb-9tV4Tve9


గోరు వాస్తే వేలంత, వేలు వాస్తే కాలంత, కాలు వాస్తే రోలంత, రోలు వాస్తే యెంత • (gōru vāstē vēlanta, vēlu vāstē kālanta, kālu vāstē rōlanta, rōlu vāstē yenta)

gōru vāstē vēlanta (romanization)
vēlu vāstē kālanta (romanization)
kālu vāstē rōlanta (romanization)
rōlu vāstē yenta (romanization)

If the nail swell, [it will be] as big as finger; If the finger swell [it will be] as big as leg; If the leg swells [it will be] as big as mortar; if the mortar swell how big [it will be?] (Said in ridicule of a logician.)

en-గోరు_వాస్తే_వేలంత,_వేలు_వాస్తే_కాలంత,_కాలు_వాస్తే_రోలంత,_రోలు_వాస్తే_యెంత-te-proverb-gH~TfzU6


spitters are quitters

“I'm going to come. You need to stop unless you want me to do it in your mouth.” His voice was ragged and he was coming undone and I was thinking maybe I wasn't so bad at this after all and then his hand tightened on the back of my head and it was too late. I swallowed and then grinned up at him. “Spitters are quitters.” I rose to my feet as he collapsed on the bed again.

2013, Chelsea M. Cameron, Sweet Surrendering, →ISBN:

She takes it in her mouth almost reflexively. She sucks and jerks simultaneously. There's no way I can hold back. Ninety seconds of this and I've exploded all up in her throat. She swallows. Like a champion. Spitters are quitters.

2015, Caspar Vega, The Sexorcism of Amber Holloway:

(sex, informal, vulgar) It is better to swallow a sexual partner's semen after oral sex than to spit it out.


చెరుకు వుండే చోటికి చీమలు తామే వస్తవి

చెరుకు వుండే చోటికి చీమలు తామే వస్తవి • (ceruku vuṇḍē cōṭiki cīmalu tāmē vastavi)

ceruku vuṇḍē cōṭiki cīmalu tāmē vastavi (romanization)

Ants come of themselves to the place where there is sugarcane.

en-చెరుకు_వుండే_చోటికి_చీమలు_తామే_వస్తవి-te-proverb-zvl0o14g


చెప్పితే శిగ్గు, దాస్తే దుఃఖం

చెప్పితే శిగ్గు, దాస్తే దుఃఖం • (ceppitē śiggu, dāstē duḥkhaṁ)

ceppitē śiggu (romanization)
dāstē duḥkhaṁ (romanization)

If you tell it—shame; if you hide it—sorrow. (The allusion is to adultery.)

en-చెప్పితే_శిగ్గు,_దాస్తే_దుఃఖం-te-proverb-sfhPQXVi


చెరువు నిండితే కప్పలు చేరుతవి

చెరువు నిండితే కప్పలు చేరుతవి • (ceruvu niṇḍitē kappalu cērutavi)

ceruvu niṇḍitē kappalu cērutavi (romanization)

When the tank fills, the frogs assemble.

en-చెరువు_నిండితే_కప్పలు_చేరుతవి-te-proverb-3gc7G47P


చూస్తే నీది, చూడకుంటే నాది

చూస్తే నీది, చూడకుంటే నాది • (cūstē nīdi, cūḍakuṇṭē nādi)

cūstē nīdi (romanization)
cūḍakuṇṭē nādi (romanization)

If seen it's yours, if not seen it's mine. (The trick of a thief or a shoplifter who, if noticed, pretends that his intentions were not dishonest.)

en-చూస్తే_నీది,_చూడకుంటే_నాది-te-proverb-zl3KTO2x


చెప్పులు చిన్నవి అని కాళ్లు తెగకోసుకో వచ్చునా • (ceppulu cinnavi ani kāḷlu tegakōsukō vaccunā)

Are you to cut your feet because your shoes are too small?

en-చెప్పులు_చిన్నవి_అని_కాళ్లు_తెగకోసుకో_వచ్చునా-te-proverb-wWZFmMZ5


చోద్యాల సోమిదేవమ్మకు వాధ్యారి మొగుడు

చోద్యాల సోమిదేవమ్మకు వాధ్యారి మొగుడు • (cōdyāla sōmidēvammaku vādhyāri moguḍu)

cōdyāla sōmidēvammaku vādhyāri moguḍu (romanization)

The fastidious Somidevi has a Veda-teacher for a husband. (A pair of hypocrites.)

en-చోద్యాల_సోమిదేవమ్మకు_వాధ్యారి_మొగుడు-te-proverb-p7Bq-mxC


జరిగేమట్టుకు జయభేరి, జరగకపోతే రణభేరి

జరిగేమట్టుకు జయభేరి, జరగకపోతే రణభేరి • (jarigēmaṭṭuku jayabhēri, jaragakapōtē raṇabhēri)

jarigēmaṭṭuku jayabhēri (romanization)
jaragakapōtē raṇabhēri (romanization)

As long as successful, the drum of history; when unsuccessful, the war drum. (By smooth means if possible, if not, by force.)

en-జరిగేమట్టుకు_జయభేరి,_జరగకపోతే_రణభేరి-te-proverb-QAj9cv4I


en-proverb

there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip

With the blessings of my elders, I started for Bombay. This was my first journey from Rajkot to Bombay. My brother accompanied me. But there is many a slip, twixt the cup and the lip. There were difficulties to be faced in Bombay.

1925-29, Mahadev Desai (translator), M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Part I, chapter xi

there's many a slip twixt cup and lip#English

Alternative form of there's many a slip twixt cup and lip


สันดอนขุดง่าย สันดานขุดยาก

th-proverb

สันดอนขุดง่าย สันดานขุดยาก • (sǎn-dɔɔn-kùt-ngâai-sǎn-daan-kùt-yâak)

/san˩˩˦.dɔːn˧.kʰut̚˨˩.ŋaːj˥˩.san˩˩˦.daːn˧.kʰut̚˨˩.jaːk̚˥˩/

From สันดอน (sǎn-dɔɔn, “bar: sandbank or shoal”) + ขุด (kùt, “to dig (out”) + ง่าย (ngâai, “easy”) + สันดาน (sǎn-daan, “inherent, innate, or personal characteristic, nature, quality, or trait”) + ขุด (kùt, “to dig (out)”) + ยาก (yâak, “hard; difficult”); literally "digging out a sandon is easy, digging out a sandan is difficult". Compare Chinese 江山易改，本性難移／江山易改，本性难移 (jiāngshān yì gǎi, běnxìng nán yí).

zh-l

(idiomatic, usually derogatory and offensive) it is not easy to fix a bad habit.

en-สันดอนขุดง่าย_สันดานขุดยาก-th-proverb-OrqN~Pgl


జిల్లేడు చెట్టున పారిజాతములు పుట్టునా

head

జిల్లేడు చెట్టున పారిజాతములు పుట్టునా • (jillēḍu ceṭṭuna pārijātamulu puṭṭunā)

jillēḍu ceṭṭuna pārijātamulu puṭṭunā (romanization)

Will Parijata flowers grow on a Jilledu tree?

en-జిల్లేడు_చెట్టున_పారిజాతములు_పుట్టునా-te-proverb-FDvh7Xj9


dinheiro não cresce em árvore

dinheiro não cresce em árvores#Portuguese

Alternative form of dinheiro não cresce em árvores


quando um não quer, dois não brigam

Literally, “when one does not want, two do not fight”.

lit

two people are less likely to fight or have an argument if only one of them does not wish to


a voz do povo é a voz de Deus

voz do povo, voz de Deus
voz do povo, voz de Deus#Portuguese

Alternative form of voz do povo, voz de Deus


డబ్బుకూ ప్రాణానకూ లంకె

head

డబ్బుకూ ప్రాణానకూ లంకె • (ḍabbukū prāṇānakū laṅke)

en-డబ్బుకూ_ప్రాణానకూ_లంకె-te-proverb-XhgD4eNo


ఢిల్లీకి ఢిల్లి, పల్లెకు పల్లె

ఢిల్లీకి ఢిల్లి, పల్లెకు పల్లె • (ḍhillīki ḍhilli, palleku palle)

ḍhillīki ḍhilli (romanization)
palleku palle (romanization)

Delhi to Delhi, village to village. (Great people with great, little with little.)

en-ఢిల్లీకి_ఢిల్లి,_పల్లెకు_పల్లె-te-proverb-FHave1j5


జెముడుకు కాయలు వున్నవా నీడ వున్నదా

జెముడుకు కాయలు వున్నవా నీడ వున్నదా • (jemuḍuku kāyalu vunnavā nīḍa vunnadā)

jemuḍuku kāyalu vunnavā nīḍa vunnadā (romanization)

/d͡ʑemuɖuku kaːjalu ʋunːaʋaː niːɖa ʋunːad̪aː/

[d͡ʒemuɖuku kaːjalu ʋunːaʋaː niːɖa ʋunːad̪aː]

en-జెముడుకు_కాయలు_వున్నవా_నీడ_వున్నదా-te-proverb-mYEefSVi


తంగేటి జున్ను

తంగేటి జున్ను • (taṅgēṭi junnu)

Honey in the Tangedu tree. (Easy to get at because the tree is small.)


తద్దినము నాటి జంధ్యము

తద్దినము నాటి జంధ్యము • (taddinamu nāṭi jandhyamu)

The sacerdotal thread given on the day of obsequial rites. (It is worn temporarily by Sudras on such occasions. Said of any temporary honor.)

en-తద్దినము_నాటి_జంధ్యము-te-proverb--T2vcnOi


తన నీడే తన పిశాచము

తన నీడే తన పిశాచము • (tana nīḍē tana piśācamu)

His shadow is his devil. (Afraid of his own shadow.)


