魚與熊掌不可兼得

ㄩˊ ㄩˇ ㄒㄩㄥˊ ㄓㄤˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄐㄧㄢ ㄉㄜˊ

jyu⁴ jyu⁵ hung⁴ zoeng² bat¹ ho² gim¹ dak¹

yü² yü³ hsiung²-chang³ pu⁴-kʻo³ chien¹ tê²

юй юй сюнчжан букэ цзянь дэ

/y³⁵ y²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ʊŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tɤ³⁵/

jy⁴ jy⁵ hung⁴ dzoeng² bat⁷ ho² gim¹ dak⁷

/jyː²¹ jyː¹³ hʊŋ²¹ t͡sœːŋ³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ kiːm⁵⁵ tɐk̚⁵/

Mencius said, 'I like fish, and I also like bear's paws. If I cannot have the two together, I will let the fish go, and take the bear's paws. So, I like life, and I also like righteousness. If I cannot keep the two together, I will let life go, and choose righteousness.'

Mèngzǐ yuē: “Yú, wǒ suǒ yù yě; xióngzhǎng, yì wǒ suǒ yù yě, èr zhě bùkě dé jiān, shě yú ér qǔ xióngzhǎng zhě yě. Shēng, yì wǒ suǒ yù yě; yì, yì wǒ suǒ yù yě, èr zhě bùkě dé jiān, shě shēng ér qǔ yì zhě yě.”

孟子曰：「魚，我所欲也；熊掌，亦我所欲也，二者不可得兼，舍魚而取熊掌者也。生，亦我所欲也；義，亦我所欲也，二者不可得兼，舍生而取義者也。」

孟子曰：「鱼，我所欲也；熊掌，亦我所欲也，二者不可得兼，舍鱼而取熊掌者也。生，亦我所欲也；义，亦我所欲也，二者不可得兼，舍生而取义者也。」

One cannot get fish and bear's paw at the same time.

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

One can't have one's cake and eat it, too.

捨生取義

Another idiom derived from the same paragraph in Mencius.


a bad workman always blames his tools

Never had ill workman good tools.

1881, John Wurtle Lovell, “Jacula Prudentum”, in The Works of George Herbert in Prose and Verse, New York, page 440

An ill labourer quarrels with his tools.

1881, John Wurtle Lovell, “Jacula Prudentum”, in The Works of George Herbert in Prose and Verse, New York, page 454

It is not the tools we use that make us good, but rather how we employ them.

唔会赚钱怨屋场

m̀ sṳt-sṳ yen yà-ngiòng, m̀-voi chhon-chhièn yen vuk-chhòng

een kwaad werkman heeft altijd slecht getuig

kyllä sika syitä löytää, välillä on maa jäässä, välillä kärsä kipeä

un mauvais ouvrier a toujours de mauvais outils

if the rider is no good, it's the horse's fault

wenn der Reiter nichts taugt, hat das Pferd Schuld

ein schlechter Handwerker schimpft immer auf sein Werkzeug

droch-cheardaí a chuireann an milleán ar a chuid uirlisí

ní thig a sháith de chorrán a thabhairt do dhrochbhuanaí

나쁜 일꾼은 제 공구를 탓한다

nappeun ilkkuneun je gonggureul tathanda

تق تاهو مناري دکاتاکن لنتاي جوڠکڠ-جوڠکيت

tak tahu menari dikatakan lantai jongkang-jongket

tak tahu menari dikatakan tanah tinggi rendah

złej baletnicy przeszkadza rąbek spódnicy

плохо́му танцо́ру и я́йца меша́ют

bad dancer is impeded even by (his own) balls

don't blame the mirror if your mug is skewed

néča na zérkalo penjátʹ, kóli róža krivá

не́ча на зе́ркало пеня́ть, ко́ли ро́жа крива́

ма́стер глуп — нож туп (máster glup — nož tup) (if the worker is stupid, his knife is blunt)

cha d'fhuair droch-bhuannaiche a-riamh deagh-chorran

cha d'fhuair droch-ràmhaich ràmh math a-riamh

Upon failure, it is easier to blame the tools used rather than how they were employed.


幾家歡樂幾家愁

ㄐㄧˇ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄏㄨㄢ ㄌㄜˋ ㄐㄧˇ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄔㄡˊ

цзи цзя хуаньлэ цзи цзя чоу

/t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ xu̯än⁵⁵ lɤ⁵¹ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵/

Literally: Some families are happy, some families have worries.


朝聞道，夕死可矣

desc

朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり

→ Japanese: 朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり (ashita ni michi o kikaba yūbe ni shisu tomo ka nari) (calque)

ㄒㄧ ㄙˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ

ㄒㄧˋ ㄙˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ

чжао вэнь дао

/ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ wən³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ ɕi⁵⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ wən³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi⁵¹ sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡siːu̯⁵⁵ mɐn²¹ tou̯²² t͡sɪk̚² sei̯³⁵ hɔː³⁵ jiː¹³/

The Master said, "If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening without regret."

子曰：「朝聞道，夕死可矣。[[#Chinese|]]

if in the morning I were to gain knowledge of the correct path in life, I would be able to die at sunset without regrets


no pain, no gain

Came into prominence around 1982 through the American actress Jane Fonda's aerobic workout videos.

One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort in order to achieve worthwhile goals.

discomfort is necessary to achieve goals

مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعُلَى سَهِرَ اللَّيَالِي (man ṭalaba l-ʕulā sahira l-layālī, literally “who wants to reach the heights, stays awake at nights”)

man jadda wajada waman zaraʕa ḥaṣada waman sāra ʕalā d-darbi waṣala

مَنْ جَدَّ وَجَدَ وَمَنْ زَرَعَ حَصَدَ وَمَنْ سَارَ عَلَى ٱلدَّرْبِ وَصَلَ

কষ্ট না করলে কেষ্ট মিলে না (kośṭo na korle keśṭo mile na, literally “if one doesn’t go through trials, he/she cannot meet his/her Lord (Krishna)”)

без мъка няма сполука (bez mǎka njama spoluka, literally “without effort there is no success”)

不入虎穴，焉得虎子 (bú rù hǔxué, yāndé hǔzǐ, literally “if you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you get the tiger's cub?”)

τα αγαθά κόποις κτώνται (ta agathá kópois któntai, literally “good things come after works”)

τα καλά κόποις κτώνται (ta kalá kópois któntai, literally “good things come after works”)

berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian

苦は楽の種 (くはらくのたね, ku wa raku no tane, literally “cares are the seeds of ease”)

虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず (こけつにいらずんばこじをえず, koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu, literally “if you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you get the tiger's cub?”)

불입호혈 부득호자 (buriphohyeol budeukhoja, literally “if you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you get the tiger's cub?”)

호혈호자 (hohyeolhoja, literally “if you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you get the tiger's cub?”)

kalau tidak dipecahkan ruyung, manakan dapat sagunya

tchi s'tcheint à la preunmié broque né tchèrra janmais d'bein haut

هر که طاووس خواهد جور هندوستان کشد (har ke tâvus xâhad jowr-e hendustân kešad, literally “Whoever wants a peacock shall suffer the torments of India”)

kto ma ręce do pracy, ten się naje kołaczy

без труда́ не вы́тащишь и ры́бку из пруда́ (bez trudá ne výtaščišʹ i rýbku iz prudá, literally “without effort you cannot even pull a fish from the pond”)

терпи́ каза́к, атама́ном бу́дешь (terpí kazák, atamánom búdešʹ, literally “bear this, Cossack, and you’ll be an ataman”)

кто не риску́ет, тот не пьёт шампа́нское (kto ne riskújet, tot ne pʹjot šampánskoje, literally “who doesn't risk, doesn't drink champagne”) лес ру́бят — ще́пки летя́т (les rúbjat — ščépki letját, literally “once the wood is cut, the chips fly”)

без труда́ не вы́тянешь и ры́бку из пруда́ (bez trudá ne výtjanešʹ i rýbku iz prudá, literally “you will not catch a fish out of pond without labor”)

без труда́ не вы́ловишь и ры́бку из пруда́ (bez trudá ne výlovišʹ i rýbku iz prudá, literally “you will not catch a fish out of pond without labor”)

нет бо́ли, нет побе́д (net bóli, net pobéd, literally “no pain, no gain”)

кто не се́ет, тот не жнёт (kto ne séjet, tot ne žnjot, literally “who doesn't seed, doesn't reap”)

любишь кататься, люби и саночки возить (ljubišʹ katatʹsja, ljubi i sanočki vozitʹ, literally “if you like to ride, you like to pull a sled”)

am fear nach dèan cur rè latha fuar, cha dèan e buain rè latha teth

gheibh cearc an sgrìobain rudeigin, chan fhaigh cearc a' chrùbain dad idir

bonnach air bois, cha bhruich e is cha loisg

el que quiera peces, que se moje el culo

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs


head

сосе́дняя о́чередь всегда́ дви́жется быстре́е • (sosédnjaja óčeredʹ vsegdá dvížetsja bystréje)

[sɐˈsʲedʲnʲɪjə ˈot͡ɕɪrʲɪtʲ fsʲɪɡˈda ˈdvʲiʐɨt͡sə bɨˈstrʲeje]

Literally, “the other queue always moves faster”.

lit

соседняя очередь всегда движется быстрее

the grass is always greener on the other side

en-соседняя_очередь_всегда_движется_быстрее-ru-proverb-~0KMObTc


head

за двумя́ за́йцами пого́нишься, ни одного́ не пойма́ешь • (za dvumjá zájcami pogónišʹsja, ni odnovó ne pojmáješʹ)

за двумя́ за́йцами пого́нишься (canonical)
ни одного́ не пойма́ешь (canonical)
za dvumjá zájcami pogónišʹsja (romanization)
ni odnovó ne pojmáješʹ (romanization)

[zə‿dvʊˈmʲa ˈzajt͡səmʲɪ pɐˈɡonʲɪʂsʲə | nʲɪ‿ədnɐˈvo nʲɪ‿pɐjˈma(j)ɪʂ]

Literally, “if you chase after two hares, you will not catch even one”.

lit

за двумя зайцами погонишься, ни одного не поймаешь

не сули́ журавля́ в не́бе, дай сини́цу в ру́ки

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; grasp all, lose all

en-за_двумя_зайцами_погонишься,_ни_одного_не_поймаешь-ru-proverb-eTdjxtKg


傻人有傻福

ㄕㄚˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄕㄚˇ ㄈㄨˊ

shǎ rén yǒu shǎ fú [Phonetic:shǎrényóushǎfú]

ша жэнь ю ша фу

/ʂä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂä²¹⁴⁻²¹ fu³⁵/

/sɔː²¹ jɐn²¹ jɐu̯¹³ sɔː²¹ fʊk̚⁵/

/sɔː²¹ jɐn²¹ jɐu̯¹³ sɔː²¹ fʊk̚⁵/


媳婦熬成婆

Adaughter-in-law who suffers will one day become a mother-in-law.

ㄒㄧˊ ㄈㄨˋ ㄠˊ ㄔㄥˊ ㄆㄛˊ

сифу ао чэн по

/ɕi³⁵ fu⁵¹ ˀɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ pʰu̯ɔ³⁵/

/ɕi³⁵ fu⁵¹ ˀɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ pʰu̯ɔ³⁵/

What goes around comes around
what goes around comes around

Those who suffer, will one day get their chance; What goes around comes around.


愛之欲其生，惡之欲其死

ㄞˋ ㄓ ㄩˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄕㄥ

ㄨˋ ㄓ ㄩˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄙˇ

oi³ zi¹ juk⁶ kei⁴ sang¹, wu³ zi¹ juk⁶ kei⁴ sei²

ai⁴ chih¹ yü⁴ chʻi² shêng¹, wu⁴ chih¹ yü⁴ chʻi² ssŭ³

ay jy yuh chyi sheng, wuh jy yuh chyi syy

ай чжи юй ци шэн

у чжи юй ци сы

/ˀaɪ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ y⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ u⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ y⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

oi jī yuhk kèih sāng, wu jī yuhk kèih séi

oi³ dzi¹ juk⁹ kei⁴ sang¹, wu³ dzi¹ juk⁹ kei⁴ sei²

oi³ ji¹ yug⁶ kéi⁴ seng¹, wu³ ji¹ yug⁶ kéi⁴ séi²

/ɔːi̯³³ t͡siː⁵⁵ jʊk̚² kʰei̯²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵ wuː³³ t͡siː⁵⁵ jʊk̚² kʰei̯²¹ sei̯³⁵/

You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion.

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

Ài zhī yù qí shēng, è zhī yù qí sǐ, jì yù qí shēng, yòu yù qí sǐ, shì huò yě.

愛之欲其生，惡之欲其死，既欲其生，又欲其死，是惑也。

爱之欲其生，恶之欲其死，既欲其生，又欲其死，是惑也。

If you love somebody, you want them to live forever, but if you hate somebody, you want them dead.