తనయుని పుట్టుక తల్లి యెరుగును

తనయుని పుట్టుక తల్లి యెరుగును • (tanayuni puṭṭuka talli yerugunu)

tanayuni puṭṭuka talli yerugunu (romanization)

The mother knows the birth of the son. (She knows who is his father.)

en-తనయుని_పుట్టుక_తల్లి_యెరుగును-te-proverb-ZrFycg0A


తల గట్టి, కడుపు గుల్ల

తల గట్టి, కడుపు గుల్ల • (tala gaṭṭi, kaḍupu gulla)

tala gaṭṭi (romanization)
kaḍupu gulla (romanization)


తప్పెట కొట్టినవాడు దాసరి, శంఖం వూదినవాడు జంగము • (tappeṭa koṭṭinavāḍu dāsari, śaṅkhaṁ vūdinavāḍu jaṅgamu)

tappeṭa koṭṭinavāḍu dāsari (romanization)
śaṅkhaṁ vūdinavāḍu jaṅgamu (romanization)

He who beats a drum is a Dasari, he who sounds a coach is a Jangam.

en-తప్పెట_కొట్టినవాడు_దాసరి,_శంఖం_వూదినవాడు_జంగము-te-proverb-uvhT8gq9


Not kennt kein Gebot

necessity knows no law
necessity knows no law


bet the jockey, not the horse

(finance) One should invest based on the management team behind a venture, rather than on the product or service being sold.


ne uccide più la penna della spada

the pen is mightier than the sword
the pen is mightier than the sword


en-proverb

when you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras

Coined by American medical researcher Theodore Woodward.

coinage

(medicine, informal) When diagnosing a patient's symptoms, common ailments should be considered as more probable than rare ones.

when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras

when you hear hoofbeats, look for horses, not zebras


ناقل الكفر ليس بكافر

head

ناقِلُ الْكُفْرِ لَيْسَ بِكافِرٍ

ناقِلُ الْكُفْرِ لَيْسَ بِكافِرٍ • (nāqilu l-kufri laysa bikāfirin)

ناقِلُ الْكُفْرِ لَيْسَ بِكافِرٍ (canonical)
nāqilu l-kufri laysa bikāfirin (romanization)

Literally: “He who informs about disbelief is not [thereby] a disbeliever”.

(Islam) Used to indicate that one informs about or quotes a heretical opinion, in order to avoid the imputation that merely mentioning it is already a form of acquiescence to it.

don't shoot the messenger
don't shoot the messenger

(loosely, humorous) Used to distance oneself from something one informs about or quotes; don't shoot the messenger.


bet on the jockey, not the horse

bet the jockey, not the horse
bet the jockey, not the horse#English

Alternative form of bet the jockey, not the horse


le poisson pourrit par la tête

the fish rots from the head
the fish rots from the head


知己知彼，百戰不殆

ㄅㄞˇ ㄓㄢˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄞˋ

байчжаньбудай

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ pi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂän⁵¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ taɪ̯⁵¹/

dzi¹ gei² dzi¹ bei², baak⁸ dzin³ bat⁷ toi⁵

/t͡siː⁵⁵ kei̯³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ pei̯³⁵ paːk̚³ t͡siːn³³ pɐt̚⁵ tʰɔːi̯¹³/

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

The Art of War, circa 5ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on Lionel Giles's version

Zhī bǐ zhī jǐ, bǎi zhàn bù dài; bù zhī bǐ ér zhī jǐ, yī shèng yī fù; bù zhī bǐ, bù zhī jǐ, měi zhàn bì bài.

知彼知己，百戰不殆；不知彼而知己，一勝一負；不知彼，不知己，每戰必敗。

知彼知己，百战不殆；不知彼而知己，一胜一负；不知彼，不知己，每战必败。

Know yourself and know the enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.


عمره ما تبخر تبخر واحترق

عُمْرَه ما تَبَخَّر تَبَخَّر واِحْتِرَق

عُمْرَه ما تَبَخَّر تَبَخَّر واِحْتِرَق • (3ʊmrə ma təbəxxər, təbəxxər-wɛ-7tɪrəg)

عُمْرَه ما تَبَخَّر تَبَخَّر واِحْتِرَق (canonical)
3ʊmrə ma təbəxxər (romanization)

Literally: “Never has he evaporated, [then suddenly] he evaporated and burned down."

said to someone who stands on his ground for so long, only to reach a point where he breaks down completely.

en-عمره_ما_تبخر_تبخر_واحترق-afb-proverb-YoRmQCAp


مال البخيل ياكله العيار

مال اِلْبَخيل ياكْلَه اِلْعَيَّار

مال اِلْبَخيل ياكْلَه اِلْعَيَّار • (mal-ɪlbəxil yakl-əl3əyyər)

مال اِلْبَخيل ياكْلَه اِلْعَيَّار (canonical)
mal-ɪlbəxil yakl-əl3əyyər (romanization)

Literally: “That which belongs to the stingy person, the cunning person will eat (acquire) it."

If someone holds something in a stingy manner, someone will eventually get to it, hence rendering all their time spent protecting their possessions pointless.

en-مال_البخيل_ياكله_العيار-afb-proverb-JuaAGeJg


drive for show, putt for dough

Chosen for the rhyme. See dough (“money”).

(golf, informal) Long drive shots may look impressive, but putting accuracy on the green is most important in order to win.


فسر الماء بعد الجهد بالماء

فَسَّرَ الْماءَ بَعْدَ الْجُهْدِ بِالْماءِ • (fassara l-māʔa baʕda l-juhdi bi-l-māʔi)

fassara l-māʔa baʕda l-juhdi bi-l-māʔi (romanization)

Literally: “With some toil, he explained water as being water.”

Said about verbose and grandiloquent speech or writing with little meaning, or about any trivial statement.

en-فسر_الماء_بعد_الجهد_بالماء-ar-proverb-l7RohoLa

Said about an explanation that hardly explains what it promises to.

en-فسر_الماء_بعد_الجهد_بالماء-ar-proverb-~VtXgJtO


fr-proverb

la bave du crapaud n’atteint pas la blanche colombe

/la bav dy kʁa.po n‿a.tɛ̃ pa la blɑ̃ʃ kɔ.lɔ̃b/

/la bav dy kʁa.po n‿a.tɛ̃ pɑ la blɑ̃ʃ kɔ.lɔ̃b/

Literally, “the spit of the toad does not reach the white dove”.

lit

la bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombe

sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me


qui bene amat, bene castigat

quī bene amat (canonical)
bene castīgat (canonical)

[kʷiː ˈbɛnɛ ˈämät̪ ˈbɛnɛ käs̠ˈt̪iːɡät̪]

[kwiː ˈbɛːne ˈäːmät̪ ˈbɛːne käsˈt̪iːɡät̪]

Literally, “he who loves well, castigates well”.
This form of the phrase is likely a calque from French qui aime bien châtie bien. Similar phrases are found in Latin texts:
*
c. 325 CE, Lactantius, Divinae institutiones 5.23:
Bonos autem quos diligit castigat saepius
The good people whom he likes, he punishes more often
*
Early 16th century, Vives, De Subventione pauperum 1.6:
Quem diligit, castigat
Whom he likes, he punishes

Q

spare the rod and spoil the child
spare the rod and spoil the child


鶏を割くにいずくんぞ牛刀を用いん

ja-pos

鶏を割くにいずくんぞ牛刀を用いん

にわとり を さく に いずくんぞ ぎゅうとう を もち.いん

鶏(にわとり)を割(さ)くにいずくんぞ牛(ぎゅう)刀(とう)を用(もち)いん • (niwatori o saku ni izukunzo gyūtō o mochiin)

鶏を割くにいずくんぞ牛刀を用いん (canonical)

From the Analects of Confucius, a calque of Literary Chinese 割雞焉用牛刀 (gējī yān yòng niúdāo, literally “why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken?”).

calque

something big is not necessary to handle small problems

鶏を割くになんぞ牛刀を用いん

niwatori o saku ni nanzo gyūtō o mochiin


先撩者賤，打死無怨

sin¹ liu⁴ ze² zin⁶, daa² sei² mou⁴ jyun³

sin¹ liu⁴ dze² dzin⁶, daa² sei² mou⁴ jyn³

/siːn⁵⁵ liːu̯²¹ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡siːn²² taː³⁵ sei̯³⁵ mou̯²¹ jyːn³³/

(chiefly Cantonese) The person who provokes or fights first is always wrong; there should be no grievances if he or she is beaten to death.


先撩者賤

ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧㄠˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄐㄧㄢˋ

сяньляочжэцзянь

/ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/siːn⁵⁵ liːu̯²¹ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡siːn²²/

/ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/siːn⁵⁵ liːu̯²¹ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡siːn²²/

The first line of the Cantonese proverb 先撩者賤，打死無怨.

The person who provokes or fights first is always wrong.


行百里者半於九十

ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄞˇ ㄌㄧˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄅㄢˋ ㄩˊ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄕˊ

hang⁴ baak³ lei⁵ ze² bun³ jyu¹ gau² sap⁶

xíng bǎilǐ zhě bàn yú jiǔshí [Phonetic:xíngbáilízhěbànyújiǔshí]

hsing² pai³-li³ chê³ pan⁴ yü² chiu³-shih²

син байли чжэ бань юй цзюши

/ɕiŋ³⁵ paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ pän⁵¹ y³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

hang⁴ baak⁸ lei⁵ dze² bun³ jy¹ gau² sap⁹

/hɐŋ²¹ paːk̚³ lei̯¹³ t͡sɛː³⁵ puːn³³ jyː⁵⁵ kɐu̯³⁵ sɐp̚²/

Shijing said, "In a hundred-li journey, the first ninety li is merely half of it." This describes the difficulty towards the end of the journey.

Zhanguo Ce, circa 5ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ centuries BCE

“shī” yún: ‘Xíngbǎilǐzhěbànyújiǔshí’, cǐ yán mòlù zhī nán yě.

《詩》云：『行百里者半於九十』，此言末路之難也。

《诗》云：『行百里者半于九十』，此言末路之难也。

行百里者半九十 行百里者半九十#Chinese

Alternative form of 行百里者半九十 (xíng bǎilǐ zhě bàn jiǔshí, “Things become more difficult when we approach closer to success”)


行百里者半九十

ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄞˇ ㄌㄧˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄅㄢˋ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄕˊ

xíng bǎilǐ zhě bàn jiǔshí [Phonetic:xíngbáilízhěbànjiǔshí]

син байли чжэ бань цзюши

/ɕiŋ³⁵ paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ pän⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/hɐŋ²¹ paːk̚³ lei̯¹³ t͡sɛː³⁵ puːn³³ kɐu̯³⁵ sɐp̚²/

《詩》云：『行百里者半於九十』，此言末路之難也。

《诗》云：『行百里者半于九十』，此言末路之难也。

Things become more difficult when we approach closer to success


三個女人一臺戲

三个女人一台戏
三個女人一台戲

ㄙㄢ ㄍㄜˋ ㄋㄩˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄧ ㄊㄞˊ ㄒㄧˋ

sān gè nǚrén yī tái xì [Phonetic:sān gè nǚrén yì tái xì]

сань гэ нюйжэнь и тай си

/sän⁵⁵ kɤ⁵¹ ny²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ tʰaɪ̯³⁵ ɕi⁵¹/

/saːm⁵⁵ kɔː³³ nɵy̯¹³ jɐn²¹⁻³⁵ jɐt̚⁵ tʰɔːi̯²¹ hei̯³³/

when women get together they are bound to start chatting and cause a scene


窮山惡水出刁民

ㄑㄩㄥˊ ㄕㄢ ㄜˋ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄔㄨ ㄉㄧㄠ ㄇㄧㄣˊ

цюншаньэшуй чу дяоминь

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ ˀɤ⁵¹ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ ti̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ min³⁵/

/kʰʊŋ²¹ saːn⁵⁵ ɔːk̚³ sɵy̯³⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ tiːu̯⁵⁵ maːn²¹/

very poor and adverse natural environments produce crafty and malevolent people


lo comido por lo servido

-Al buen pagador no le duelen prendas -replicó Sancho-. En siendo vuesa merced rey o arzobispo, ¿quién le impedirá que alargue la mano y diga: toma, hija, ya eres mi mujer, y ve si soy de los que dicen lo comido por lo servido?