萬變不離其宗

ㄨㄢˋ ㄅㄧㄢˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧˊ ㄑㄧˊ ㄗㄨㄥ

вань бянь бу ли ци цзун

/wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ li³⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵/

/maːn²² piːn²² pɐt̚⁵ lei̯²¹ kʰei̯²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵/

No matter how much something changes, it will still retain its essence.


萬惡淫為首

ㄨㄢˋ ㄜˋ ㄧㄣˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄕㄡˇ

ваньэ инь вэйшоу

/wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ˀɤ⁵¹ in³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/maːn²² ɔːk̚³ jɐm²¹ wɐi̯²¹ sɐu̯³⁵/

/maːn²² ɔːk̚³ jɐm²¹ wɐi̯²¹ sɐu̯³⁵/

Of all bad traits, licentiousness is the worst.


當局者迷，旁觀者清

ㄉㄤ ㄐㄩˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄇㄧˊ

ㄆㄤˊ ㄍㄨㄢ ㄓㄜˇ ㄑㄧㄥ

dong¹ guk⁶ ze² mai⁴, pong⁴ gun¹ ze² cing¹

данцзюйчжэ ми

пангуаньчжэ цин

/tɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕy³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ mi³⁵ pʰɑŋ³⁵ ku̯än⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵/

dong¹ guk⁹ dze² mai⁴, pong⁴ gun¹ dze² tsing¹

dong¹ gug⁶ zé² mei⁴, pong⁴ gun¹ zé² qing¹

/tɔːŋ⁵⁵ kʊk̚² t͡sɛː³⁵ mɐi̯²¹ pʰɔːŋ²¹ kuːn⁵⁵ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵/

Those involved in the matter are easily blinded to the truth, and those not involved can see things clearly.

Lookers-on see most of the game
lookers-on see most of the game


萬事起頭難

ㄨㄢˋ ㄕˋ ㄑㄧˇ ㄊㄡˊ ㄋㄢˊ

ваньши цитоу нань

/wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ nän³⁵/

/maːn²² siː²² hei̯³⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ naːn²¹/

/ʋan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ hi³¹ tʰeu¹¹ nan¹¹/

/ban³³⁻²¹ su³³ kʰi⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tʰau²³⁻³³ lan²³/

/ban³³⁻¹¹ su³³ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰau²⁴⁻¹¹ lan²⁴/

/ban²²⁻²¹ su²² kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰau²⁴⁻²² lan²⁴/

/ban²²⁻²¹ su²² kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰau¹³⁻²² lan¹³/

/ban⁴¹⁻²² sɯ⁴¹ kʰi⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tʰau²⁴⁻²² lan²⁴/

/maːn²² siː²² hei̯³⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ naːn²¹/

/ʋan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ hi³¹ tʰeu¹¹ nan¹¹/

getting started is always the hardest part


萬事起頭難

vạn sự khởi đầu nan
vạn sự khởi đầu nan#Vietnamese

chữ Hán form of vạn sự khởi đầu nan (“getting started is always the hardest part”).


time flies when you're having fun

"Time flies when you're having fun!" said one of the skiers in our party. "Yeah, but time's more fun when you're flying," Jay one-upped.

1991, Ski, volume 56, number 3, page 102:

Time seems to pass more quickly when one is enjoying oneself.

il tempo vola quando ci si diverte

time seems to pass more quickly when enjoying oneself

신선놀음에 도낏자루 썩는 줄 모른다 (sinseonnoreum-e dokkitjaru sseongneun jul moreunda, literally “Caught up in the Daoist immortals' game [of Go], you forget that the handle of your hatchet is rotting”)


好心沒好報

ㄏㄠˇ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄇㄟˊ ㄏㄠˇ ㄅㄠˋ

хаосинь мэй хаобао

/xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕin⁵⁵ meɪ̯³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pɑʊ̯⁵¹/

no good deed goes unpunished
no good deed goes unpunished

no good deed goes unpunished; those who help often end up being resented by those whom they help


話不說不明

ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄨㄛ ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

хуа бу шо бумин

/xu̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵/

/xu̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ miŋ³⁵/

people won't understand you unless you explain things clearly


話不投機半句多

ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄊㄡˊ ㄐㄧ ㄅㄢˋ ㄐㄩˋ ㄉㄨㄛ

хуабутоуцзи бань цзюй до

/xu̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ pän⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕy⁵¹ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵/

/waː²² pɐt̚⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ kei̯⁵⁵ puːn³³ kɵy̯³³ tɔː⁵⁵/

When the conversation is not congenial, to say even half a sentence is too much.


道高一尺，魔高一丈

As virtue rises one foot, vice rises ten

ㄇㄛˊ ㄍㄠ ㄧ ㄓㄤˋ

dou⁶ gou¹ jat¹ cek³, mo¹ gou¹ jat¹ zoeng⁶

mó gāo yī zhàng [Phonetic:dào gāo yì chǐ

дао гао и чи

мо гао и чжан

/tɑʊ̯⁵¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ mu̯ɔ³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹/

dou⁶ gou¹ jat⁷ tsek⁸, mo¹ gou¹ jat⁷ dzoeng⁶

dou⁶ gou¹ yed¹ cég³, mo¹ gou¹ yed¹ zêng⁶

/tou̯²² kou̯⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɛːk̚³ mɔː⁵⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ t͡sœːŋ²²/

The more illumination, the more temptation; People will always find an end-run around the rules.


道不同，不相為謀

ㄉㄠˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄊㄨㄥˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄤ ㄨㄟˊ ㄇㄡˊ

бу сян вэй моу

/tɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ tʰʊŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ moʊ̯³⁵/

/tou̯²² pɐt̚⁵ tʰʊŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ sœːŋ⁵⁵ wɐi̯²¹ mɐu̯²¹/

The Master said, "Those whose courses are different cannot lay plans for one another."

子曰：「道不同，不相為謀。」

子曰：「道不同，不相为谋。」

people of different aspirations or principles cannot get along together


the world is someone's oyster

/ðə ˈwɜːld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstə/

/ðə ˈwɜɹld‿ɪz ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈɔɪstəɹ/

From the version of the play The Merry Wives of Windsor published in the First Folio (1623) of the works of the English playwright William Shakespeare (baptized 1564; died 1616): see the quotation. The original context was that Ancient Pistol would use force to obtain a loan from Sir John Falstaff, like prising open an oyster with a sword to obtain a pearl.

nb...

A Most Pleasaunt and Excellent Conceited Comedie, of Syr Iohn Falstaffe, and

Entermixed with Sundrie Variable and Pleasing Humors, of Syr Hugh the Welch Knight, Iustice Shallow, and His Wife Cousin M. Slender. With the Swaggering Vaine of Auncient Pistoll, and Corporall Nym. By William Shakespeare. As It hath bene Diuers Times Acted by the Right Honorable My Lord Chamberlaines Seruants. Both before Her Maiestie, and Else-where.

and are to be sold at his shop in Powles Church-yard, at the signe of the Flower de Leuse and the Crowne.

Fal[staff]. I vvill not lend thee a penny. / Piſt[ol]. VVhy then the vvorld's mine Oyſter, vvhich I, vvith ſvvord vvill open.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], signature C2, verso:

But his wants were not at first great; and though his ambition was perhaps high, it was not of an impatient nature. The world was his oyster; but, circumstanced as he was, he knew it was not for him to open it with his lancet all at once.

1858, Anthony Trollope, “Dr. Thorne”, in Doctor Thorne. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 58:

Irregular gentlemen, to whom the world's their oyster,—said oyster does suddenly snap-to on them, by a chance.

1865, Thomas Carlyle, “Peace of Hubertsburg”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume VI, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book XX, page 328:

The world may be your oyster, but that doesn't mean you've found the pearl.

2008, Nick Clayton, “Introduction”, in The Guardian Guide to Working Abroad, London: A[dam] & C[harles] Black Publishers, →ISBN, page 15:

All opportunities are open to someone; the world is theirs.

Ancient Pistol
First Folio
The Merry Wives of Windsor
William Shakespeare

世界属于你 (shìjiè shǔyú nǐ, literally “the world is yours”)

све́тот е твој (svétot e tvoj, literally “the world is yours”)

сѐ е во тво́и ра́це (sè e vo tvói ráce, literally “everything is in your hands”)

весь мир к твои́м услу́гам (vesʹ mir k tvoím uslúgam, literally “the whole world is at your service”)

всё в твои́х рука́х (vsjo v tvoíx rukáx, literally “everything is in your hands”)

el mundo es tuyo, te vas a comer el mundo


արյունը ջուր չի դառնա

head

արյունը ջուր չի դառնա

արյունը ջուր չի դառնա • (aryunə ǰur čʻi daṙna)

/ɑˈɾjunə d͡ʒuɾ t͡ʃʰi dɑrˈnɑ/

[ɑɾjúnə d͡ʒuɾ t͡ʃʰi dɑrnɑ́]

/ɑˈɾʏnə t͡ʃuɾ t͡ʃi tɑrˈnɑ/

[ɑɾʏ́nə t͡ʃʰuɾ t͡ʃʰi tʰɑrnɑ́]

blood is thicker than water
blood is thicker than water

en-արյունը_ջուր_չի_դառնա-hy-proverb-86ku8o82


en-proverb

you never know what you've got till it's gone

take things for granted
take for granted

you never miss the water till the well runs dry

People tend to take things for granted while they are available.

people tend to take things for granted while they are available

что име́ем — не храни́м, потеря́вши — пла́чем (što iméjem — ne xraním, poterjávši — pláčem, literally “we don't care about things we have, but bewail having lost them”)


飽暖思淫慾

ㄅㄠˇ ㄋㄨㄢˇ ㄙ ㄧㄣˊ ㄩˋ

bǎonuǎn sī yínyù [Phonetic:báonuǎnsīyínyù]

баонуань сы иньюй

/pɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ nu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ in³⁵ y⁵¹/

/paːu̯³⁵ nyːn¹³ siː⁵⁵ jɐm²¹ jʊk̚²/

/pɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ nu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ in³⁵ y⁵¹/

/paːu̯³⁵ nyːn¹³ siː⁵⁵ jɐm²¹ jʊk̚²/

If one is warm and well fed, one will think about lust.


疑心生暗鬼

ㄧˊ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄕㄥ ㄢˋ ㄍㄨㄟˇ

исинь шэн ань гуй

/i³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ˀän⁵¹ ku̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jiː²¹ sɐm⁵⁵ saːŋ⁵⁵ ɐm³³ kʷɐi̯³⁵/

/i³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ˀän⁵¹ ku̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jiː²¹ sɐm⁵⁵ saːŋ⁵⁵ ɐm³³ kʷɐi̯³⁵/

suspicions create imaginary fears; a suspicious heart will see imaginary ghosts; fear takes molehills for mountains


聞名不如見面

ㄨㄣˊ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄇㄧㄢˋ

вэньмин бужу цзяньмянь

/wən³⁵ miŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ mi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/mɐn²¹ mɪŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jyː²¹ kiːn³³ miːn²²/

/mɐn²¹ mɪŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ jyː²¹ kiːn³³ miːn²²/

to know someone by reputation is not as good as meeting face to face


與人方便，自己方便

ㄩˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄈㄤ ㄅㄧㄢˋ

ㄗˋ ㄐㄧˇ ㄈㄤ ㄅㄧㄢˋ

юй жэнь фанбянь

цзыцзи фанбянь

/y²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵ pi̯ɛn⁵¹/

If you make things easy for others, others will make things easy for you.


憂道不憂貧

ㄧㄡ ㄉㄠˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄡ ㄆㄧㄣˊ

ю дао бу ю пинь

/joʊ̯⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ joʊ̯⁵⁵ pʰin³⁵/

/joʊ̯⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ joʊ̯⁵⁵ pʰin³⁵/

The Master said, "The object of the superior man is truth. Food is not his object. There is plowing ― even in that there is sometimes want. So with learning ― emolument may be found in it. The superior man is anxious lest he should not get truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him."

Zǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ móu dào bù móu shí. Gēng yě, něi zài qízhōng yǐ; xué yě, lù zài qízhōng yǐ. Jūnzǐ yōu dào bù yōu pín.”

子曰：「君子謀道不謀食。耕也，餒在其中矣；學也，祿在其中矣。君子憂道不憂貧。」

子曰：「君子谋道不谋食。耕也，馁在其中矣；学也，禄在其中矣。君子忧道不忧贫。」

Worry about seeking the proper path, do not worry about being poor.


請神容易送神難

It's easy to invite a god, but not so easy to get rid of a god.

ㄑㄧㄥˇ ㄕㄣˊ ㄖㄨㄥˊ ㄧˋ ㄙㄨㄥˋ ㄕㄣˊ ㄋㄢˊ

цин шэнь жунъи сун шэнь нань

/t͡ɕʰiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən³⁵ ʐʊŋ³⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ sʊŋ⁵¹ ʂən³⁵ nän³⁵/

It is easy to invite some people to come and help you but difficult to get them to leave afterwards.


學而優則仕

ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄦˊ ㄧㄡ ㄗㄜˊ ㄕˋ

сюэ эр ю цзэ ши

/ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ joʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/hɔːk̚² jiː²¹ jɐu̯⁵⁵ t͡sɐk̚⁵ siː²²/

/ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ joʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/hɔːk̚² jiː²¹ jɐu̯⁵⁵ t͡sɐk̚⁵ siː²²/

Zixia said, "The officer, having discharged all his duties, should devote his leisure to learning. The student, having completed his learning, should apply himself to be an officer."

Zǐxià yuē: ‘Shì ér yōu zé xué, xué ér yōu zé shì.’

子夏曰：『仕而優則學，學而優則仕。』

子夏曰：『仕而优则学，学而优则仕。』

The student, having completed his studies, should enter into government service.


樹欲靜而風不止

ㄕㄨˋ ㄩˋ ㄐㄧㄥˋ ㄦˊ ㄈㄥ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓˇ

шу юй цзин эр фэн бу чжи

/ʂu⁵¹⁻⁵³ y⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

Literally: The tree may prefer calm but the wind keeps blowing.

The objective laws often go counter to man's desires.


樹倒猢猻散

ㄕㄨˋ ㄉㄠˇ ㄏㄨˊ ㄙㄨㄣ ㄙㄢˋ

шу дао хусунь сань

/ʂu⁵¹ tɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu³⁵ su̯ən⁵⁵ sän⁵¹/

/syː²² tou̯³⁵ wuː²¹ syːn⁵⁵ saːn³³/

/ʂu⁵¹ tɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu³⁵ su̯ən⁵⁵ sän⁵¹/

/syː²² tou̯³⁵ wuː²¹ syːn⁵⁵ saːn³³/

(figurative) When a leader loses power, his/her followers disperse.


機不可失，時不再來

ㄐㄧ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄕ

ㄕˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄌㄞˊ

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ laɪ̯³⁵/

/kei̯⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ sɐt̚⁵ siː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ t͡sɔːi̯³³ lɔːi̯²¹/

Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
opportunity seldom knocks twice


親者痛，仇者快

ㄑㄧㄣ ㄓㄜˇ ㄊㄨㄥˋ

ㄔㄡˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄎㄨㄞˋ

цинь чжэ тун

чоу чжэ куай

/t͡ɕʰin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰʊŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʰu̯aɪ̯⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɐn⁵⁵ t͡sɛː³⁵ tʰʊŋ³³ sɐu̯²¹ t͡sɛː³⁵ faːi̯³³/

That which brings pain to one's friends and brings joy to one's enemies (should not be done).


聰明一世，糊塗一時

ㄘㄨㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄧ ㄕˋ

ㄏㄨˊ ㄊㄨˊ ㄧ ㄕˊ

cung¹ ming⁴ jat¹ sai³, wu⁴ tou⁴ jat¹ si⁴

cōngmíng yīshì, hútú yīshí [Phonetic:cōngmíng yíshì, hútú yìshí]

cōngmíng yīshì, hútuyīshí (toneless variant)

ㄘㄨㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄧ ㄕˋ , ㄏㄨˊ ㄊㄨˊ ㄧ ㄕˊ

ㄘㄨㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄧ ㄕˋ , ㄏㄨˊ ˙ㄊㄨ ㄧ ㄕˊ (toneless variant)

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ xu³⁵ tʰu³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ i⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ xu³⁵ tʰu³ i⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

tsung¹ ming⁴ jat⁷ sai³, wu⁴ tou⁴ jat⁷ si⁴

cung¹ ming⁴ yed¹ sei³, wu⁴ tou⁴ yed¹ xi⁴

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚⁵ sɐi̯³³ wuː²¹ tʰou̯²¹ jɐt̚⁵ siː²¹/

even smart people can have a momentary lapse in judgement; even Homer nods


聰明反被聰明誤

ㄘㄨㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄈㄢˇ ㄅㄟˋ ㄘㄨㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄨˋ

tsʻung¹-ming² fan³ pei⁴ tsʻung¹-ming² wu⁴

цунмин фань бэй цунмин у

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ fän²¹⁴⁻²¹ peɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ u⁵¹/

tsung¹ ming⁴ faan² bei⁶ tsung¹ ming⁴ ng⁶

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ faːn³⁵ pei̯²² t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ ŋ̍²²/

Cleverness may overreach itself; A wise man can be ruined by his own wisdom; Clever people may be victims of their own cleverness; Every man has a fool in his sleeve.


舉頭三尺有神明

There are gods three feet above your head

ㄐㄩˇ ㄊㄡˊ ㄙㄢ ㄔˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄕㄣˊ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

jǔtóu sān chǐ yǒu shénmíng [Phonetic:jǔtóusānchíyǒushénmíng]

цзюйтоу сань чи ю шэньмин

/t͡ɕy²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ sän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən³⁵ miŋ³⁵/

/kɵy̯³⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ saːm⁵⁵ t͡sʰɛːk̚³ jɐu̯¹³ sɐn²¹ mɪŋ²¹/

The gods are watching, so don't think you can get away with anything.


禮之用，和為貴

ㄏㄜˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄍㄨㄟˋ

/li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ jʊŋ⁵¹ xɤ³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

The philosopher You said, "In practicing the rules of propriety, a natural ease is to be prized. In the ways prescribed by the ancient kings, this is the excellent quality, and in things small and great we follow them. Yet it is not to be observed in all cases. If one, knowing how such ease should be prized, manifests it, without regulating it by the rules of propriety, this likewise is not to be done."

Yǒuzǐ yuē: “Lǐ zhī yòng, hé wéi guì. Xiānwáng zhī dào sī wéi měi, xiǎo dà yóu zhī. Yǒu suǒ bù xíng, zhī hé ér hé, bù yǐ lǐ jié zhī, yì bùkě xíng yě.”

有子曰：「禮之用，和為貴。先王之道斯為美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以禮節之，亦不可行也。」

有子曰：「礼之用，和为贵。先王之道斯为美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以礼节之，亦不可行也。」

In carrying out the rules of propriety, ease of manner is to be prized.


讀萬卷書，行萬里路

ㄉㄨˊ ㄨㄢˋ ㄐㄩㄢˋ ㄕㄨ

ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄨㄢˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄌㄨˋ

duk⁶ maan⁶ gyun² syu¹, haang⁴ maan⁶ lei⁵ lou⁶

tu² wan⁴ chüan⁴ shu¹, hsing² wan⁴ li³ lu⁴

ду вань цзюань шу

син вань ли лу

/tu³⁵ wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕy̯ɛn⁵¹ ʂu⁵⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵ wän⁵¹ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu⁵¹/

duhk maahn gyún syū, hàahng maahn léih louh

duk⁹ maan⁶ gyn² sy¹, haang⁴ maan⁶ lei⁵ lou⁶

dug⁶ man⁶ gün² xu¹, hang⁴ man⁶ léi⁵ lou⁶

/tʊk̚² maːn²² kyːn³⁵ syː⁵⁵ haːŋ²¹ maːn²² lei̯¹³ lou̯²²/

In order to attain wisdom, it is not enough merely to read books, you must be well-travelled as well.


that's how the cookie crumbles

that's the way the cookie crumbles#English

Alternative form of that's the way the cookie crumbles.


money doesn't grow on trees

Perhaps it was a Scotsman who, in response to an idea for lavish expenditure, first said "Money doesn't grow on trees".

1943, William Budington Duryee, Farming for security, page 187:

Today's money worries certainly should make it easier for parents to teach their children that money doesn't grow on trees.

1975, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, page 39:

Money doesn't grow on trees — and even the paper for money isn't made of wood!

2005, Kathie Rechkemmer, I Want to Teach My Child about Money, page 28:

Wealth cannot be obtained without some effort; hence currency is not always available for a prospective purchase.

اَلْسَمَاء لَا تُمْطِرُ ذَهَبًا وَلَا فِضَّة (al-samāʔ lā tumṭiru ḏahaban walā fiḍḍa, literally “the sky doesn't rain gold or silver”)

땅을 파봐라, 돈이 나오나 (ttang'eul pabwara, doni naona, literally “try digging in the earth and see if you can find money”)

де́ньги с не́ба не па́дают (dénʹgi s néba ne pádajut, literally “money doesn't fall from the sky”)


工欲善其事，必先利其器

ㄍㄨㄥ ㄩˋ ㄕㄢˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄕˋ

ㄅㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄑㄧˋ

gung¹ juk⁶ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit¹ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³

kung¹ yü⁴ shan⁴ chʻi² shih⁴, pi⁴ hsien¹ li⁴ chʻi² chʻi⁴

gūng yù shàn chí shr̀-, bì syān lì chí chì

gong yuh shann chyi shyh, bih shian lih chyi chih

гун юй шань ци ши

би сянь ли ци ци

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ y⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/

gūng yuhk sihn kèih sih, bīt sīn leih kèih hei

gung¹ juk⁹ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit⁷ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³

gung¹ yug⁶ xin⁶ kéi⁴ xi⁶, bid¹ xin¹ léi⁶ kéi⁴ héi³

/kʊŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚² siːn²² kʰei̯²¹ siː²² piːt̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ lei̯²² kʰei̯²¹ hei̯³³/

Zigong asked about the practice of virtue.
The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars."

Zǐgòng wèn wéi rén. Zǐ yuē: “Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì. Jū shì bāng yě, shì qí dàfū zhī xián zhě, yǒu qí shì zhī rén zhě.”

子貢問為仁。子曰：「工欲善其事，必先利其器。居是邦也，事其大夫之賢者，友其士之仁者。」

子贡问为仁。子曰：「工欲善其事，必先利其器。居是邦也，事其大夫之贤者，友其士之仁者。」

If a workman wishes to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools.

One must have good tools in order to do a good job.


三人成虎

→ Japanese: 三人虎を成す

ㄙㄢ ㄖㄣˊ ㄔㄥˊ ㄏㄨˇ

саньжэньчэнху

/sän⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/saːm⁵⁵ jɐn²¹ sɪŋ²¹ fuː³⁵/

/sän⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/saːm⁵⁵ jɐn²¹ sɪŋ²¹ fuː³⁵/

Pang Cong (the minister to the king of Wei) and the crown prince were to become hostages at Handan. He asked the king of Wei, "Now if one person said that there was a tiger in the market, would Your Majesty believe it?" The king said, "No." "If two people said that there was a tiger in the market, would Your Majesty believe it?" The king responded, "I would be suspicious about it." "If three people said that there was a tiger in the market, would Your Majesty believe it?" The king replied, "I would believe it." Pang Cong said, "Though it is clear that there is no tiger in the market, nevertheless three people saying so produces the tiger. Now then, Handan is further away from Daliang (the capital of Wei) than the market, and the number of people that will slander me will be more than three. I hope that Your Majesty sees that!" The king said, "I already know." Thus, he bid the king farewell, but the slander had already started. Later on, the crown prince was released, but Pang Cong was not granted an audience the king.

Zhanguo Ce, circa 5ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ centuries BCE

Páng Cōng yǔ tàizǐ zhì yú Hándān, wèi Wèi wáng yuē: “Jīn yī rén yán shì yǒu hǔ, wáng xìn zhī hū?” Wáng yuē: “Fǒu.” “èr rén yán shì yǒu hǔ, wáng xìn zhī hū?” Wáng yuē: “Guǎrén yí zhī yǐ.” “sān rén yán shì yǒu hǔ, wáng xìn zhī hū?” Wáng yuē: “Guǎrén xìn zhī yǐ.” Páng Cōng yuē: “Fú shì zhī wú hǔ míng yǐ, rán'ér sānrén yán ér chénghǔ. Jīn Hándān qù Dàliáng yě yuǎn yú shì, ér yì chén zhě guò yú sān rén yǐ. Yuàn wáng chá zhī yǐ.” Wáng yuē: “Guǎrén zì wéi zhī.” Yúshì cíxíng, ér chányán xiān zhì. Hòu tàizǐ bà zhì, guǒ bùdé jiàn.