1895, Juan Montalvo, “Chapter 15”, in Capítulos que se le olvidaron a Cervantes:

what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts


羊毛出在羊身上

ㄧㄤˊ ㄇㄠˊ ㄔㄨ ㄗㄞˋ ㄧㄤˊ ㄕㄣ ˙ㄕㄤ

joeng⁴ mou⁴ ceot¹ zoi⁶ joeng⁴ san¹ soeng⁶

yang²-mao² chʻu¹ tsai⁴ yang² shên¹-shang⁵

янмао чу цзай ян шэньшан

/jɑŋ³⁵ mɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ jɑŋ³⁵ ʂən⁵⁵ ʂɑŋ²/

yèuhng mòuh chēut joih yèuhng sān seuhng

joeng⁴ mou⁴ tsoet⁷ dzoi⁶ joeng⁴ san¹ soeng⁶

/jœːŋ²¹ mou̯²¹ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ t͡sɔːi̯²² jœːŋ²¹ sɐn⁵⁵ sœːŋ²²/

there's no such thing as a free lunch
there's no such thing as a free lunch

the benefits come from oneself; there's no such thing as a free lunch


沒有不透風的牆

ㄇㄟˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄊㄡˋ ㄈㄥ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄑㄧㄤˊ

méiyǒu bù tòufēng de qiáng [Phonetic:méiyǒu bú tòufēng de qiáng]

мэйю бу тоуфэн дэ цян

/meɪ̯³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tʰoʊ̯⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵⁵ d̥ə² t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵/

/muːt̚² jɐu̯¹³ pɐt̚⁵ tʰɐu̯³³ fʊŋ⁵⁵ tɪk̚⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹/

(figurative) no secret can be kept forever


άγνωστοι αι βουλαί του Κυρίου

head

άγνωστοι αι βουλαί του Κυρίου

άγνωστοι αι βουλαί του Κυρίου • (ágnostoi ai voulaí tou Kyríou)

ágnostoi ai voulaí tou Kyríou (romanization)
the wills of the Lord (literally unknown)

From ἄγνωστοι αἱ βουλαί τοῦ Κυρίου.

God works in mysterious ways
God works in mysterious ways

(archaic, set phrase) God works in mysterious ways (a seemingly unfortunate or unfavourable situation or change may be beneficial later or in the long run)

en-άγνωστοι_αι_βουλαί_του_Κυρίου-el-proverb-sTLz88U4


出る釘は打たれる

ja-pos

でる くぎ は うたれる

出(で)る釘(くぎ)は打(う)たれる • (deru kugi wa utareru)

出る釘は打たれる (canonical)
deru kugi wa utareru (romanization)

[de̞ɾɯ̟ kɯ̟ɡʲi β̞a̠ ɯ̟ta̠ɾe̞ɾɯ̟]

(idiomatic) the nail that sticks out gets hammered down


好事不出門，壞事傳千里

desc

好事門を出でず、悪事千里を行く

→ Japanese: 好事門を出でず、悪事千里を行く

→ Japanese: 好事門を出でず、悪事千里を行く (calque)

好事不出门，坏事传千里
好事不出門，惡事傳千里
好事不出門，惡事行千里
好事毋出門，壞事傳千里
好事毋出門，歹事傳千里

ㄏㄠˇ ㄕˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄔㄨ ㄇㄣˊ

ㄏㄨㄞˋ ㄕˋ ㄔㄨㄢˊ ㄑㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˇ

hou² si⁶ bat¹ ceot¹ mun⁴, waai⁶ si⁶ cyun⁴ cin¹ lei⁵

хаоши бу чумэнь

хуайши чуань цяньли

/xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ mən³⁵ xu̯aɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

hóu sih bāt chēut mùhn, waaih sih chyùhn chīn léih

hou² si⁶ bat⁷ tsoet⁷ mun⁴, waai⁶ si⁶ tsyn⁴ tsin¹ lei⁵

hou² xi⁶ bed¹ cêd¹ mun⁴, wai⁶ xi⁶ qun⁴ qin¹ léi⁵

/hou̯³⁵ siː²² pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ muːn²¹ waːi̯²² siː²² t͡sʰyːn²¹ t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ lei̯¹³/

bad news travels fast
bad news travels fast

good news goes on crutches, but bad news travels fast


head

άλλα τα μάτια του λαγού κι άλλα της κουκουβάγιας • (álla ta mátia tou lagoú ki álla tis koukouvágias)

apples and oranges (said of a comparison of items that are not comparable)

en-άλλα_τα_μάτια_του_λαγού_κι_άλλα_της_κουκουβάγιας-el-proverb-7dJcUKsE


αν είσαι και παπάς, με την αράδα σου θα πας • (an eísai kai papás, me tin aráda sou tha pas)

an eísai kai papás (romanization)
me tin aráda sou tha pas (romanization)
even if you're a priest (literally)

You must wait your turn, no matter who you are.

en-αν_είσαι_και_παπάς,_με_την_αράδα_σου_θα_πας-el-proverb-9QarloHA


δουλειά δεν είχε ο διάβολος, γαμούσε τα παιδιά του • (douleiá den eíche o diávolos, gamoúse ta paidiá tou)

douleiá den eíche o diávolos (romanization)
gamoúse ta paidiá tou (romanization)
the devil didn't have anything to do (literally)

the devil makes work for idle hands
the devil makes work for idle hands

idle hands are the devil's workshop
idle hands are the devil's workshop

(colloquial, vulgar) the devil makes work for idle hands, idle hands are the devil's workshop (one who is idle will likely come to do evil)

en-δουλειά_δεν_είχε_ο_διάβολος,_γαμούσε_τα_παιδιά_του-el-proverb-8B948oON

douleiá den eíche o diávolos kai épnige ta paidiá tou

δουλειά δεν είχε ο διάβολος και έπνιγε τα παιδιά του


δουλειά δεν είχε ο διάβολος και έπνιγε τα παιδιά του • (douleiá den eíche o diávolos kai épnige ta paidiá tou)

(colloquial) the devil makes work for idle hands, idle hands are the devil's workshop (one who is idle will likely come to do evil)

en-δουλειά_δεν_είχε_ο_διάβολος_και_έπνιγε_τα_παιδιά_του-el-proverb-8B948oON

douleiá den eíche o diávolos, gamoúse ta paidiá tou


鶏を割くになんぞ牛刀を用いん

ja-pos

鶏を割くになんぞ牛刀を用いん

にわとり を さく に なんぞ ぎゅうとう を もち.いん

鶏(にわとり)を割(さ)くになんぞ牛(ぎゅう)刀(とう)を用(もち)いん • (niwatori o saku ni nanzo gyūtō o mochiin)

鶏を割くになんぞ牛刀を用いん (canonical)


all is fish that comes to the net

But there is no question that all is fish that comes to the net with them unless the eye of the conservator is on them.

1861, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, Reports from Commissioners, page 7:

Anything that happens can be used for one's advantage.


quien empieza ganando acaba llorando

(rare) If you win at gambling in the beginning, you'll end up losing big


έτρεχε να μη βραχεί κι έπεσε στο ποτάμι

head

έτρεχε να μη βραχεί κι έπεσε στο ποτάμι • (étreche na mi vracheí ki épese sto potámi)

In cases where trying to solve one problem leads to an even bigger one.

en-έτρεχε_να_μη_βραχεί_κι_έπεσε_στο_ποτάμι-el-proverb-igxRY~bs


η γλώσσα κόκαλα δεν έχει μα κόκαλα τσακίζει • (i glóssa kókala den échei ma kókala tsakízei)

the tongue wounds more than a lance
the tongue wounds more than a lance

the tongue wounds more than a lance, the pen is mightier than the sword (insults and offensive words hurt more than physical injuries)

en-η_γλώσσα_κόκαλα_δεν_έχει_μα_κόκαλα_τσακίζει-el-proverb-gdWMt4PS


jugar y nunca perder no puede ser

/xuˌɡaɾ i ˌnunka peɾˌdeɾ ˌno ˌpwede ˈseɾ/

[xuˌɣ̞aɾ i ˌnũŋ.ka peɾˌð̞eɾ ˌno ˌpwe.ð̞e ˈseɾ]

Literally, “to play and never lose cannot happen”

lit

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


head

η εκδίκηση είναι ένα πιάτο που τρώγεται κρύο • (i ekdíkisi eínai éna piáto pou trógetai krýo)

Calque of French la vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid.

calque

revenge is a dish best served cold
revenge is a dish best served cold

revenge is a dish best served cold (emotional detachment is preferable when taking revenge)

en-η_εκδίκηση_είναι_ένα_πιάτο_που_τρώγεται_κρύο-el-proverb-t2iJnmE0


το καλό πράγμα αργεί να γίνει

head

το καλό πράγμα αργεί να γίνει • (to kaló prágma argeí na gínei)

to kaló prágma argeí na gínei (romanization)
the good thing is late to happen (literally)

good things come to those who wait
good things come to those who wait

good things come to those who wait (a patient seeker will be satisfied in due time)

en-το_καλό_πράγμα_αργεί_να_γίνει-el-proverb-kh8IkLJV


τον κώλο βάζεις μάγειρα, σκατά θα μαγειρέψει • (ton kólo vázeis mágeira, skatá tha mageirépsei)

ton kólo vázeis mágeira (romanization)
skatá tha mageirépsei (romanization)
you put an arse as a cook (literally)

if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys
if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys

(colloquial, humorous, vulgar) if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys (if one gives a task to someone incompetent, they will receive results of the same standard)

en-τον_κώλο_βάζεις_μάγειρα,_σκατά_θα_μαγειρέψει-el-proverb-pQ9498Hk

an vázeis ton kólo sou na sou kánei douleiá, skatá douleiá tha kánei

αν βάζεις τον κώλο σου να σου κάνει δουλειά, σκατά δουλειά θα κάνει


το πολύ το κυρ' ελέησον το βαριέται κι ο παπάς • (to polý to kyr' eléison to variétai ki o papás)

too much of a good thing
too much of a good thing

too much of a good thing (something enjoyable becomes bothersome in large quantities or over an extended period of time)

en-το_πολύ_το_κυρ'_ελέησον_το_βαριέται_κι_ο_παπάς-el-proverb-tn9dyTuO

to polý to kyr' eléison to variétai ki o Theós

το πολύ το κυρ' ελέησον το βαριέται κι ο Θεός


τον γάιδαρο, όσο και να τον στολίσεις, άλογο δεν γίνεται • (ton gáidaro, óso kai na ton stolíseis, álogo den gínetai)

ton gáidaro (romanization)
óso kai na ton stolíseis (romanization)
álogo den gínetai (romanization)
as much as you decorate the donkey (literally)

you can't polish a turd
you can't polish a turd

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear, you can't polish a turd (it is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value)

en-τον_γάιδαρο,_όσο_και_να_τον_στολίσεις,_άλογο_δεν_γίνεται-el-proverb-Vi~Eb0KV


even God is tired of too much 'Lord (literally)

en-το_πολύ_το_κυρ'_ελέησον_το_βαριέται_κι_ο_Θεός-el-proverb-tn9dyTuO

to polý to kyr' eléison to variétai ki o papás


tələsən təndirə düşər

LL-Q9292 (aze)-Azerbaijani audiorecordings-tələsən təndirə düşər.wav

Literally, "one who hastens will fall into the tandoor".


en-proverb

why buy a book when you can join a library?

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-why buy a book when you can join a library.wav

(humorous) Being available for sexual relationships with various people is preferable to committing oneself to a single partner.

why buy a book when you can join the library

why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free


一方水土養一方人

ㄧ ㄈㄤ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄊㄨˇ ㄧㄤˇ ㄧ ㄈㄤ ㄖㄣˊ

jat¹ fong¹ seoi² tou² joeng⁵ jat¹ fong¹ jan⁴

yīfāng shuǐtǔ yǎng yīfāng rén [Phonetic:yìfāngshuítǔyǎngyìfāngrén]

ифан шуйту ян ифан жэнь

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

jat⁷ fong¹ soey² tou² joeng⁵ jat⁷ fong¹ jan⁴

yed¹ fong¹ sêu² tou² yêng⁵ yed¹ fong¹ yen⁴

/jɐt̚⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ tʰou̯³⁵ jœːŋ¹³ jɐt̚⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

people are a reflection of their environment; each place nurtures its own inhabitants


fr-proverb

donner c’est donner (canonical)
reprendre c’est voler (canonical)

donner c'est donner, reprendre c'est voler

/dɔ.ne s‿ɛ dɔ.ne | ʁə.pʁɑ̃.dʁə s‿ɛ vɔ.le/

LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-donner c’est donner, reprendre c’est voler.wav

donner, c’est donner, reprendre, c’est voler

a gift is a gift; giving is giving, taking back is stealing (a gift is irrevocable)


núi cao còn có núi cao hơn

[nuj˧˦ kaːw˧˧ kɔn˨˩ kɔ˧˦ nuj˧˦ kaːw˧˧ həːn˧˧]

[nuj˨˩˦ kaːw˧˧ kɔŋ˦˩ kɔ˨˩˦ nuj˨˩˦ kaːw˧˧ həːŋ˧˧]

[nuj˦˥ kaːw˧˧ kɔŋ˨˩ kɔ˦˥ nuj˦˥ kaːw˧˧ həːŋ˧˧]

Literally "for every high mountain there is an even higher mountain". Compare Chinese 一山還有一山高／一山还有一山高 (nhất sơn hoàn hữu nhất sơn cao).

ncog

do not be smug about your achievements, as there are always people who do even better


地獄への道は善意で舗装されている

ja-pos

じごく へ の みち は ぜんい で ほそう されて いる

地獄(じごく)への道(みち)は善意(ぜんい)で舗装(ほそう)されている • (jigoku e no michi wa zen'i de hosō sarete iru)

地獄への道は善意で舗装されている (canonical)

[d͡ʑiɡo̞kɯ̟ e̞ no̞ mʲit͡ɕi β̞a̠ d͡zẽ̞ɰ̃i de̞ ho̞so̞ː sa̠ɾe̞te̞ iɾɯ̟]

the road to hell is paved with good intentions

ja:地獄への道は善意で舗装されている


fr-proverb

la critique est aisée mais l’art est difficile

/la kʁi.tik ɛ.t‿ɛ.ze mɛ l‿aʁ ɛ di.fi.sil/

/la kʁi.tik ɛ.t‿e.ze mɛ l‿aʁ ɛ di.fi.sil/

Literally, “criticism is easy, but art is difficult”.

la critique est aisée mais l'art est difficile

it's easy to criticize; those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those doing it

la critique est aisée, mais l’art est difficile

la critique est facile mais l’art est difficile


見者易，學者難

easy for the observer, difficult for the learner

ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄋㄢˊ

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵¹ ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵/

easier said than done
easier said than done


jäljistään jäniskin tunnetaan

a leopard cannot change its spots
a leopard cannot change its spots


en-proverb

you can lead horses to water, but you can't make them drink

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


wie du mir, so ich dir

two can play that game
two can play that game


head

/vas ˈhɛnsçən nɪçt ˈlɛʁnt lɛʁnt ˈhans ˈnɪmɐmeːɐ̯/

De-was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr.ogg

Literally, “what little Jack doesn't learn, old Jack will learn nevermore”.

lit

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

früh übt sich, wer ein Meister werden will


la plume est plus forte que l'épée

la plume est plus forte que l’ épée (canonical)

the pen is mightier than the sword
the pen is mightier than the sword


knapp daneben ist auch vorbei

a miss is as good as a mile
a miss is as good as a mile

close, but no cigar; a miss is as good as a mile


ruigidh each mall muileann

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


lá lành đùm lá rách

[laː˧˦ lajŋ̟˨˩ ʔɗum˨˩ laː˧˦ zajk̟̚˧˦]

[laː˨˩˦ lɛɲ˦˩ ʔɗum˦˩ laː˨˩˦ ʐat̚˦˧˥]

[laː˦˥ lan˨˩ ʔɗʊm˨˩ laː˦˥ ɹat̚˦˥]

Literally "healthy leaves envelop torn leaves".


cobbler, keep to your last

From last (“tool for shaping shoes”), related to the Latin phrase sutor, ne ultra crepidam.

mind your own business
mind your own business

(idiomatic) Do not criticise matters outside your field of expertise; mind your own business.

skomager, bliv ved din læst

do not criticise matters outside your field of expertise

chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées

but see jeśli nie potrafisz, nie pchaj się na afisz


Raben zeugen keine Tauben

a wild goose never laid a tame egg
a wild goose never laid a tame egg


a woman's work is never done

From a traditional rhyming couplet, found in at least two forms:
: Man works till set of sun,
: Woman's work is never done.
: From rise of morn to set of sun
: Woman's work is never done.

Housework, which is generally considered women's work, is never finished.

one hair of a woman can draw more than a hundred pair of oxen

"Six o'clock, and working still! […] They say a woman's work is never done," remarked Ik Stanton, dropping into the easiest chair in the studio, "and for this reason, were there no other, your muse is evidently of the feminine persuasion."

1878, Edward Payson Roe, chapter 1, in A Face Illumined:

As Professor Myerhoff writes: "The adage 'A woman's work is never done' calls attention to the continuity of woman's tasks on a daily basis."

1979 April 1, Charles E. Silberman, “A Proper Way to Live”, in New York Times, retrieved 2019-07-07:

According to the old maxim, a woman’s work is never done. It certainly never counts, a least not by the economic formulae that figure out the wealth of a nation.

2010 October 30, Antonia Zerbisias, “Feminomics: calculating the value of 'women's work'”, in The Star, Canada, retrieved 2019-07-07:

They say a woman’s work is never done. If certain Brexiteers have their way, that might be truer than ever. […] [A] no-deal Brexit would mean a disastrous shortfall in care staff, which would force women out of the office and into unpaid social care roles, looking after elderly parents.

2018 August 7, Harriet Marsden, “Why should women do the hard, unpaid work after Brexit?”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 2019-07-07:

Women generally work long and hard, especially as they often are responsible for housework and care roles in addition to paid work.


les chats ne font pas des chiens

les chiens ne font pas des chats
les chiens ne font pas des chats#French

Alternative form of les chiens ne font pas des chats


les bons comptes font les bons amis

short reckonings make long friends
short reckonings make long friends

a debt paid is a friend kept
a debt paid is a friend kept

short reckonings make long friends, a debt paid is a friend kept


fr-proverb

/ʃa.kœ̃ sɔ̃ me.tje | le vaʃ sə.ʁɔ̃ bjɛ̃ ɡaʁ.de/

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées.wav

cobbler, keep to your last
cobbler, keep to your last

chacun son métier, les moutons seront bien gardés

chacun son métier et les vaches seront bien gardées

chacun dans son pré et les vaches seront bien gardées

horses for courses; cobbler, keep to your last; each to their own trade (one should stick to what they know)


antes só do que mal acompanhado

Literally, “rather alone than badly accompanied”.

lit

it is better to be alone than in bad company


寧鳴而死，不默而生

ㄋㄧㄥˊ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄦˊ ㄙˇ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄛˋ ㄦˊ ㄕㄥ

ning⁴ ming⁴ ji⁴ sei², bat¹ mak⁶ ji⁴ sang¹

/niŋ³⁵ miŋ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

ning⁴ ming⁴ ji⁴ sei², bat⁷ mak⁹ ji⁴ sang¹

ning⁴ ming⁴ yi⁴ séi², bed¹ meg⁶ yi⁴ seng¹

/nɪŋ²¹ mɪŋ²¹ jiː²¹ sei̯³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ mɐk̚² jiː²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵/

to rather speak up for justice and die than live in silence


quem lacra não lucra

[ˈkẽɪ̯̃ ˈla.kɾɐ ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈlu.kɾɐ]

[ˈkẽɪ̯̃ ˈla.kɾɐ ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈlu.kɾɐ]

[ˈkẽɪ̯̃ ˈla.kɾa ˈnɐ̃ʊ̯̃ ˈlu.kɾa]

/ˈkɐ̃j̃ ˈla.kɾɐ ˈnɐ̃w̃ ˈlu.kɾɐ/

Literally, “those who seal don't profit”, referring to the word lacrar (literally “to seal”) in the derogatory sense of acting in a politically correct manner. See also the noun lacração.

2021 July 12, Renato Pezzotti, “Quem lacra não lucra? Empresas que apoiam causas perdem dinheiro por isso?”, in UOL (Usenet):


it's a man's world

The real issue, says Fox, "is whether male and female roles are totally flexible and reversible." As far as Fox is concerned, the answer is no. Millett admits that "[…] All I did was substantiate a cliche which we all know — that it's a man's world."

1970 August 31, “Nation: Who's Come a Long Way, Baby?”, in Time, retrieved 2019-07-07:

It's a man's world. But the fact that men dominate television makes it a kind of zoo in which to study them.

1995 October 15, Lucy Ellmann, “It's a man's man's world”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 2019-07-07:

Blame culture. Or genes. Or Dilbert. In engineering, it's a man's world — for now.

2009 September 16, “Canada’s Best Professional Schools”, in Macleans, Canada, retrieved 2019-07-07:

"It's a man's world — the top echelons of politics and business here are all dominated by men," said Emily Lau.

2011 February 21, Bettina Wassener, “Women Still Face Barriers in Hong Kong”, in New York Times, retrieved 2019-07-07:

Society is organized in a manner that gives preferential status to males; most positions of authority are occupied by men.


nid wrth ei big y mae prynu cyffylog

/ˌnɪd ʊrθ ei̯ ˌbiːɡ ə maːɨ̯ ˌprənɨ kəˈfəlɔɡ/

/ˌnɪd ʊrθ i ˌbiːɡ ə ma ˌprənɨ kəˈfəlɔɡ/

/ˌnɪd ʊrθ ei̯ ˌbiːɡ ə mai̯ ˌprəni kəˈfəlɔɡ/

"Never judge a book by its cover", literally "One doesn't buy a woodcook according to its beak", deriving from the practice of selling woodcocks in a closed bag with only the long beak poking out being visible.


nid wrth ei big y mae mesur cyffylog

/ˌnɪd ʊrθ ei̯ ˌbiːɡ ə maːɨ̯ ˌmɛsɨ̞r kəˈfəlɔɡ/

/ˌnɪd ʊrθ i ˌbiːɡ ə ma ˌmɛsɨ̞r kəˈfəlɔɡ/

/ˌnɪd ʊrθ ei̯ ˌbiːɡ ə mai̯ ˌmɛsɪr kəˈfəlɔɡ/

/ˌnɪd ʊrθ i ˌbiːɡ ə ma ˌmɛsɪr kəˈfəlɔɡ/

"Never judge a book by its cover", literally "One doesn't measure a woodcook according to its beak", deriving from the practice of selling woodcocks in a closed bag with only the long beak poking out being visible.


是金子總會發光的

ㄕˋ ㄐㄧㄣ ˙ㄗ ㄗㄨㄥˇ ㄏㄨㄟˋ ㄈㄚ ㄍㄨㄤ ˙ㄉㄜ

shih⁴ chin¹-tzŭ⁵ tsung³-hui⁴ fa¹-kuang¹ tê⁵

ши цзиньцзы цзунхуэй фагуан дэ

/ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ d͡z̥z̩² t͡sʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ fä⁵⁵ ku̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ d̥ə²/

an individual with ability will eventually be discovered; a talented person's day will come


der Ton macht die Musik

What one says can sometimes be less important than how one says it


il n'y a pas de petits profits

il n’ y a pas de petits profits (canonical)

Literally, “there's no such thing as small gains.”

light gains make heavy purses
light gains make heavy purses

every little helps, light gains make heavy purses, take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves


tous les goûts sont dans la nature

Literally, “all tastes are in nature”, or more loosely translated as “in nature, people with all kinds of tastes can be found”.

lit

there's no accounting for taste
there's no accounting for taste

beauty is in the eye of the beholder
beauty is in the eye of the beholder

there's no accounting for taste; to each his own; beauty is in the eye of the beholder

des goûts et des couleurs, on ne discute pas


Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold

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


head

De-lieber ein Ende mit Schrecken als ein Schrecken ohne Ende.ogg

Literally, “better an end with terror than a terror without end”.

lit

it is better to end a bad situation quickly, than to let it go on forever


head

[ˈalən ˈmɛnʃn̩ ʁɛçt ɡɛˈtaːn ɪst aɪ̯nə kʊnst diː ˈniːmant kan]

De-allen Menschen recht getan, ist eine Kunst, die niemand kann.ogg

Literally, “to do right to all people, is an art that nobody can do”.


Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht

Literally, “age does not protect from folly”.

Though age from folly could not give me freedom, / It does from childishness: can Fulvia die?

(Can we date this quote?), William Shakespeare, translated by Wolf Heinrich Graf von Baudissin, Antonius und Cleopatra, translation of Anthony and Cleopatra (in English), act I, scene III:

there's no fool like an old fool
there's no fool like an old fool


Müßiggang ist aller Laster Anfang

Literally, “idleness is the start of all vices”.

idle hands are the devil's workshop
idle hands are the devil's workshop

(idiomatic) idle hands are the devil's workshop


落後就要挨打

ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄡˋ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄧㄠˋ ㄞˊ ㄉㄚˇ

ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄡˋ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄧㄠˋ ㄞ ㄉㄚˇ

лохоу цзю яо айда

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ jɑʊ̯⁵¹ ˀaɪ̯³⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ jɑʊ̯⁵¹ ˀaɪ̯⁵⁵ tä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

From Russian Отсталых бьют (Otstalyx bʹjut), quoted from Joseph Stalin's speech The Tasks of Business Executives (О задачах хозяйственников).

bor

Отсталых бьют

lang

О задачах хозяйственников

О задачах хозяйственников


poderoso caballero es don dinero

[po.ð̞eˌɾo.so ka.β̞aˌʝe.ɾo ˌez ˌð̞õn̪ d̪iˈne.ɾo]

rural northern Spain, Andes Mountains, Philippines

[po.ð̞eˌɾo.so ka.β̞aˌʎe.ɾo ˌez ˌð̞õn̪ d̪iˈne.ɾo]

[po.ð̞eˌɾo.so ka.β̞aˌʃe.ɾo ˌez ˌð̞õn̪ d̪iˈne.ɾo]

[po.ð̞eˌɾo.so ka.β̞aˌʒe.ɾo ˌez ˌð̞õn̪ d̪iˈne.ɾo]

Literally, “A powerful gentleman is Mr. Money”.


桃栗三年柿八年

ja-pos

もも くり さんねん かき はちねん

桃(もも)栗(くり)三(さん)年(ねん)柿(かき)八(はち)年(ねん) • (momo kuri sannen kaki hachinen)

桃栗三年柿八年 (canonical)
momo kuri sannen kaki hachinen (romanization)

sow the wind, reap the whirlwind
sow the wind, reap the whirlwind

(idiomatic) sow the wind, reap the whirlwind


到什麼山上唱什麼歌

到什么山上唱什么歌
到甚麼山上唱甚麼歌

ㄉㄠˋ ㄕㄣˊ ˙ㄇㄜ ㄕㄢ ㄕㄤˋ ㄔㄤˋ ㄕㄣˊ ˙ㄇㄜ ㄍㄜ

dou³ sam⁶ mo¹ saan¹ soeng⁶ coeng³ sam⁶ mo¹ go¹

tao⁴ shên²-mê⁵ shan¹-shang⁴ chʻang⁴ shên²-mê⁵ ko¹

daw shern.me shanshanq chanq shern.me ge

дао шэньмэ шаньшан чан шэньмэ гэ

/tɑʊ̯⁵¹ ʂən³⁵ mə³ ʂän⁵⁵ ʂɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵¹ ʂən³⁵ mə³ kɤ⁵⁵/

dou sahm mō sāan seuhng cheung sahm mō gō

dou³ sam⁶ mo¹ saan¹ soeng⁶ tsoeng³ sam⁶ mo¹ go¹

dou³ sem⁶ mo¹ san¹ sêng⁶ cêng³ sem⁶ mo¹ go¹

/tou̯³³ sɐm²² mɔː⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ sœːŋ²² t͡sʰœːŋ³³ sɐm²² mɔː⁵⁵ kɔː⁵⁵/

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

when in Rome, do as the Romans do; to adapt oneself to an occasion


air dicincang tidak akan putus

blood is thicker than water
blood is thicker than water

(idiomatic) the conflict between family members doesn't last long; blood is thicker than water


dost dar gündə tanınar

LL-Q9292 (aze)-Azerbaijani audiorecordings-dost dar gündə tanınar.wav

Literally, "a friend is known in time of trouble".

a friend in need is a friend indeed
a friend in need is a friend indeed


head

hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih

Literally, 'If you want, you have the strength of a thousand; If you don't want, you have the excuses of a thousand'.

If someone wants to do something, that individual will try to do it; if someone doesn't want to do something, they will give excuses.


不見棺材不落淚

ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄍㄨㄢ ㄘㄞˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄌㄟˋ

bùjiàn guāncái bù luòlèi [Phonetic:bújiàn guāncái bú luòlèi]

буцзянь гуаньцай бу лолэй

/pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ku̯än⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ lu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ leɪ̯⁵¹/

/pɐt̚⁵ kiːn³³ kuːn⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹ pɐt̚⁵ lɔːk̚² lɵy̯²²/

不見棺材不掉淚 不見棺材不掉淚#Chinese

不见棺材不掉泪 不见棺材不掉泪#Chinese

Synonym of 不見棺材不掉淚／不见棺材不掉泪 (bùjiàn guāncai bù diàolèi, “to refuse to be convinced until one is faced with the grim reality; tenacious, resolute or pertinacious in one's pursuit of a goal despite of obstacles or advice”)


唔見棺材唔流眼淚

to not shed tears until one sees one's coffin

/m̩²¹ kiːn³³ kuːn⁵⁵ t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹ m̩²¹ lɐu̯²¹ ŋaːn¹³ lɵy̯²²/

(Cantonese) to refuse to be convinced until one is faced with the grim reality


frisch gewagt ist halb gewonnen

well begun is half done
well begun is half done


en-proverb

behind every great man there stands a woman

behind every successful man there stands a woman#English

Synonym of behind every successful man there stands a woman (“men's success often depends on the support and work of their wives or female partners”)


behind every successful man there stands a woman

/bɪˈhaɪnd ˌɛvɹi səkˈsɛsfl̩ ˈmæn ðɛə ˈstændz ə ˈwʊmən/

/bɪˈhaɪnd ˌɛvɹi səkˈsɛsfl̩ ˈmæn ðɛɚ ˈstændz ə ˈwʊmən/

A man’s achievements are made possible by the support and work of their wife or female partner.