龐葱與太子質於邯鄲，謂魏王曰：「今一人言市有虎，王信之乎？」王曰：「否。」「二人言市有虎，王信之乎？」王曰：「寡人疑之矣。」「三人言市有虎，王信之乎？」王曰：「寡人信之矣。」龐葱曰：「夫市之無虎明矣，然而三人言而成虎。今邯鄲去大梁也遠於市，而議臣者過於三人矣。願王察之矣。」王曰：「寡人自為知。」於是辭行，而讒言先至。後太子罷質，果不得見。

庞葱与太子质于邯郸，谓魏王曰：「今一人言市有虎，王信之乎？」王曰：「否。」「二人言市有虎，王信之乎？」王曰：「寡人疑之矣。」「三人言市有虎，王信之乎？」王曰：「寡人信之矣。」庞葱曰：「夫市之无虎明矣，然而三人言而成虎。今邯郸去大梁也远于市，而议臣者过于三人矣。愿王察之矣。」王曰：「寡人自为知。」于是辞行，而谗言先至。后太子罢质，果不得见。

What you are told three times is true. If something is repeated by many individuals, it will be accepted as truth.


proverbs hunt in pairs

proverbs run in pairs
proverbs run in pairs#English

Alternative form of proverbs run in pairs


head

Possibly based on a technique of building wattle and daub walls by throwing daub (mud mixed with straw) at the wattle, throwing hard enough that some obtained a good key and remained in place; compare slapdash, a pebbledash effect produced by throwing pebbles at a rendered wall. The second sense is probably influenced by throw dirt enough, and some will stick.

throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick

2001, And still no one is shouting stop. read in The Kingdom archives at https://web.archive.org/web/20060117103951/http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2001/01/19/story7064.asp on 02 Nov 06,
Many team managers are of the philosophy that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. They believe that team preparation is all about physical fitness. They run the players into the ground and they believe they will be "flying on the day".

2001, Robert McCrum, Let them eat cake, in The Observer 16 Dec 01, read on Guardian Unlimited site at http://books.guardian.co.uk/critics/reviews/0,5917,619266,00.html on 02 Nov 06,
Australian publishing boomed and in the past 10 years the country's literary culture has undergone a mini golden age, capped by Carey's triumph at the 2001 Booker Prize. As one Australian arts administrator said to me many years ago: 'Listen, mate, if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.'

2001, Chris Collin, Re: 2-cp speys on The Strathspey Server mailing list archive at https://web.archive.org/web/20071031152521/http://www.strathspey.org/archive/msg?m=28513 on 02 Nov 06,
I am finding that "if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick". It doesn't always work of course (especially on the nights when the class is mostly the beginners), but the class seems to thrive on the challange.

2005, Ray Craft (poster on The right scale blog), Fitzhooie and his Burden, read at http://dickmcdonald.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_dickmcdonald_archive.html on 02 Nov 06,
Prosecutors everywhere have bad habits of overcharging lots of cases, knowing that if the throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.

2005, Sean Kelleher, Spike Milligan: His part in our downfall in Business 07 Aug 05, read at http://www.financial-partners.biz/web/web/Mondial070805.pdf on 02 Nov 06,
As long as there is negligible regulation and enforcement anyone can actually try and do the job...Weak regulation allows the industry to build strategies on full time recruitment. The theory goes: throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.

c2005, Everything You've Learned About Marketing Is Wrong, read on LINC Performance website at http://www.lincperformance.com/newsletters/newsletter/1098105/13140.htm on 02 Nov 06,
They have the money to continue to believe in the repetition side of the equation. You throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick. But it still isn’t the way to maximize your return.

c2005, on talent website read at https://web.archive.org/web/20060813131721/http://talentmc.co.uk/index.aspx?page=talented on 02 Nov 06,
Dancing dollar bill syndrome, where candidates are picked up and dropped like hot potatoes, and sold into interviews, is common. If you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick, and this is the approach of many recruitment agencies.

2006, "marieclaire66" (poster on Blogit), Just a quick hello!, in Comments on Keep Paddling Until You See The Truth, read at http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Comments.aspx/411956#c1677337 on 02 Nov 06,
I admire your perseverance. If you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick eventually, paddling would sound more fun than throwing mud, however...anyway all the best.

2006, Ashley Latter, March 2006 -- Tips and ideas to improve your sales, read at http://www.thesellingcoach.com/pdfs/2006_march_sales.pdf on 02 Nov 06,
There used to be a saying that if you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick. Be enthusiastic and you will always sell.

To attempt the same strategy or technique (or similar ones) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.

1997, Brent St. Denis, speaking in the Canadian House of Commons, read in Hansard at https://web.archive.org/web/20071104044633/http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=2332720&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=36&Ses=1 on 02 Nov 06,
They go on and on about the CPP increase being a tax. If we throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick....How can they unfavourably compare that to 9% plus is beyond my comprehension.

2004, "bashos_frog" (poster on MetaFilter community weblog), re: Oh, You Mean Those Records read at http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/34530 on 02 Nov 06,
The Clinton years proved that if you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.

2004, Steve Story, The Fall: The Cause sermon at Windy City Community Church on 14 Nov 04, read at https://web.archive.org/web/20070214001349/http://www.windycitycommunitychurch.org/sermons/html/nov14.04.html on 02 Nov 06,
It doesn’t matter that the bulk of the charges are distortions of what is real. If you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick.

2006, The Goldfish (poster on bloggingmone blog), re: "A Hero in Slippers" or: "Don't Go Outside When It Is Raining Ribbons", read at https://web.archive.org/web/20070520163355/http://bloggingmone.blogspot.com/2006/08/hero-in-slippers-or-dont-go-outside.html on 02 Nov 06,
Perhaps If you stuff both of them into a sack and beat on it, you'll always hit the right one! is a bit like our "If you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick." If you attack something enough, then something is bound to take effect (although the mud and the wall one is generally about a person's reputation).

If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against a person (or an organization), their reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved.

calumnia, que algo queda

If enough accusations are made, reputation will suffer


throw dirt enough, and some will stick

This proverb dates from c1650, and was popularised by Voltaire [François-Marie Arouet] in the 18th century.

1759, John Wesley, letter to John Downes, Rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street, read at Wesley Center Online at https://web.archive.org/web/20060903061313/http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/letters/1766.htm on 14 Oct 06.
I hope...that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold only because you are blind...And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.'

1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays, read at fullbooks.com on 14 Oct 06,
But whatever harm a spiteful tongue could do them, he took care should be done. Only throw dirt enough, and some will stick.

Archbishop Whately used to say ‘Throw dirt enough, and some will stick;' well, will stick, but not, will stain. I think he used to mean ‘stain,' and I do not agree with him.

1864, John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Penguin Classics, published 1994, page 10:

If enough allegations are made about someone or something, then even if they are all untrue, people's opinion of the person or thing will be diminished.


上有天堂，下有蘇杭

ㄕㄤˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄊㄤˊ

ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄙㄨ ㄏㄤˊ

soeng⁶ jau⁵ tin¹ tong⁴, haa⁶ jau⁵ sou¹ hong⁴

⁶zaon ⁶yeu ¹thi-daon ⁶gho ⁶yeu ¹su-ghaon

шан ю тяньтан

/ʂɑŋ⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tʰɑŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ su⁵⁵ xɑŋ³⁵/

seuhng yáuh tīn tòhng, hah yáuh sōu hòhng

sêng⁶ yeo⁵ tin¹ tong⁴, ha⁶ yeo⁵ sou¹ hong⁴

/sœːŋ²² jɐu̯¹³ tʰiːn⁵⁵ tʰɔːŋ²¹ haː²² jɐu̯¹³ sou̯⁵⁵ hɔːŋ²¹/

zaon^去 yeu^去 thi^平 daon gho^去 yeu^去 su^平 ghaon

³zaan ³hhieu ¹thi-daan ³hho ³hhieu ¹su-hhaan

/zɑ̃³³ ɦiɤ²³ tʰi⁵⁵ dɑ̃²¹ ɦo³³ ɦiɤ²³ su⁵⁵ ɦɑ̃²¹/

There is heaven above, and there are Suzhou and Hangzhou below. This phrase praises the virtues of these two cities in Jiangsu and Zhejiang province, respectively.


蛙の子は蛙

ja-pos

かえる の こ は かえる

蛙(かえる)の子(こ)は蛙(かえる) • (kaeru no ko wa kaeru)

蛙の子は蛙 (canonical)
kaeru no ko wa kaeru (romanization)

Literally "The child of a frog is a frog".

A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.


head

vägen till helvetet är kantad av goda föresatser

The road to hell is paved with good intentions


nearly never bulled a cow

(Ireland) Near enough is not good enough.


time and tide

time and tide wait for no man
time and tide wait for no man

(shortened form) time and tide wait for no man


falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus

falsum in ūnō (canonical)
falsum in omnibus (canonical)

/ˈfal.sum in ˈuː.noː ˈfal.sum in ˈom.ni.bus/

[ˈfäɫ̪s̠ʊ̃ˑ ɪn ˈuːnoː ˈfäɫ̪s̠ʊ̃ˑ ɪn ˈɔmnɪbʊs̠]

/ˈfal.sum in ˈu.no ˈfal.sum in ˈom.ni.bus/


牛仔毋捌虎

牛仔不八虎
牛仔呣捌虎
牛仔伓別虎

/ɡu²⁴⁻²¹ a⁴² m̩²²⁻²¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁴²/

/ɡu²⁴⁻²² a⁵⁵⁴ m̩⁴¹⁻²² pat̚⁵⁻²⁴ hɔ⁵⁵⁴/

/ɡu²⁴⁻²² a⁵³ m̩²²⁻²¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁵³/

/ɡu²⁴⁻³³ a⁵³ m̩³³⁻¹¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁵³/

/ɡu²³⁻³³ a⁴¹ m̩³³⁻²¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁴¹/

/ɡu²⁴⁻³³ a⁵³ m̩³³⁻¹¹ bat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁵³/

/ɡu²³⁻³³ a⁴¹ m̩³³⁻²¹ bat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁴¹/

/ɡu¹³⁻²² a⁵³ m̩²²⁻²¹ bat̚³²⁻⁵ hɔ⁵³/

/ɡu²⁴⁻²¹ a⁴² m̩²²⁻²¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁴²/

/ɡu²⁴⁻²² a⁵⁵⁴ m̩⁴¹⁻²² pat̚⁵⁻²⁴ hɔ⁵⁵⁴/

/ɡu²⁴⁻²² a⁵³ m̩²²⁻²¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁵³/

/ɡu²⁴⁻³³ a⁵³ m̩³³⁻¹¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁵³/

/ɡu²³⁻³³ a⁴¹ m̩³³⁻²¹ pat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁴¹/

/ɡu²⁴⁻³³ a⁵³ m̩³³⁻¹¹ bat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁵³/

/ɡu²³⁻³³ a⁴¹ m̩³³⁻²¹ bat̚³²⁻⁴ hɔ⁴¹/

/ɡu¹³⁻²² a⁵³ m̩²²⁻²¹ bat̚³²⁻⁵ hɔ⁵³/

(Southern Min) a young person is often willing to take risks


Possibly based on a technique of building wattle and daub walls by throwing daub (mud mixed with straw) at the wattle, throwing hard enough that some obtained a good key and remained in place, (compare slapdash, a pebbledash effect produced by throwing pebbles at a rendered wall). Sense 2 is probably influenced by throw dirt enough, and some will stick.

2005, Mike Busson (poster on UKScreen forum) Re: Voiceovers!, read at http://www.ukscreen.com/board/General/0/28899 on 02 Nov 06,
In terms of places to send your URL or CD's, there's no easy answer. It really is a case of throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

2005, "forwardone" (administrator posting on the HYIPForum), re: Alertpay phishing email, read at https://web.archive.org/web/20071208195751/http://www.thehyipforum.com/message15022-alertpay-phishing-email.html on 02 Nov 06,
I also think that sometimes they send out phishing e-mails in the hope that it`ll hit people who do have an account with a particular organization. You know, throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick theory.

2006, Rob Manuel, How to be funny, read in Comedy Soup on the BBC website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/comedysoup/robmanuel on 02 Nov 06,
Throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick. Be prolific and don't be afraid to make stuff that's rubbish. If you keep trying eventually you'll get there.

2006, Rex Pierce, Re: [303rd-Talk] D Day read on 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum at http://seven.pairlist.net/pipermail/303rd-talk/2006-June/002689.html on 02 Nov 06,
Believe the planners worked on the principle of "throw enough mud at the wall, and some of it will stick".

Try the same thing (or similar things) often enough, and, even if the general standard is poor, sometimes one will be successful.

2006, "money" (poster on eTalk Money), Some thoughts about compact surfing, read at http://www.etalkmoney.com/category/closed-scam-folder/page/2/ on 02 Nov 06,
Word of advice NVUS time to distance yourself from LuukH as quickly as possible and dish some dirt, otherwise well the saying goes - throw enough mud at the wall and some of it will stick.

If enough (perhaps false or reckless) accusations are made against someone, his reputation will suffer, whether or not this is deserved


no smoke without fire

Gossip and accusations are often substantiated by fact.

if dah no so, dah naily so

gossip and accusations are often substantiated by fact

quan els gossos lladren, alguna cosa senten

nem zörög a haraszt, ha a szél nem fújja


finders, keepers

Whoever finds something is allowed to keep it.

من سبق لبق

whoever finds something is allowed to keep it

chi lo trova se lo tiene chi lo perde lo rimpiange

finner'n er vinner'n (finneren er vinneren)


necessity is the mother of invention

A person who is in great need of something will find a way to obtain it.