وَرَاءَ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ عَظِيمٍ اِمْرَأَةٌ

men's success often depends on the support and work of their wives or female partners

hər uğurlu kişinin arxasında bir qadın dayanır

每个成功的男人背后都有一个女人

měi gè chénggōng de nánrén bèihòu dōu yǒu yīgè nǚrén

jokaisen menestyvän miehen takana on nainen

tout homme qui réussit a une femme derrière lui

detrás dun gran home hai unha gran muller

ყოველი წარმატებული კაცის უკან ქალი დგას

q̇oveli c̣armaṭebuli ḳacis uḳan kali dgas

hinter jedem erfolgreichen Mann steht eine Frau

מאחורי כל גבר מצליח עומדת אישה

meakhoréy kol géver matslíakh omédet ishá

हर सफल पुरुष के पीछे एक महिला होती है

har saphal puruṣ ke pīche ek mahilā hotī hai

di belakang setiap pria sukses ada seorang wanita hebat

すべての成功した男の後ろに女がいる

subete no seikō shita otoko no ushiro ni onna ga iru

aiz katra veiksmīga vīrieša stāv sieviete

už kiekvieno sėkmingo vyro stovi moteris

por trás de todo grande homem existe uma grande mulher

za káždym uspéšnym mužčínoj stoít žénščina

за ка́ждым успе́шным мужчи́ной стои́т же́нщина

detrás de un gran hombre hay una gran mujer

bakom varje framgångsrik man står en kvinna

her başarılı erkeğin arkasında bir kadın vardır

đằng sau một người đàn ông thành công luôn có bóng dáng người phụ nữ

the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world


trâu già gặm cỏ non

[t͡ɕəw˧˧ zaː˨˩ ɣam˧˨ʔ kɔ˧˩ nɔn˧˧]

[ʈəw˧˧ jaː˦˩ ɣam˨˩ʔ kɔ˧˨ nɔŋ˧˧]

[ʈəw˧˧ jaː˨˩ ɣam˨˩˨ kɔ˨˩˦ nɔŋ˧˧]

Compare Chinese 老牛吃嫩草 (lǎoniú chī nèncǎo).


君子動口不動手

ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄉㄨㄥˋ ㄎㄡˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄨㄥˋ ㄕㄡˇ

jūnzǐ dòngkǒu bùdòngshǒu [Phonetic:jūnzǐ dòngkǒu búdòngshǒu]

цзюньцзы дункоу будуншоу

/t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʊŋ⁵¹ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ tʊŋ⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/kʷɐn⁵⁵ t͡siː³⁵ tʊŋ²² hɐu̯³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ tʊŋ²² sɐu̯³⁵/

a gentleman settles a dispute through communication instead of a fight; a gentleman uses his mouth and not his fist


rumat ne vaatteilla koreilee

unattractive people tend to find other ways to compensate, especially fancy clothing (used to imply either direction)


à bon vin, point d'enseigne

à bon vin (canonical)
point d’ enseigne (canonical)

/a bɔ̃ vɛ̃ | pwɛ̃ d‿ɑ̃.sɛɲ/

à bon vin point d’enseigne
à bon vin point d'enseigne#French

Alternative spelling of à bon vin point d’enseigne


人為財死，鳥為食亡

人为财死，鸟为食亡
人爲財死，鳥爲食亡

ㄖㄣˊ ㄨㄟˋ ㄘㄞˊ ㄙˇ

ㄋㄧㄠˇ ㄨㄟˋ ㄕˊ ㄨㄤˊ

jan⁴ wai⁶ coi⁴ sei², niu⁵ wai⁶ sik⁶ mong⁴

jên² wei⁴ tsʻai² ssŭ³, niao³ wei⁴ shih² wang²

жэнь вэй цай сы

няо вэй ши ван

/ʐən³⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ weɪ̯⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ wɑŋ³⁵/

yàhn waih chòih séi, níuh waih sihk mòhng

jan⁴ wai⁶ tsoi⁴ sei², niu⁵ wai⁶ sik⁹ mong⁴

yen⁴ wei⁶ coi⁴ séi², niu⁵ wei⁶ xig⁶ mong⁴

/jɐn²¹ wɐi̯²² t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹ sei̯³⁵ niːu̯¹³ wɐi̯²² sɪk̚² mɔːŋ²¹/

/zin²³ ui³³⁻²¹ t͡sai²³ su⁴¹ niãu⁴¹ ui³³⁻²¹ sit̚⁴ bɔŋ²³/

men would die in pursuit of wealth just like how birds would die in pursuit for food; human beings would sacrifice even their lives in pursuit of wealth


à bon vin point d'enseigne

/a bɔ̃ vɛ̃ pwɛ̃ d‿ɑ̃.sɛɲ/

good wine needs no bush
good wine needs no bush


失敗者成功之母

ㄕ ㄅㄞˋ ㄓㄜˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄍㄨㄥ ㄓ ㄇㄨˇ

шибай чжэ чэнгун чжи му

/ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ paɪ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

After they fail, they draw their lessons, correct their ideas to make them correspond to the laws of the external world, and can thus turn failure into success; this is what is meant by “failure is the mother of success” and “a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit”.

1937, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《實踐論》 (On Practice), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

Rénmen jīngguò shībài zhīhòu, yě jiù cóng shībài qǔdé jiàoxùn, gǎizhèng zìjǐ de sīxiǎng shǐ zhī shìhé yú wàijiè de guīlǜxìng, rénmen jiù néng biàn shībài wéi shènglì, suǒwèi “shībài zhě chénggōng zhī mǔ”, “chī yī qiàn zhǎng yī zhì”, jiùshì zhège dàolǐ.

人們經過失敗之後，也就從失敗取得教訓，改正自己的思想使之適合於外界的規律性，人們就能變失敗為勝利，所謂「失敗者成功之母」，「吃一塹長一智」，就是這個道理。

人们经过失败之后，也就从失败取得教训，改正自己的思想使之适合于外界的规律性，人们就能变失败为胜利，所谓「失败者成功之母」，「吃一堑长一智」，就是这个道理。


秀才不出門，全知天下事

ㄒㄧㄡˋ ㄘㄞˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄔㄨ ㄇㄣˊ

ㄑㄩㄢˊ ㄓ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄕˋ

sau³ coi⁴ bat¹ ceot¹ mun⁴, cyun⁴ zi¹ tin¹ haa⁶ si⁶

сюцай бу чумэнь

цюань чжи тянься ши

/ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ mən³⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

sau chòih bāt chēut mùhn, chyùhn jī tīn hah sih

sau³ tsoi⁴ bat⁷ tsoet⁷ mun⁴, tsyn⁴ dzi¹ tin¹ haa⁶ si⁶

seo³ coi⁴ bed¹ cêd¹ mun⁴, qun⁴ ji¹ tin¹ ha⁶ xi⁶

/sɐu̯³³ t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹ pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ muːn²¹ t͡sʰyːn²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː²² siː²²/

The saying, “without stepping outside his gate the scholar knows all the wide world's affairs”, was mere empty talk in past times when technology was undeveloped. Even though this saying can be valid in the present age of developed technology, the people with real personal knowledge are those engaged in practice the wide world over. And it is only when these people have come to “know” through their practice and when their knowledge has reached him through writing and technical media that the “scholar” can indirectly “know all the wide world's affairs”.

“Xiùcái bù chūmén, quán zhī tiānxià shì”, zài jìshù bù fādá de gǔdài zhǐshì yī jù kōnghuà, zài jìshù fādá de xiàndài suīrán kěyǐ shíxiàn zhè jù huà, rán'ér zhēnzhèng qīnzhī de shì tiānxià shíjiànzhe de rén, nàxiē rén zài tāmen de shíjiàn zhōngjiān qǔdé le “zhī”, jīngguò wénzì hé jìshù de chuándá ér dàodá yú “xiùcái” zhī shǒu, xiùcái nǎi néng jiànjiē de “zhī tiānxià shì”.

「秀才不出門，全知天下事」，在技術不發達的古代只是一句空話，在技術發達的現代雖然可以實現這句話，然而真正親知的是天下實踐著的人，那些人在他們的實踐中間取得了「知」，經過文字和技術的傳達而到達於「秀才」之手，秀才乃能間接地「知天下事」。

「秀才不出门，全知天下事」，在技术不发达的古代只是一句空话，在技术发达的现代虽然可以实现这句话，然而真正亲知的是天下实践着的人，那些人在他们的实践中间取得了「知」，经过文字和技术的传达而到达于「秀才」之手，秀才乃能间接地「知天下事」。

秀才不出門，能知天下事 秀才不出門，能知天下事#Chinese

秀才不出门，能知天下事 秀才不出门，能知天下事#Chinese

Synonym of 秀才不出門，能知天下事／秀才不出门，能知天下事 (xiùcái bù chūmén, néng zhī tiānxià shì)


跌個跤子，買個明白

ㄉㄧㄝ ˙ㄍㄜ ㄐㄧㄠ ˙ㄗ

ㄇㄞˇ ˙ㄍㄜ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ˙ㄅㄞ

ㄉㄧㄝˊ ˙ㄍㄜ ㄐㄧㄠ ˙ㄗ

де гэ цзяоцзы

май гэ минбай

/ti̯ɛ⁵⁵ g̊ə² t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ d͡z̥z̩² maɪ̯²¹⁴ g̊ə⁴ miŋ³⁵ b̥aɪ̯³/

/ti̯ɛ³⁵ g̊ə³ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ d͡z̥z̩² maɪ̯²¹⁴ g̊ə⁴ miŋ³⁵ b̥aɪ̯³/

吃一塹，長一智 吃一塹，長一智#Chinese

吃一堑，长一智 吃一堑，长一智#Chinese

Synonym of 吃一塹，長一智／吃一堑，长一智 (chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì, “a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit”)


trâu buộc ghét trâu ăn

[t͡ɕəw˧˧ ʔɓuək̚˧˨ʔ ɣɛt̚˧˦ t͡ɕəw˧˧ ʔan˧˧]

[ʈəw˧˧ ʔɓuək̚˨˩ʔ ɣɛt̚˦˧˥ ʈəw˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧]

[ʈəw˧˧ ʔɓuək̚˨˩˨ ɣɛk̚˦˥ ʈəw˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧]

(literal) The chained water buffalo hates the water buffalo that grazes.

(figurative) those who have a hard time tend to be jealous of those who are better off


morte la bête, mort le venin

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-morte la bête, mort le venin.wav

(literary) dead dogs don't bite (a dead man isn't a threat anymore)


oignez vilain, il vous poindra

oignez vilain, il vous poindra ; poignez vilain, il vous oindra#French

Ellipsis of oignez vilain, il vous poindra ; poignez vilain, il vous oindra.


fr-proverb

oignez vilain, il vous poindra [[]]; poignez vilain, il vous oindra

oignez vilain (canonical)
il vous poindra [[]] (canonical)
poignez vilain (canonical)
il vous oindra (canonical)

/wa.ɲe vi.lɛ̃ | il vu pwɛ̃.dʁa | pwa.ɲe vi.lɛ̃ | il vu.z‿wɛ̃.dʁa/

From oindre (“to anoint”) and poindre (“to prick”).
For the meaning, compare English treat them mean, keep them keen.

oignez vilain, il vous poindra ; poignez vilain, il vous oindra

if you behave kindly towards a bad person, they will be mean; conversely, if you behave spitefully, they will be kind to you

fais du bien à un vilain, il te chie dans la main


jeu de main, jeu de vilain

/ʒø də mɛ̃ | ʒø də vi.lɛ̃/

it will end in tears! stop fooling around! stop roughhousing! you'll poke an eye out! it's all fun and games till someone gets hurt! it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye! (used to admonish children who are bickering and fighting)


घर की मुर्ग़ी दाल बराबर

hi-proverb

گھر کی مرغی دال برابر

घर की मुर्ग़ी दाल बराबर • (ghar kī murġī dāl barābar) (Urdu spelling گھر کی مرغی دال برابر)

ghar kī murġī dāl barābar (romanization)
گھر کی مرغی دال برابر (Urdu)

/ɡʱəɾ kiː mʊɾ.ɣiː d̪ɑːl bə.ɾɑː.bəɾ/

[ɡʱɐɾ‿kiː‿mʊɾ.ɣiː‿d̪äːl‿bɐ.ɾäː.bɐɾ]

/ɡʱəɾ kiː mʊɾ.ɡiː d̪ɑːl bə.ɾɑː.bəɾ/

[ɡʱɐɾ‿kiː‿mʊɾ.ɡiː‿d̪äːl‿bɐ.ɾäː.bɐɾ]

"homemade chicken is no better than daal"; one does not appreciate what is taken for granted

en-घर_की_मुर्ग़ी_दाल_बराबर-hi-proverb-cTcFtIQ5


蜉蝣在世

ㄈㄨˊ ㄧㄡˊ ㄗㄞˋ ㄕˋ

/fu³⁵ joʊ̯³⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/fɐu̯²¹ jɐu̯²¹ t͡sɔːi̯²² sɐi̯³³/

/fu³⁵ joʊ̯³⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/fɐu̯²¹ jɐu̯²¹ t͡sɔːi̯²² sɐi̯³³/


倉廩實而知禮節，衣食足而知榮辱

head

倉廩實而知禮節，衣食足而知榮辱

ㄘㄤ ㄌㄧㄣˇ ㄕˊ ㄦˊ ㄓ ㄌㄧˇ ㄐㄧㄝˊ

ㄧ ㄕˊ ㄗㄨˊ ㄦˊ ㄓ ㄖㄨㄥˊ ㄖㄨˇ

ㄧ ㄕˊ ㄗㄨˊ ㄦˊ ㄓ ㄖㄨㄥˊ ㄖㄨˋ

cong¹ lam⁵ sat⁶ ji⁴ zi¹ lai⁵ zit³, ji¹ sik⁶ zuk¹ ji⁴ zi¹ wing⁴ juk⁶

tsʻang¹-lin³ shih² êrh² chih¹ li³-chieh²

цанлинь ши эр чжи лицзе

иши цзу эр чжи жунжу

/t͡sʰɑŋ⁵⁵ lin²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ i⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡su³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʐʊŋ³⁵ ʐu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰɑŋ⁵⁵ lin²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ i⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡su³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʐʊŋ³⁵ ʐu⁵¹/

chōng láhm saht yìh jī láih jit, yī sihk jūk yìh jī wìhng yuhk

tsong¹ lam⁵ sat⁹ ji⁴ dzi¹ lai⁵ dzit⁸, ji¹ sik⁹ dzuk⁷ ji⁴ dzi¹ wing⁴ juk⁹

cong¹ lem⁵ sed⁶ yi⁴ ji¹ lei⁵ jid³, yi¹ xig⁶ zug¹ yi⁴ ji¹ wing⁴ yug⁶

/t͡sʰɔːŋ⁵⁵ lɐm¹³ sɐt̚² jiː²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ lɐi̯¹³ t͡siːt̚³ jiː⁵⁵ sɪk̚² t͡sʊk̚⁵ jiː²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ wɪŋ²¹ jʊk̚²/

When the granary becomes filled, people observe etiquette; when people become well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame.

Cānglǐn shí zé zhī lǐjié; yīshí zú zé zhī róngrǔ.

倉廩實則知禮節；衣食足則知榮辱。

仓廪实则知礼节；衣食足则知荣辱。

仓廪实而知礼节，衣食足而知荣辱

people observe etiquette and know honor and shame only after they are well-fed and clothed


let George do it

Sometimes explained as derived from French laissez faire à Georges, a satirical reference to the multiform activities of Cardinal Georges d'Amboise (1460–1510), but this is unlikely. Alternatively explained as a reference to Pullman porters, who were generically known as George.

(dated, US) Let someone else incur the cost of achieving the shared benefit.


there is no honor among thieves

Most thieves lack a sense of honor and are not to be trusted.


failure to prepare is preparing to fail

Generally ascribed to Benjamin Franklin, who wrote, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”.

Failing to prepare will cause one to lose or fail.

he who fails to prepare, prepares to fail

by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail

proper planning and preparation prevents piss poor performance


隔行如隔山

ㄍㄜˊ ㄏㄤˊ ㄖㄨˊ ㄍㄜˊ ㄕㄢ

гэ хан жу гэ шань

/kɤ³⁵ xɑŋ³⁵ ʐu³⁵ kɤ³⁵ ʂän⁵⁵/

/kaːk̚³ hɔːŋ²¹ jyː²¹ kaːk̚³ saːn⁵⁵/

/kɤ³⁵ xɑŋ³⁵ ʐu³⁵ kɤ³⁵ ʂän⁵⁵/

/kaːk̚³ hɔːŋ²¹ jyː²¹ kaːk̚³ saːn⁵⁵/

different trades are worlds apart; to someone outside the profession, it is a closed book


wasch mich, aber mach mich nicht nass

Literally, “wash me, but don't get me wet”.

lit

Erst beschweren sie sich über die schlechten Straßen und dann über die Baustellen! — Tja, wasch mich, aber mach mich nicht nass!

First they complain about the bad roads and then about the repairs! — Well, wash me, but don't get me wet!

have one's cake and eat it
have one's cake and eat it

Used of someone who wants some good or advantage, but does not want the contemporary inconvenience that it requires; somewhat like have one's cake and eat it


一山還有一山高

for every high mountain there is an even higher mountain

ㄧ ㄕㄢ ㄏㄞˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄧ ㄕㄢ ㄍㄠ

yī shān háiyǒu yī shān gāo [Phonetic:yì shān háiyǒu yì shān gāo]

и шань хайю и шань гао

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂän⁵⁵ xaɪ̯³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂän⁵⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚⁵ saːn⁵⁵ waːn²¹ jɐu̯¹³ jɐt̚⁵ saːn⁵⁵ kou̯⁵⁵/

There is always someone or something that is better. / Do not be smug about your achievements.


時窮節乃見

ㄕˊ ㄑㄩㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄋㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄢˋ

шицюнцзенайсянь

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵ naɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/siː²¹ kʰʊŋ²¹ t͡siːt̚³ naːi̯¹³ jiːn²²/

/siː²¹ kʰʊŋ²¹ t͡siːt̚³ naːi̯¹³ jiːn²²/

From The Song of Righteousness by 文天祥 (Wen Tianxiang)

Only when times are extreme will one's integrity be manifested, and go down in history case after case.

時窮節乃見，一一垂丹青。

时穷节乃见，一一垂丹青。

only at perilous times will one's integrity be tested and manifested


jamais deux sans trois

bad things come in threes
bad things come in threes

all things come in threes, things always come in threes

good things come in threes
good things come in threes


femme au volant, mort au tournant

Literally, “woman behind the wheel means death at the corner”.

lit

(offensive) danger, woman driver ahead! female drivers are a constant danger!


femme qui rit, à moitié dans ton lit

Literally, “a woman who laughs is half way in your bed”. Citation of Napoleon Bonaparte.

lit

make her laugh and you're halfway there; women like a man who can make them laugh


femme qui rit, à moitié dans son lit

femme qui rit, à moitié dans ton lit#French

Alternative form of femme qui rit, à moitié dans ton lit


la curiosité est un vilain défaut

curiosity killed the cat
curiosity killed the cat


get woke, go broke

Attributed to American author John Ringo.

According to Ringo, the convention then pushed its conservative members out of its planning committee, attendance dropped over years, and it’s now defunct. “Get woke, go broke,” he says of any organization who bows to SJW pressure.

2018 April 17, Jon del Arroz, “Author John Ringo Responds to SJW Assault That Led to Sci-Fi Convention Ban”, in Dangerous, archived from the original on 2018-04-17:

Get woke, go broke isn’t just about money, it’s about credibility and truth. These people have been broken by their own pride, their sense of entitlement, and their own disdain of anyone who does not agree with them.

2018 May 19, David Prentice, “Code Red: The Coming Eruption”, in American Thinker:

This led to the biting critical slogan “Get woke, go broke” to characterise the commercial failure of “woke” (“politically enlightened”) policies in an open marketplace.

2019, Alexander Adams, Culture War: Art, Identity Politics and Cultural Entryism:

(informal, neologism, politics) Businesses that focus on social activism to align themselves with social justice are liable to lose customers.