কাজ আটকালে বুদ্ধি জোগায়

কাজ আটকালে বুদ্ধি জোগায়

nød lærer nøgen kvinde at spinde

need teaches (a) naked woman how to spin

Notwendigkeit ist die Mutter der Erfindung


time heals all wounds

Traditional sentiment, in the form “time is the healer of all necessary evils” used by Greek dramatist Menander (c. 342–290 BCE).

“We quarrelled long ago, did we not, and many years have passed since we met, but Time heals all wounds and—welcome, son of my father. I need not ask if you are well,” and he glanced enviously at the great-framed man who knelt before him.

1910, H[enry] Rider Haggard, chapter II, in Morning Star:

시간은 모든 상처를 치료 해준다

siganeun modeun sangcheoreul chiryo haejunda

די צײַט איז דער בעסטער דאָקטער (di tsayt iz der bester dokter, literally “time is the best doctor”)


一分錢一分貨

ㄧ ㄈㄣ ㄑㄧㄢˊ ㄧ ㄈㄣ ㄏㄨㄛˋ

yī fēn qián yī fēn huò [Phonetic:yì fēn qián yì fēn huò]

и фэнь цянь и фэнь хо

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ fən⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ fən⁵⁵ xu̯ɔ⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ fɐn⁵⁵ t͡sʰiːn²¹ jɐt̚⁵ fɐn⁵⁵ fɔː³³/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² hun⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sĩ²³⁻³³ t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² hun⁴⁴⁻³³ hue²¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² hun⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sĩ²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² hun⁴⁴⁻³³ he¹¹/

you get what you pay for
you get what you pay for


большому кораблю большое плавание

большо́му кораблю́ большо́е пла́вание

большо́му кораблю́ большо́е пла́вание • (bolʹšómu korabljú bolʹšóje plávanije)

большо́му кораблю́ большо́е пла́вание (canonical)
bolʹšómu korabljú bolʹšóje plávanije (romanization)

[bɐlʲˈʂomʊ kərɐˈblʲu bɐlʲˈʂojə ˈpɫavənʲɪje]

en-большому_кораблю_большое_плавание-ru-proverb-F4xFT3n1


early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise

A person who goes to bed early and wakes up early will lead a more successful life.

使人健康、富裕和聪颖

zǎoshuìzǎoqǐ, shǐrén jiànkāng, fùyù hé cōngyǐng

early up and early to bed, that is healthy for a little boy

tidligt op og tidligt i seng, det er sundt for en lille dreng

Illan torkku, aamun virkku, se tapa talon pystyssä pitää

coucher de poule et lever de corbeau écartent l’homme du tombeau

tidur awal bangun awal, diri cergas dan cerdas

early sleep and early wake up, gives health and makes you grow

deitar cedo e cedo erguer dá saúde e faz crescer


a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

First appeared in Thomas Reid’s “Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man,” published in 1786; the full idiom “a chain is no stronger than its weakest link” was first printed in Cornhill Magazine in 1868.
Akin to the Basque proverb “Haria meheenean eten ohi da”, “A thread usually breaks where it is thinnest”.

An organization is only as strong or powerful as its weakest person. A group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member.

en kæde kun så stærk som det svageste led

de keten is zo sterk als haar zwakste schakel

ketju on vain niin vahva kuin sen heikoin lenkki

eine Kette ist nur so stark wie ihr schwächstes Glied

mia alysída eínai óso dynatí óso o pio adýnamós tis kríkos

μια αλυσίδα είναι όσο δυνατή όσο ο πιο αδύναμός της κρίκος

una catena è forte quanto il suo anello più debole

en kjede er aldri sterkere enn sitt svakeste ledd

ei kjede er aldri sterkare enn det svakaste ledd

uma corrente é tão forte quanto seu elo mais fraco

uma corrente é tão forte quanto o seu elo mais fraco

una cadena es tan fuerte como su eslabón más débil

en kedja är aldrig starkare än dess svagaste länk

a chain is as strong as its weakest link


chat échaudé craint l'eau froide

chat échaudé craint l’ eau froide (canonical)

Literally, “a scalded cat fears cold water”, i.e. it becomes overly cautious.

lit

once bitten, twice shy
once bitten, twice shy


fideli certa merces

“To the faithful there is certain reward”


в гостях хорошо, а дома лучше

head

в гостя́х хорошо́, а до́ма лу́чше

в гостя́х хорошо́, а до́ма лу́чше • (v gostjáx xorošó, a dóma lúčše)

в гостя́х хорошо́ (canonical)
а до́ма лу́чше (canonical)
v gostjáx xorošó (romanization)
a dóma lúčše (romanization)

[v‿ɡɐˈsʲtʲax xərɐˈʂo | ɐ‿ˈdomə ˈɫut͡ʂʂɨ]

Literally, “visiting is nice, but being home is better”.

lit

there's no place like home
there's no place like home

en-в_гостях_хорошо,_а_дома_лучше-ru-proverb-~H3GxVDE


níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin

there's no place like home; literally "there's no hearth like your own hearth"

níl aon tóin tinn mar do thóin tinn féin


empty vessels make the most sound

Talkative, opinionated people are often ignorant.

אִסְתְּרָא בְּלָגֵינָא קִישׁ קִישׁ קָרְיָא

半瓶水晃荡

mǎn píng shuǐ bù xiǎng, bàn píng shuǐ huàng dàng

c’est pas parce qu’on n’a rien à dire qu’il faut fermer sa gueule

la culture c’est comme la confiture : moins on en a plus on l’étale

niṟai kuṭam nīr taḷumpātu kuṟai kuṭam kūttāṭum

நிறை குடம் நீர் தளும்பாது குறை குடம் கூத்தாடும்

the nail that sticks out gets hammered down


en-proverb

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

Everybody's hustling for a buck and a dime / I'll scratch your back and you scratch mine

1974, “Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)”, in John Lennon (lyrics), Walls and Bridges, performed by John Lennon:

If you do me a favor then I will do you a favor; quid pro quo.

互惠互利

if you do me a favor then I will do you a favor

du klør meg på ryggen, og jeg klør deg på ryggen

ты — мне, я — тебе́ (ty — mne, ja — tebé, literally “you (give something) to me, I (give something) to you”)

рука́ ру́ку мо́ет (ruká rúku mójet, literally “one hand washes another”)

am fear a thèid san droigheann dhomh, thèid mi san dris dha


there's no time like the present

Near-synonyms: he who hesitates is lost, never put off until tomorrow what you can do today, procrastination is the thief of time

Now is an appropriate time to take a particular action.


a picture paints a thousand words

If a picture paints a thousand words
Then why can't I paint you;
The words will never show
The you I've come to know.

1971, David Gates (of Bread), If, from Manna album

Most human beings, no matter how familiar they are with abstract symbols, respond to voice and images better than written language. In other words, A picture paints a thousand words.

1989, Alan Kay, quoted in Kʻo-tung Huang, Timothy D. Huang, Introduction to Chinese, Japanese and Korean Computing, World Scientific, p. 9

See accompanying diagram: a picture paints a thousand words, and all that!

2006, Paul Shakespeare, Building a Dune Buggy: The Essential Manual, →ISBN, page 52:

a picture is worth a thousand words#English

Alternative form of a picture is worth a thousand words


love is blind

A person who is in love can see no faults or imperfections in the person whom they love.

あばたもえくぼ

(when in love) even pockmarks are dimples

любо́вь зла — полю́бишь и козла́ (ljubóvʹ zla — poljúbišʹ i kozlá) (love is evil, you'll fall even for a he-goat (i.e. bastard))


haste makes waste

Being too hasty leads to wasteful mistakes.

فِي الْعَجَلَة اَلنَّدَامَة

being too hasty leads to wasteful mistakes

欲速则不达

yù sù zé bù dá

ei ole hoppu hyväksi, eikä kiire kunniaksi

la gatta frettolosa fece i gattini ciechi

gdy się człowiek spieszy, to się diabeł cieszy

поспеши́шь — люде́й насмеши́шь (pospešíšʹ — ljudéj nasmešíšʹ)

ny moh nist cy byhend, do der daj at ny śent


転石苔むさず

ja-pos

転(てん)石(せき)苔(こけ)むさず • (tenseki koke musazu)

転石苔むさず (canonical)
tenseki koke musazu (romanization)

a rolling stone gathers no moss
a rolling stone gathers no moss


mind over matter

Mind over matter is magic, I do magic / If you think about it, it'll be over in no time

2016, “White Ferrari”, in Blonde, performed by Frank Ocean:

Willpower alone can overcome a physical problem.

ניצחון הרוח על החומר

willpower can overcome a physical problem


a stitch in time saves nine

From the practice of mending a small tear in cloth when first noticed ("in time"), before it becomes a larger one requiring more stitches.

A little effort expended sooner to fix a small problem prevents it from becoming a larger problem requiring more effort to fix later.

小洞不補，大洞吃苦

a timely effort can prevent larger problems

udsæt ikke til i morgen, det du kan gøre i dag

was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen

호미로 막을 것을 가래로 막는다 (homiro mageul geoseul garaero mangneunda, literally “what can be stopped up with a short-handled hoe must be done with a shovel later”)

utsett ikke til i morgen, det du kan gjøre i dag

odín stežók, sdélannyj vóvremja, stóit devjatí

оди́н стежо́к, сде́ланный во́время, сто́ит девяти́

ono što možeš učiniti danas, ne ostavljaj za sutra

bir mıh nal kurtarır, bir nal bir at kurtarır

never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure


the devil is in the details

Krupp already has an agreement in principle for the deal, but precise details are still being worked out by Polish officials and a Krupp bargaining team ("The devil is in the details," Beitz says).

The country has developed a strong consensus for peace, but the devil is in the details over what concessions should be made.

1998 December 16, Alain L. Sanders, “Israel: Let the People Speak”, in Time, archived from the original on 2009-04-08:

“The devil will be in the details,” said Sarah Myers West, managing director of AI Now Institute, a policy research center.

2023 May 16, Cecilia Kang, quoting Sarah Myers West, “OpenAI’s Sam Altman Urges A.I. Regulation in Senate Hearing”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(idiomatic) The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable.

關鍵在細節，細節決定成敗

specific provisions of something may be complicated

细节决定成败

guānjiàn zài xìjié, xìjié juédìng chéngbài

teoria ca teoria, dar practica ne omoară

socoteala de acasă nu se potrivește cu cea din târg

rhyme: it was smooth on paper, but the ravines were forgotten

gládko býlo na bumáge, da zabýli pro ovrági

гла́дко бы́ло на бума́ге, да забы́ли про овра́ги


кто рано встаёт, тому бог подаёт

head

кто ра́но встаёт, тому́ бог подаёт

кто ра́но встаёт, тому́ бог подаёт • (kto ráno vstajót, tomú box podajót)

кто ра́но встаёт (canonical)
тому́ бог подаёт (canonical)
kto ráno vstajót (romanization)
tomú box podajót (romanization)

[kto ˈranə fstɐˈjɵt | tɐˈmu box pədɐˈjɵt]

Literally, “he who rises early, to him God gives”.

lit

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

en-кто_рано_встаёт,_тому_бог_подаёт-ru-proverb-A0vez0vH


el hábito no hace al monje

Literally, “the (religious) attire does not make the monk”. "Habit" is also an archaic English term for attire.

lit

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

clothes don't make the man
clothes don't make the man


head

it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog

The ancient Prouerbe will be well effected,
A Staffe is quickly found to beat a Dogge.

1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

For all this, however, poor Tom smarted in the flesh; for though Thwackum had been inhibited to exercise his arm on the foregoing account, yet, as the proverb says, It is easy to find a stick, &c. So was it easy to find a rod; and, indeed, the not being able to find one was the only thing which could have kept Thwackum any long time from chastising poor Jones.

1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book v:

(rare or obsolete) If a person is determined to punish or blame someone, they will find a way or a reason to do so.

jak się chce psa uderzyć, kij się znajdzie


any press is good press

Being mentioned in the media, even in the context of a scandal or controversy, is beneficial to the subject because it brings publicity.

it doesn't matter what they say about you as long as they spell your name right


two wrongs make a right

(logic, ethics) A logical informal fallacy whereby a wrongful action is justified by the commission of another.


all that glitters is not gold

Audio (US)

Calque of Latin nōn omne quod nitet aurum est (“not all that shines is gold”). Popularized by William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice, see quotations.

cal

All that gliſters is not gold,
 Often haue you heard that told;

c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii], page 171, column 1:

Things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not actually be so; things that look nice might not be as good as they look.

لَيْسَ كُلُّ مَا يَلْمَعُ ذَهَبًا

things that appear valuable or worthwhile might not actually be so

wah sweet nanny goat a guh run 'im belly


おのれに忠実であれ

ja-pos

おのれ に ちゅうじつ で あれ

おのれに忠(ちゅう)実(じつ)であれ • (onore ni chūjitsu de are)

おのれに忠実であれ (canonical)
onore ni chūjitsu de are (romanization)

to thine own self be true
to thine own self be true


mens sana in corpore sano

desc

→ French: un esprit sain dans un corps sain (calque)

→ Italian: mente sana in corpo sano (calque)

[mẽːs̠ ˈs̠äːnä ɪn ˈkɔrpɔrɛ ˈs̠äːnoː]

From the Roman poet Juvenal (Satire X, line 356).

1st–2nd c. — Juvenal, Saturae, Book IV, X, line 356.
ōrandum est ut sit mēns sāna in corpore sānō

You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body


never change a running system

From the field of computing, likely from German never change a running system.

That is, applying a specialised new policy to only improve a temporary capacity extension may be unsuitable (“Never change a running system!”).

2007, Xing Zhou, Thomas Dreibholz, Erwin P. Rathgeb, “Improving the Load Balancing Performance of Reliable Server Pooling in Heterogeneous Capacity Environments”, in Serge Fdida, Kazunori Sugiura, editors, Sustainable Internet: Third Asian Internet Engineering Conference, AINTEC 2007 […], →ISBN, page 126:

This is the weakest point of the current practice: the deployment of complex systems on a heterogeneous, distributed platform is typically a nightmare, the required system-level testing is virtually unsupported, and maintenance and upgrading very often turn out to be extremely time consuming and expensive, de facto responsible for the slogan “never change a running system”.

2012, Tiziana Margaria, Bernhard Steffen, “Service-Orientation: Conquering Complexity with XMDD”, in Mike Hinchey, Lorcan Coyle, editors, Conquering Complexity, →ISBN, page 224:

“Never change a running system” is a widely used statement in software development, and it is also applicable when you consider moving your application to the cloud.

2019, Boris Scholl, Trent Swanson, Peter Jausovec, Cloud Native: Using Containers, Functions, and Data to Build Next-Generation Applications, →ISBN:

It’s not a coincidence that the following saying offers insight into the CIOs’ minds: ‘Never change a running system.’ However, just keeping the lights on seems to prevent innovation.

2021, Andreas Graesser, Escape the Change Dilemma: Transformation to a Smart Data-Driven World, →ISBN:

Do not change something while it is working (because there is a risk of breaking it).


never change a running system

Pseudo-anglicism, possibly from the field of computing, although this origin is disputed.

if it ain't broke, don't fix it
if it ain't broke, don't fix it

leave well enough alone
leave well enough alone

if it ain't broke, don't fix it; leave well enough alone


tempus fugit

Borrowed from Latin tempus fugit, from the third book of the Georgics by the Roman poet Virgil (70–19 BCE): sed fugit interea fugit irreparabile tempus (“meanwhile, the irreplaceable time escapes”, literally “but it flees meanwhile: irretrievable time flees”).

Suddenly the assemblage began to sing. "Let the flag of the kingdom, so graceful and fair, / Be raised while its citizens sing, / 'Hurrah! Tempus Fugit!' the national air, / And kneel to our glorious king!

1908, Percy Keese Fitzhugh, King Time: Or The Mystical Land of the Hours, a Fantasy, New York and Boston: H.M. Caldwell Company, page 181:

Expressing concern that one's limited time is being consumed by something which may have little intrinsic substance or importance at that moment; often, synonym of life is short.


mocking is catching

Be careful of making fun of others, lest others make fun of you.


in for a dime, in for a dollar

/ɪn fɔɹ ə ˈdaɪm ɪn fɔɹ ə ˈdɒ.lɚ/

en-au-in for a dime, in for a dollar.ogg

Alteration of “in for a penny, in for a pound”, adapted to the denominations of the American currency (£ & d → $ & ¢). Nevertheless, “in for a penny, in for a pound” is used in the United States as well.

In for a dime, in for a dollar, he thought crazily, and said what he had to say in a voice he forced to stay level and calm.

In for a dime, in for a dollar. I whispered to Gerry, “Count me in”. Heroin was unromantic, neither sacred nor satanic; it was simply inevitable.

1998, Ellen Miller, Like Being Killed, page 47:

This obligation flows from the principle recognized in virtually all jurisdictions that when the policyholder is required to defend any one claim, all elements of the case must be defended (i.e., “in for a dime, in for a dollar”).

1999, David A. Gauntlett, Insurance Coverage for Intellectual Property Assets, page CCXCI:

I had bought some of Cemp’s MGM stock for myself. “Listen”, I told Edgar, “in for a dime, in for a dollar”. There was no point in selling at $8. If we were going to lose we might as well lose the whole thing.

2003, Leo Kolber, Leo: a life, page 183:

in for a penny, in for a pound
in for a penny, in for a pound

(US) Americanized form of in for a penny, in for a pound.

one may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb


time and tide wait for no man

A figura etymologica – time and tide respectively derive from Proto-Germanic *tīmô and *tīdiz, which are ultimately related.

"And now", said Daniel, looking at his watch, "as time and tide wait for no man, my trusty partner, and as I am ready for starting, bag and baggage, at the gate below, let me say a last word".

1857, Charles Dickens, chapter 22, in Little Dorrit:

"Do you not think, my dear lad, that you had better begin? Time and tide, as you are aware, wait for no man".

1903, P. G. Wodehouse, “Work”, in Tales of St. Austin's:

Opportunities will not wait; action should be undertaken without delay.

세월은 사람을 기다려 주지 않는다

sewor-eun saram-eul gidaryeo juji anneunda

o tempo e a maré não esperam por ninguém

ஐயர் வரும் வரை அம்மாவாசை காத்திருக்காது

aiyar varum varai ammāvācai kāttirukkātu


April showers bring May flowers

The month of April, traditionally a rainy period, gives way to May, when flowers will bloom because of the water provided to them by the April rains.

marzo ventoso y abril lluvioso sacan a mayo florido y hermoso

(by extension, figurative) A period of discomfort or hardship can provide the basis for a period of happiness and joy.


in for a penny, in for a pound

if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging

It's never the wrong time to make the right decision

en-au-in for a penny, in for a pound.ogg

Originally with reference to the fact that if one owed a penny, one might as well owe a pound (pound sterling, UK currency) as the penalties for non-payment were virtually identical in severity.

Under the circumstances it seemed to be a case of ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’. If the Institute’s team were still prepared to accept the challenge, the Administration was willing to do likewise…

1964, J. F. Holleman, Experiment in Swaziland: report of the Swaziland sample survey, 1960, page 9:

…in for a penny, in for a pound: if one undertakes something, it must be carried through at whatever cost.

1964, Sanki Ichikawa, The Kenkyusha Dictionary of Current English Idioms, page 509:

Turning before the mirror, she studied the gown she’d spent much of her savings on in Belle Terre. “Okay, but not great. In for a penny, in for a pound. Soon I have to get a job.”

2001, B. J. James, A Lady for Lincoln Cade, page 159:

I rummaged in my bag for Miss Addie’s keys, turned off the car, and marched purposefully toward the building.
“‘In for a penny, in for a pound’”, I mumbled under my breath as I pushed open the door and headed for the elevator.

2002, Kathryn Wall, In for a Penny: A Bay Tanner Mystery, page 123:

It appears to be a situation where the greenhouse proponents are in for a penny, in for a pound. As long as the myth needs to be kept alive, this is the inescapable conclusion.

2004, M. Mihkel Mathiesen, Global Warming in a Politically Correct Climate: How Truth Became Controversial, page 133:

Having started something, one must see it through to its end, rather than stopping short; one must “go the whole hog”.

perdut per perdut, la manta al coll

Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof

joka leikkiin ryhtyy, se leikin kestäköön

कोशिश से बाज न आना (kośiś se bāj na ānā, literally “never stop at trying”)

ó loisc mé an choinneal loiscfidh mé an t-orlach

毒を食らわば皿まで (どくをくらわばさらまで, doku wo kurawaba sara made, literally “if you have eaten the poison, [lick] even the plate”)

jak się powiedziało A, to trzeba powiedzieć B

взя́лся за гуж — не говори́, что не дюж (vzjálsja za guž — ne govorí, što ne djuž)

one may as well hang for a sheep as a lamb


beauty is only skin deep

First use appears c. 1809, although beauty is but skin-deep appears much earlier.

"Handsome those that handsome do say I; beauty is only skin deep; it is the principle of the heart I consider.

1809, Francis Lathom, London, Or, Truth Without Treason, A Novel, page 2:

And she graced the transition. Beauty is only skin-deep, but the nerves lie very near to the skin. Nerve—but just here will you oblige by perusing again the quotation with which this story begins?

1910, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “The Girl and the Habit”, in Strictly Business:

Isn’t it time the marketing budgets were reapportioned to the bones and muscles of the building themselves? At present, the beauty in London’s building boom is barely skin deep.

2014 September 25, Hugo Macdonald, “Could those utopian hoardings for new developments get any more nauseating?”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

A person's character matters more than their appearance.

الجمال جمال الروح

a person's character is more important than their outward appearance

laksana bunga dadap, sungguh merah berbau tidak

más peaca bheith buí tá na mílte damanta

ní hí an bhreáthacht a bhruitheann na prátaí

美人というも皮一重

びじん と いう も かわ ひとえ

laksana buah dedap, sungguh merah berbau tidak

buah masak merah belum tentu manis rasanya


chi cerca trova

Si dice che chi cerca trova. Spesso si trova più che non si sperava.

They say that he who seeks shall find. Often one finds more than one bargained for.

Chi cerca trova, e chi dorme sogna.

1858, Samarani Bonifacio, Proverbi lombardi:


what goes around comes around

First attested in the 1950s in sense 1, originally in African-American English.

So lonely in your bed / Does breakin' me make you feel good? / Guess you don't understand / What goes around, comes around

2020, Ava Max, Madison Love, Måns Wredenberg, Noonie Bao, Cirkut, Linus Wiklund (lyrics and music), “Who's Laughing Now”, in Heaven & Hell, performed by Ava Max:

A person's actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person.

لَا تَحْصِدُ إِلَّا مَا زَرَعْتَهُ (lā taḥṣidu ʔillā mā zaraʕtahu, literally “you reap only what you sow”)

na kakvoto si posteleš, na takova šte legneš

на каквото си постелеш, на такова ще легнеш

jak se do lesa volá, tak se z lesa ozývá

wie de bal kaatst, moet hem terug verwachten

minkä taakseen jättää, sen edestään löytää

wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus

שלח לחמך על פני המים כי ברבות הימים תמצאנו

amilyen az adjonisten, olyan a fogadjisten

buat baik dibalas baik, buat jahat dibalas jahat

از هر دست بدهی از همان دست میگیری

az har dast bedahi, az hamân dast migiri

sve se vraća, sve se plaća; kako siješ tako žanješ

başkasına fenalık eden kendine etmiş olur

Unfortunately, the main proposal in the current XML era bears a striking resemblance to the CODASYL proposal from the early 1970’s, which failed because of its complexity. Hence, the current era is replaying history, and “what goes around comes around”. Hopefully the next era will be smarter.

2005, Michael Stonebraker, Joseph M. Hellerstein, “What Goes Around Comes Around”, in Joseph M. Hellerstein, Michael Stonebraker, editors, Readings in Database Systems, 4th edition, →ISBN, page 2:

The most important one is the end of the Ajax hype. I’m not sure when it will happen, but I know that it will. What goes around comes around—what once was cool and modern will become old hat and boring.

2006, Peter-Paul Koch, “Afterword”, in ppk on JavaScript, →ISBN:

Equally, what goes around, comes around. When it comes to investment theories, nothing new under the sun exists because ideas go stale and then get reinvented.

2015, Tony Levene, Investing for Dummies, 4th edition, →ISBN, page 93:


a dumb priest never got a parish

(Ireland) Those who fail to speak up will fail to get what they desire.


рыбак рыбака видит издалека

head

рыба́к рыбака́ ви́дит издалека́

рыба́к рыбака́ ви́дит издалека́ • (rybák rybaká vídit izdaleká)

рыба́к рыбака́ ви́дит издалека́ (canonical)
rybák rybaká vídit izdaleká (romanization)

Literally, “a fisherman sees a fisherman from afar”.

lit

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

en-рыбак_рыбака_видит_издалека-ru-proverb-m03iSjb~


дурак дурака видит издалека

head

дура́к дурака́ ви́дит издалека́

дура́к дурака́ ви́дит издалека́ • (durák duraká vídit izdaleká)

дура́к дурака́ ви́дит издалека́ (canonical)
durák duraká vídit izdaleká (romanization)

Literally, “a fool sees a fool from afar”.

lit

en-дурак_дурака_видит_издалека-ru-proverb-m03iSjb~


с волками жить — по-волчьи выть

head

с волка́ми жить — по-во́лчьи выть

с волка́ми жить — по-во́лчьи выть • (s volkámi žitʹ — po-vólčʹi vytʹ)

с волка́ми жить — по-во́лчьи выть (canonical)

[s‿vɐɫˈkamʲɪ ʐɨtʲ | pɐ‿ˈvoɫt͡ɕjɪ vɨtʲ]

"Living with wolves, you will howl like a wolf."
"If you live with wolves, you will have to howl like one."