éveillé mais fauché

businesses that attempt to align themselves with social justice causes are liable to lose customers

trop de politiquement correct c’est économiquement incorrect


petite pluie abat grand vent

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lyokoï-petite pluie abat grand vent.wav

Small rain lays great dust
small rain lays great dust

a little kindness goes a long way
a little of something goes a long way

(figuratively) Small rain lays great dust; a little kindness goes a long way.


de aap komt uit de mouw

Afrikaans: die aap kom uit die mou

Literally, “the monkey comes out of the sleeve”; it likely originated from the use of trained monkeys by performers.

the truth is revealed; a former secret has become known; often in relation to something shameful or furtive activity


愛之深責之切

/ˀaɪ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʂən⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛ⁵¹/

/ɔːi̯³³ t͡siː⁵⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ t͡saːk̚³ t͡siː⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːt̚³/

tough love; to criticize or reproach out of love


識人好過識字

It is better to know more people than to know more words

/sɪk̚⁵ jɐn²¹ hou̯³⁵ kʷɔː³³ sɪk̚⁵ t͡siː²²/

(Cantonese) having connections is more important than having good academic credentials


人を射んとせばまず馬を射よ

ja-pos

人を射んとせばまず馬を射よ

ひと を いん と せば まず うま を いよ

人(ひと)を射(い)んとせばまず馬(うま)を射(い)よ • (hito o in to seba mazu uma o iyo)

人を射んとせばまず馬を射よ (canonical)
hito o in to seba mazu uma o iyo (romanization)

Calque of Literary Chinese 射人先射馬，擒賊先擒王 (shè rén xiān shè mǎ, qín zéi xiān qín wáng, literally “to shoot the rider, first shoot his horse; to capture the thief, first capture the king”).

calque

begin with the lesser things to obtain the greater; he who would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin


将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ

ja-pos

将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ

しょう を いん と ほっすれば まず うま を いよ

将(しょう)を射(い)んと欲(ほっ)すればまず馬(うま)を射(い)よ • (shō o in to hossureba mazu uma o iyo)

将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ (canonical)
shō o in to hossureba mazu uma o iyo (romanization)

Based on a poem by Du Fu.
Literally “to shoot the general, first shoot his horse”.


兼聽則明，偏信則暗

ㄐㄧㄢ ㄊㄧㄥ ㄗㄜˊ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

ㄆㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄣˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄢˋ

gim¹ ting³ zak¹ ming⁴, pin¹ seon³ zak¹ am³

цзяньтин цзэ мин

пяньсинь цзэ ань

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tʰiŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ miŋ³⁵ pʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕin⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ ˀän⁵¹/

gim¹ ting³ dzak⁷ ming⁴, pin¹ soen³ dzak⁷ am³

gim¹ ting³ zeg¹ ming⁴, pin¹ sên³ zeg¹ em³

/kiːm⁵⁵ tʰɪŋ³³ t͡sɐk̚⁵ mɪŋ²¹ pʰiːn⁵⁵ sɵn³³ t͡sɐk̚⁵ ɐm³³/

Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened, heed only one side and you will be benighted.


siempre hay un roto para un descosido

there's a lid for every pot
there's a lid for every pot


nunca falta un roto para un descosido

misery loves company
misery loves company

there's a lid for every pot; misery loves company

juntarse el hambre con las ganas de comer

sirve igual para un roto que para un descosido


業精於勤而荒於嬉

ㄧㄝˋ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄩˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄦˊ ㄏㄨㄤ ㄩˊ ㄒㄧ

jip⁶ zing¹ jyu¹ kan⁴ ji⁴ fong¹ jyu¹ hei¹

yeh⁴ ching¹ yü² chʻin² êrh² huang¹ yü² hsi¹

е цзин юй цинь эр хуан юй си

/jɛ⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵/

/jiːp̚² t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵ jyː⁵⁵ kʰɐn²¹ jiː²¹ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ jyː⁵⁵ hei̯⁵⁵/

業精於勤，荒於嬉 業精於勤，荒於嬉#Chinese

业精于勤，荒于嬉 业精于勤，荒于嬉#Chinese

Synonym of 業精於勤，荒於嬉／业精于勤，荒于嬉 (yè jīng yú qín, huāng yú xī, “academic excellence is achieved through diligence, while studies are neglected and deteriorate when one frolics”)


業精於勤，荒於嬉

ㄧㄝˋ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄩˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ

е цзин юй цинь

/jɛ⁵¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵ xu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵/

/jiːp̚² t͡sɪŋ⁵⁵ jyː⁵⁵ kʰɐn²¹ fɔːŋ⁵⁵ jyː⁵⁵ hei̯⁵⁵/

Yè jīng yú qín, huāng yú xī; xíng chéng yú sī, huǐ yú suí.

業精於勤，荒於嬉；行成於思，毀於隨。

业精于勤，荒于嬉；行成于思，毁于随。

业精于勤，荒于嬉
業精於勤而荒於嬉

academic excellence is achieved through diligence, while studies are neglected and deteriorate when one frolics


head

vejen til mandens hjerte går gennem maven

the road to a mans heart goes through his stomach


hellere lille og vågen end stor og doven

better to be small and agile than big and lazy


små gryder har også ører

little pitchers have big ears
little pitchers have big ears

(idiomatic) little pitchers have big ears (beware, the children also listen)


sælg ikke skindet, før bjørnen er skudt

(idiomatic) don't take succes or victory for granted by acting before an outcome


frisk luft gør lægen fattig

(idiomatic) people need fresh air to be healthy


intet godt kommer let

(idiomatic) you have to put up an effort to reap good things


al begyndelse er svær

all beginning is hard
all beginning is hard


hvad du ikke ved af, har du ikke ondt af

(idiomatic) what you're not aware of, you're not upset by


blod er tykkere end vand

blood is thicker than water
blood is thicker than water


slå to fluer med et smæk

kill two birds with one stone
kill two birds with one stone

(idiomatic) kill two birds with one stone


de værste sår er de, der ikke bløder

(idiomatic) the worst wounds are those that do not bleed


bag skyerne er himlen altid blå

(idiomatic) things are not as dark as they appear


ingen brand uden ild

(idiomatic) a fire always have flames; sometimes the true cause of something is hard to pinpoint


den der sladrer til dig sladrer også om dig

(idiomatic) those who go behind the back of others do the same to you


den sidste idiot er ikke født endnu

the last idiot hasn't been born yet
the last idiot hasn't been born yet

(idiomatic) the last idiot hasn't been born yet


mod dumhed kæmper selv guderne forgæves

(idiomatic) even the gods can't fight against stupidity


at falde er ingen skam, men at blive liggende er

(idiomatic) falling is not a shame, keep lying down is


at tale er at så, at lytte er at høste

(idiomatic) talking is seeding and listening is harvesting


fra sagt til gjort er springet stort

(idiomatic) to say is much quicker than to do


den tid der går godt kommer ikke dårligt igen


en dåre kan spørge om mere, end ti vise kan svare på

(idiomatic) a fool can ask about more that ten wise can answer


efter tørke kommer væde, efter sorg kommer glæde

(idiomatic) after hardship it is easy to smile


et råddent æg fordærver hele kagen

(idiomatic) a tiny mistake can result in a clusterfuck


intet er så galt, at det ikke er godt for noget

(idiomatic) every occasion have a hidden treasure


den, der kommer først til mølle, får først malet

Compare Swedish först till kvarn får först mala.

first come, first served
first come, first served


養不教，父之過

ㄧㄤˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄠˋ

/jɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ku̯ɔ⁵¹/

/jœːŋ¹³ pɐt̚⁵ kaːu̯³³ fuː²² t͡siː⁵⁵ kʷɔː³³/

To feed without teaching is the father's fault; To teach, without severity, is the teacher's laziness.

Three Character Classic, circa 13ᵗʰ century CE

Yǎng bù jiào, fù zhī guò. Jiào bù yán, shī zhī duò.

養不教，父之過。教不嚴，師之惰。

养不教，父之过。教不严，师之惰。

it is wrong for a father to only feed but not teach his child


the best defence is attack

attack is the best form of defence#English

Synonym of attack is the best form of defence


do třetice všeho dobrého

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


勞心者治人，勞力者治於人

勞心者治人，勞力者治於人

ㄌㄠˊ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄓㄜˇ ㄓˋ ㄖㄣˊ

ㄌㄠˊ ㄌㄧˋ ㄓㄜˇ ㄓˋ ㄩˊ ㄖㄣˊ

lou⁴ sam¹ ze² zi⁶ jan⁴, lou⁴ lik⁶ ze² zi⁶ jyu¹ jan⁴

лаосиньчжэчжижэнь

лаоличжэчжиюйжэнь

laosinʹčžɛčžižɛnʹ

/lɑʊ̯³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ lɑʊ̯³⁵ li⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ y³⁵ ʐən³⁵/

lòuh sām jé jih yàhn, lòuh lihk jé jih yū yàhn

lou⁴ sam¹ dze² dzi⁶ jan⁴, lou⁴ lik⁹ dze² dzi⁶ jy¹ jan⁴

lou⁴ sem¹ zé² ji⁶ yen⁴, lou⁴ lig⁶ zé² ji⁶ yu¹ yen⁴

/lou̯²¹ sɐm⁵⁵ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡siː²² jɐn²¹ lou̯²¹ lɪk̚² t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡siː²² jyː⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

Then, is it the government of the kingdom which alone can be carried on along with the practice of husbandry? Great men have their proper business, and little men have their proper business. Moreover, in the case of any single individual, whatever articles he can require are ready to his hand, being produced by the various handicraftsmen - if he must first make them for his own use, this way of doing would keep all the people running about upon the roads. Hence, there is the saying, "Some labour with their minds, and some labour with their strength. Those who labour with their minds govern others; those who labour with their strength are governed by others. Those who are governed by others support them; those who govern others are supported by them. This is a principle universally recognised.

Ránzé zhì tiānxià dú kě gēng qiě wéi yú? Yǒu dàrén zhī shì, yǒu xiǎorén zhī shì. Qiě yīrén zhī shēn, ér bǎigōng zhī suǒ wèi bèi. Rú bì zì wéi ér hòu yòng zhī, shì shuài tiānxià ér lù yě. Gù yuē: huò láoxīn, huò láolì; láoxīn zhě zhì rén, láolì zhě zhì yú rén; zhì yú rén zhě sì rén, zhì rén zhě sì yú rén: tiānxià zhī tōngyì yě.

然則治天下獨可耕且為與？有大人之事，有小人之事。且一人之身，而百工之所為備。如必自為而後用之，是率天下而路也。故曰：或勞心，或勞力；勞心者治人，勞力者治於人；治於人者食人，治人者食於人：天下之通義也。

然则治天下独可耕且为与？有大人之事，有小人之事。且一人之身，而百工之所为备。如必自为而后用之，是率天下而路也。故曰：或劳心，或劳力；劳心者治人，劳力者治于人；治于人者食人，治人者食于人：天下之通义也。

劳心者治人，劳力者治于人