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

en-с_волками_жить_—_по-волчьи_выть-ru-proverb-UfUcR~4d


今日事，今日畢

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹/

don't put off until tomorrow what can be done today


голь на выдумку хитра

го́ль на вы́думку хитра́

го́ль на вы́думку хитра́ • (gólʹ na výdumku xitrá)

го́ль на вы́думку хитра́ (canonical)
gólʹ na výdumku xitrá (romanization)

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

en-голь_на_выдумку_хитра-ru-proverb-DyS38yM8


a man's home is his castle

Traditional; the sentiment dates back to Roman times:
: quid enim sanctius, quid omni religione munitius, quam domus unusquisque civium?
: What more sacred, what more strongly guarded by every holy feeling, than a man's own home?
: —Cicero
In English, see Book 4, Chapter 16 of William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England:
: And the law of England has so particular and tender a regard to the immunity of a man's house, that it stiles it his castle, and will never suffer it to be violated with immunity: agreeing herein with the sentiments of ancient Rome, as expressed in the works of Tully; quid enim sanctius, quid omni religione munitius, quam domus unusquisque civium?

A proverbial expression of personal privacy and security.


all roads lead to Rome

Modern wording of medieval sentiment; apparently originally a reference to Roman roads generally and the Milliarium Aureum (Golden Milestone) specifically.
Appears in the Latin form mīlle viae dūcunt hominēs per saecula Rōmam (“a thousand roads lead men forever to Rome”) in Liber Parabolarum, 591 (1175), by Alain de Lille.
The earliest English form appears to be “right as diverse pathes leden the folk the righte wey to Rome”, in A Treatise on the Astrolabe (Prologue, ll. 39–40), 1391, by Geoffrey Chaucer.

(idiomatic) Different paths can take one to the same goal.

A Treatise on the Astrolabe
Alain de Lille
Geoffrey Chaucer
Milliarium Aureum
Roman roads
all roads lead to Rome

كُلُّ الطُّرُقِ تُؤَدِّي إِلَى رُومَا

different paths can take to the same goal

လမ်းတိုင်းဟာ ရောမမြို့ဆီကို ဦးတည်နေကြတယ်

全ての道はローマに通ず

すべてのみちはローマにつうず

ada banyak pilihan bagi mencapai matlamat sama

lahat ng daan ay magdadala sa'yo sa Roma


plus ça change

A short form (specifically, an anapodoton) of French plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose (“the more it changes, the more it's the same thing”).

der

plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

(literally) The more it changes, the more it's the same thing (sometimes loosely translated as the more things change, the more they stay the same).

Although the outward appearance may change, fundamentals are constant.


توانا بود هر که دانا بود

head

توانا بود هر که دانا بود

توانا بود هر که دانا بود • (tavânâ bovad har ke dânâ bovad)

tavânâ bovad har ke dânâ bovad (romanization)

A quotation from the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi.

en-توانا_بود_هر_که_دانا_بود-fa-proverb-HP2~k7fD


all cats are gray in the dark

all cats are grey in the dark
all cats are grey in the dark#English

(US) Standard spelling of all cats are grey in the dark.


all cats are gray at night

(US) Alternative form of all cats are grey in the dark


all cats are grey at night

No matter how capable and cultivated the mind, how subtle and sensitive the spirit, the individual Negro is still not free. "All cats are grey at night," and it is still long hours to go before dawn, over much of America. They order these things better in France. Double the honor, then, when a Negro succeeds, for half the strength of his genius must be spent in raising himself to the level of his inferiors, in overcoming the handicap of color.

1937, Arnold Gingrich, “Another Salute to the Living”, in Esquire, volume 8, number 3, page 5:

(UK) Alternative form of all cats are grey in the dark


all cats are grey in the dark

Calque of French la nuit, tous les chats sont gris (“at night, all cats are grey”), sometimes understood with vulgar reference to secondary senses of cat and pussy.

calque

[Of a widow:] And to make carnall appetite content,
To take lacke of beautie but as an eye ſore.
The fayre and the foule, by darke are lyke ſtore.
When all candels be out, all cats be grey,
All thingis are then of one colour, as who ſey.
And this prouerbe ſaith, for quenching hot deſyre,
Foule water as ſoone as fayre, will quenche hot fyre.

1562, John Heywood, A Dialogue Conteynyng the Number of the Effectuall Proverbes in the Englishe Tounge..., page 10:

‘When all candles be out all catts be gray:’
This none but careless leachers will say.

1611, John Davies, "Vpon Englishe Prouerbs", Scourge of Folly, §387

There's as good Bread bak'd here as in France, and Joan’s as good as my Lady in the Dark. In the Night all Cats are grey. Unhappy's he that wants his Breakfaſt at Two in the Afternoon... Sancho’s proverbial aphoriſms, and the ſimple Waiting-Woman's Comment upon the Text, were no ſmall Diverſion to the Dutcheſs.

1719, Peter Motteux & al. translating Miguel de Cervantes as The History of the Renowed Don Quixote de la Mancha, Vol. III, p. 307

The Face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the Neck; then the Breast and Arms; the lower Parts continuing to the last as plump as ever: So that covering all above with a Basket, and regarding only what is below the Girdle, it is impossible of two Women to know an old from a young one. And as in the dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal, and frequently superior, every Knack being by Practice capable of Improvement.

1745 June 25, Benjamin Franklin, "Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress"

... at laft [King Croquignolet] gained intelligence of a famous wizard in the land of Gotham, a very prodigy of ſcience, to whom the world is indebted for old Robin's Almanack, the Court Calendar, the Attorney's Vade-Mecum, the Lady's Diary, and the Gentleman's Magazine... He firſt made known to mankind that after a ſtorm comes a calm; that it is day when the ſun is riſen; that dead men tell no tales; that ſhops ſhut are a ſure ſign of Sunday; that all cats are grey in the dark; that as ſoon as the ſun is ſet, there are many beaſts in the ſhade.

1796, "R.C." translating Marguerite de Lubert as Princess Coquedoeuf and Prince Bonbon: A History..., p. 8

However—the Frenchman's a practical man... He's trained to spot the redeeming graces as adroitly as a highly bred pig sniffs truffles. And faced with the homeliest dame he'll work over her until he can say, "Yes—she's certainly homely, but she has 'delightful ears'"; or "and exciting back to her neck"; or "provocative biceps." And the worst he cares to admit about any woman is "Yes, she is very ugly, but she has 'something' (Elle a quelque chose)." And if you get him in a cynical but wholesome mood he'll indicate that after all, "All cats are grey at night!"

1937, "They Order It Better in France", Esquire, Vol. 8, No. 3, p. 209

In one poem, unjustly attributed to Voltaire, the regent was accused of conducting an affaire with his eldest daughter, the Duchesse de Berry, which seems to have been true. The libertine regent loved women, but none more than his remarkable mother Liselotte, and it was to her that he uttered the famous rebuke when she complained he chose such ugly mistresses: "Bah! Mama, all cats look gray in the dark!"

1991, Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, Cupid and the King, p. 56

"All Japanese look alike" is the racist counterpart to the sexist "In the dark, all cats are gray."

2011, Wendy Doniger, The Uninvited Spider, page 31:

(UK, sometimes vulgar and offensive) Sex is enjoyable regardless of the physical attractiveness or social station of one's partner.

dans la nuit, tous les chats sont gris (Cajun)

en tiempos de guerra cualquier agujero es trinchera

นารีงามสรรพเมื่อดับเทียน (naa-ree ngaam sàp mêua dàp tian, literally “women are beautiful when candles are extinguished”)

In such a darkness, in which all cats are grey, Lucrezia Borgia might well seem as white as a blue-eyed Persian. But the paradox remains that Corvo might not impossibly be right. As, but for superhuman strainings, Dreyfus might have gone down to history as a traitor to France, so may the Borgian Lucrezia have been as blameless as the Tarquinian to whom indeed Ariosto boldly compares her. The woman who protected the Jews during a famine, provided poor girls with dowries, passed evenings over her embroidery frame and held the esteem of the greatest poet and the greatest stylist of her day, may really have lived up to that washing list.

1907, Israel Zangwill, Italian Fantasies, page 167:

Technical assistance operations were also a part of the aid the Economic Cooperation Administration was offering to Europe and Asia. Therefore, under the influence of what Philip Glick has called the "at-night-all-cats-are-grey argument" Point 4 was lumped together with economic and military assistance.

1961, Richard W. Gable, Plan for Research and Publications in Public Administration, page 12:

(uncommon) Under some circumstances, individual distinctions are not relevant.


a new broom sweeps clean

(figurative) New management will often make radical changes.

càntir nou fa l'aigua fresca

new management will often make radical changes

a new broom sweeps clean, but an old broom knows the corners


郷に入りては郷に従え

ja-pos

ごう に いりて は ごう に したがえ

郷(ごう)に入(い)りては郷(ごう)に従(したが)え • (gō ni irite wa gō ni shitagae)

郷に入りては郷に従え (canonical)
gō ni irite wa gō ni shitagae (romanization)

Literally “entering the countryside, follow the custom [thereof].”


郷に入っては郷に従え

ごう に いって は ごう に したがえ

郷(ごう)に入(い)っては郷(ごう)に従(したが)え • (gō ni itte wa gō ni shitagae)

郷に入っては郷に従え (canonical)
gō ni itte wa gō ni shitagae (romanization)

[ɡo̞ː ɲ̟i it̚te̞ β̞a̠ ɡo̞ː ɲ̟i ɕita̠ɡa̠e̞]

Partial calque of Literary Chinese 入鄉隨俗 (rùxiāngsuísú, literally “entering the countryside, follow the custom (thereof)”). The back-formation of this form in pseudo-kanbun would be 入鄉從鄉 (also compare Chinese 入鄉隨鄉／入乡随乡).

partial calque

ごうにいってはごうにしたがえ

cog

Chinese 入鄉隨鄉／入乡随乡


о пролитом молоке не плачут

head

о проли́том молоке́ не пла́чут

о проли́том молоке́ не пла́чут • (o prolítom moloké ne pláčut)

о проли́том молоке́ не пла́чут (canonical)
o prolítom moloké ne pláčut (romanization)

[ɐ‿prɐˈlʲitəm məɫɐˈkʲe nʲɪ‿ˈpɫat͡ɕʊt]

don't cry over spilt milk
don't cry over spilt milk

en-о_пролитом_молоке_не_плачут-ru-proverb-UyGZ84fp


со свои́м уста́вом в чужо́й монасты́рь не хо́дят • (so svoím ustávom v čužój monastýrʹ ne xódjat)

[sə‿svɐˈim ʊˈstavəm f‿t͡ɕʊˈʐoj mənɐˈstɨrʲ nʲɪ‿ˈxodʲət]

Literally, “don’t bring your rules into someone else's monastery”.

lit

со своим уставом в чужой монастырь не ходят

en-со_своим_уставом_в_чужой_монастырь_не_ходят-ru-proverb-UfUcR~4d


虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず

ja-pos

こけつ に いらずんば こじ を えず

虎(こ)穴(けつ)に入(い)らずんば虎(こ)子(じ)を得(え)ず • (koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu)

虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず (canonical)
koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu (romanization)

虎穴 (“tiger lair”) + に (“locative marker”) + 入らず (“not enter”) + んば (“if”) + 虎子 (“tiger cub”) + を + 得ず (“not gain”).
Calque of Literary Chinese 不入虎穴，不得虎子 (literally “one may not catch a tiger cub without entering a tiger's lair”) from the Book of the Later Han. Attributed to Ban Chao. Compare Chinese 不入虎穴，焉得虎子 (bù rù hǔxué, yān dé hǔzǐ) (the more common form in modern Chinese).

calque

こけつにいらずんばこじをえず

zh-l

不入虎穴，焉得虎子 (bù rù hǔxué, yān dé hǔzǐ)

nothing ventured, nothing gained
nothing ventured, nothing gained


куй железо, пока горячо

head

куй желе́зо, пока́ горячо́

куй желе́зо, пока́ горячо́ • (kuj želézo, poká gorjačó)

куй желе́зо (canonical)
пока́ горячо́ (canonical)
kuj želézo (romanization)
poká gorjačó (romanization)

[kuj ʐɨˈlʲezə | pɐˈka ɡərʲɪˈt͡ɕɵ]

LL-Q7737 (rus)-Tatiana Kerbush-куй железо, пока горячо.wav

Literally, “forge the iron when it's hot”.

lit

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

en-куй_железо,_пока_горячо-ru-proverb-i7BgZ8dy

make hay while the sun shines
make hay while the sun shines

en-куй_железо,_пока_горячо-ru-proverb-ElqPl5DL


one who hesitates is lost

One who hesitates is lost, goes the old saw, but so is one who plunges blindly ahead along a fixed path.

2009, Ruggero J. Aldisert, Opinion Writing, →ISBN, page 52:

he who hesitates is lost
he who hesitates is lost#English

Alternative form of he who hesitates is lost


head

En-us-take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.oga

Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, ‥used to say‥Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.

1750, Chesterfield, letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV. 1500

It is these little things that matter, Pickering. Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money.

1912 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act II, page 132:

Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves.

1979, R. Cassilis, Arrow of God, iv. xvii:

‘Yes, it sounds on the melodramatic side,’ he said cheerfully, ‘but in wartime you can't be too careful about the smallest detail. Think of it as along the lines of taking care of the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves.’

1999, ‘H. Crane’, Miss Seeton's Finest Hour, xi. 92

If one takes care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things.

積少成多

if you take care of little things one at a time, they can add up to big things

les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières

wer den Pfennig nicht ehrt, ist des Talers nicht wert

is é cosaint na pingine a chruachas na puint

푼돈을 아끼면 큰돈은 저절로 모인다

pundoneul akkimyeon keundoneun jeojeollo moinda

kopéjka rublʹ berežót, a rublʹ gólovu sterežót

копе́йка рубль бережёт, а рубль го́лову стережёт

zrno na zrno pogača, kámen na kámen palača

un grano no hace granero, pero ayuda al compañero

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves


a curiosidade matou o gato

curiosity killed the cat
curiosity killed the cat

curiosity killed the cat (one should not be curious about things that can be dangerous)


there's nowt so queer as folk

Well (shakes her head with a little smile as she goes on knitting)—there's nowt so queer as folk! (Shakes her head again.)

1893, Florence Eveleen Eleanore Bell, Elizabeth Robins, Alan's Wife, act 1, scene 1, pages 11–12:

'Theer's Miss So-and-so bin doon here and gaan on ivver so and glen me sic a blackin' as never was, becos I telt her I cudn't git her intil t' auld grund noa-ways, and I telt her she mud just lig in t' new grund and mud be weel content, an aw, for it was a deal sweeter.' 'And,' added old Joe, ' theer's nowt so queer as folk, specially wick uns.'

1911, Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley, “Sexton Joe”, in By Fell and Dale at the English Lakes, pages 87–88:

Long ago Aristotle said that you cannot expect to find the same accuracy in all thought as in mathematics—you can only get it as far as the nature of the subject allows. The human factor has to be reckoned with and, as they say in Yorkshire: "There's nowt so queer as folk."

c. 1936, Clement Francis Rogers, “Are Miracles Possible?”, in The Case for Miracle, pages 26–27:

The really remarkable thing about ALBION is the amazing number of people it continues to hoodwink. Nearly 100 subscribers now, all persisting in sending their cash to the Editorial Permanence In Drunkenness Fund. A growth-rate of approximately one new subscriber per week! How you can all tolerate this I cannot understand; however, as they say across the frontier into Yorkshire - 'There's nowt so queer as folk' (being married to a Yorkshirewoman, I subscribe whole-heartedly to this view)

1971 July 1, Don Turnbull, “Ye Second Birthday Editorial”, in Albion, number 30, page 2:

(simile, colloquial, Yorkshire, Lancashire) Nothing is as strange as people can be; people can behave very oddly sometimes.


聊勝於無

ㄌㄧㄠˊ ㄕㄥˋ ㄩˊ ㄨˊ

/li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ y³⁵ u³⁵/

/liːu̯²¹ sɪŋ³³ jyː⁵⁵ mou̯²¹/

/li̯ɑʊ̯³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ y³⁵ u³⁵/

/liːu̯²¹ sɪŋ³³ jyː⁵⁵ mou̯²¹/

Something is better than nothing; A little is better than nothing.


歳月人を待たず

ja-pos

さいげつ ひと を またず

歳(さい)月(げつ)人(ひと)を待(ま)たず • (saigetsu hito o matazu)

歳月人を待たず (canonical)
saigetsu hito o matazu (romanization)

Calque of Literary Chinese 歲月不待人. From Tao Yuanming's poem.

time and tide wait for no man
time and tide wait for no man


花より団子

花より団子 (canonical)
hana yori dango (romanization)

(idiomatic): "dango instead of flowers", substance over form → indicating a preference for the practical over the purely aesthetic, preferring dango (which are tasty and nutritious) rather than flowers (which are merely decorative)


雨降って地固まる

あめ ふって じ かたまる

雨(あめ)降(ふ)って地(じ)固(かた)まる • (ame futte ji katamaru)

雨降って地固まる (canonical)
ame futte ji katamaru (romanization)

Phrase composed of 雨 (ame, “rain”) + 降って (futte, conjunctive form of 降る (furu, “to fall”, as of rain or other precipitation)) + 地 (ji, “ground”) + 固まる (katamaru, “to get hard, to harden”, intransitive).
Literally “the rain falls and the ground hardens”.

2006, 紺家 孝雄, 激流を泳ぐ: 日本と米国の狭間に生きて!, 新風舎, page 208,
日米の国交が戦後やっと再開され、大使館も同時に戦時中の閉鎖的期間を過去の出来事として再度開館されることとなり、日本とアメリカは、「雨降って地固まる」の譬えを地でいくように、より緊密な外交関係によって固く結ばれるようになった。
Nichibei no kokkō ga sengo yatto saikai sare, taishikan mo dōji ni senjichū no heisateki kikan o kako no dekigoto to shite saido kaikan sareru koto to nari, Nihon to Amerika wa,“ame futte ji katamaru” no tatoe o ji de iku yō ni, yori kinmitsu na gaikō kankei ni yotte kataku musubareru yō ni natta.
US-Japan diplomatic relations finally resumed after the war, and at the same time the embassy was reopened, putting the closure during the war into the past, with Japan and America turning the metaphor of “the rain falls and the ground hardens (→ seeing clearly once the rain is gone)” into a reality and forming a close and strong diplomatic relationship.

閉鎖的期間 へいさてききかん

再度開館 さいどかいかん

外交関係 がいこうかんけい

a relationship is stronger after conflict


head

beter één vogel in de hand, dan tien in de lucht

beter één vogel in de hand (canonical)
dan tien in de lucht (canonical)

/ˌbeː.tər ˈeːn ˈvoː.ɣəl ɪn də ˈɦɑnt ˌdɑn ˈtin ɪn də ˈlʏxt/

Literally, “better one bird in the hand than ten in the sky”.

lit

beter een vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht

(idiomatic) a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


井の中の蛙大海を知らず

ja-pos

い の なか の かわず たいかい を しらず

ゐ の なか の かはづ たいかい を しらず

井(い)の中(なか)の蛙(かわず)大(たい)海(かい)を知(し)らず • (i no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu) ^(←ゐのなかのかはづたいかいをしらず (wi no naka no kafadu taikai wo sirazu)?)

井の中の蛙大海を知らず (canonical)
i no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu (romanization)
wi no naka no kafadu taikai wo sirazu (romanization)
ゐのなかのかはづたいかいをしらず (hiragana historical)

[i no̞ na̠ka̠ no̞ ka̠β̞a̠zɨ ta̠ika̠i o̞ ɕiɾa̠zɨ]

Partial calque from Literary Chinese 井鼃不可以語於海者，拘於虛也 ("A frog in a well cannot be talked with about an ocean - it is confined to its own narrow place."), from the writings of Zhuangzi.
Comprised of 井 (i, “well”) + の (no, possessive particle) + 中 (naka, “inside”) + の (no, possessive particle) + 蛙 (kawazu, “frog”) + 大海 (taikai, “great ocean”) + を (o, object particle) + 知らず (shirazu, “not know”, the classical negative conjugation of verb 知る (shiru, “to know”)), literally “a frog in a well does not know the great ocean”.
The back-formation of this form in pseudo-kanbun would be 井中之蛙不知大海. Compare modern Chinese 井底之蛙 (jǐngdǐzhīwā), Korean 정중지와 부지대해 (井中之蛙 不知大海, jeongjungjiwa bujidaehae).
First cited to 1179.

lang

井鼃不可以語於海者，拘於虛也

井鼃不可以語於海者，拘於虛也

compound

the classical negative conjugation of verb <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">知る</i> (shiru, “to know”)

ko-l

2006, 下 健, 言葉と生きる, 新風舎, page 23,
また、私たちは往々にしてほんの少し周囲の人たちより良い結果がでると、有頂天になって自慢したいような気持ちになりがちです。
まさに『井の中の蛙大海を知らず』で恥ずかしい話であります。
Mata, watashi-tachi wa ōō ni shite hon no sukoshi shūi no hito-tachi yori yoi kekka ga deru to, uchōten ni natte jiman shitai yō na kimochi ni narigachi desu.
Masa ni “i no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu” de hazukashii hanashi de arimasu.
We are also prone to feel proud of ourselves and feel like bragging when we get a result that is just a little bit better than that of the others around us.
This is indeed a case of "a frog in a well does not know the great ocean" and is an embarrassing state of affairs.

(figuratively) a narrow world view based on limited experience


head

cel bogat face cum vrea, cel sărac face cum poate

[tʃel boˈɡat ˌfatʃe kum ˈvre̯a | tʃel səˈrak ˌfatʃe kum ˈpo̯ate]

Literally, “the rich (one) does as he pleases, the poor (one) does as he can”.

lit

a rich man does as he pleases, a poor man does as he can


紙包不住火

纸包不住火
紙裡包不住火

ㄓˇ ㄅㄠ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄨˋ ㄏㄨㄛˇ

zhǐ bāo bùzhù huǒ [Phonetic:zhǐ bāo búzhù huǒ]

чжи бао бучжу хо

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

/t͡siː³⁵ paːu̯⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ t͡syː²² fɔː³⁵/

/t͡siː³⁵ paːu̯⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ t͡syː²² fɔː³⁵/

(figurative) there is no concealing the truth; the truth will come out; murder will out


明槍易躲，暗箭難防

A spear (thrown in) daylight is easy to dodge, (but) an arrow (shot in the) dark is difficult to defend against.

ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄑㄧㄤ ㄧˋ ㄉㄨㄛˇ

ㄢˋ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄋㄢˊ ㄈㄤˊ

ming⁴ coeng¹ ji⁶ do² am³ zin³ naan⁴ fong⁴

аньцзянь нань фан

/miŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵¹ tu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀän⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ nän³⁵ fɑŋ³⁵/

ming⁴ tsoeng¹ ji⁶ do² am³ dzin³ naan⁴ fong⁴

/mɪŋ²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ jiː²² tɔː³⁵ ɐm³³ t͡siːn³³ naːn²¹ fɔːŋ²¹/

It is easy to dodge an open attack, but difficult to defend against a concealed one.


proti gustu žádný dišputát

/ˈprɔcɪ ˈɡʊstʊ ˈʒaːdniː ˈdɪʃpʊtaːt/

Estimation: Coined on the model of the Latin de gustibus non est disputandum.

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


и у стен есть уши

head

и у сте́н е́сть у́ши

и у сте́н е́сть у́ши • (i u stén jéstʹ úši)

и у сте́н е́сть у́ши (canonical)
i u stén jéstʹ úši (romanization)

LL-Q7737 (rus)-Tatiana Kerbush-и у стен есть уши.wav


timing is everything

- Telling the old joke about a butt-crack was not a good idea, just as the plumber arrived, Bob.
- You know what they say: "timing is everything." I'm sure we can find another plumber before the house floods.

“Timing Is Everything”. It certainly has been true in my life and chances are it's probably played a role in your life as well. As I look back there were moments where I missed out on something special because I either made the wrong ...

2015, Rob Couty, Timing Is Everything!: Joining The Right Company At The Right Time!, Rob Couty:

So when I'd hear people tell me – in many contexts – that timing is everything, I'd naturally feel uncomfortably constrained. Choked sometimes. Because I knew that I personally possessed virtually no sense of timing in the clock sense of time.

2017, Janice Presser, Timing Isn't Everything. Teaming Is., Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 35:

... partnership in the new forest policy was one ingredient; but it was the pressing demands on government forestry from an increasingly vocal civil society – that brought a hesitant. Forestry tactics 9 Why now? Why this way? Timing is everything.

2001, Forestry Tactics: Lessons from Malawi's National Forestry Programme, IIED, →ISBN, page 9:

Consideration of other events can greatly influence some desired outcome (such as whether a joke is well received).

timing er alt

consideration of events can influence the outcome


a cat may look at a king

A purported inferior has certain rights or prerogatives, even in the presence of a purported superior.

un chien regarde bien un évêque

faigheann an cat cead amharc ar an rí is ní fhaigheann an rí cead é a chaitheamh


one can run but one can't hide

There is nothing someone can do to evade something.


ignorance is bliss

From Thomas Gray's poem, Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College (1742): "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."

wsource

A lack of knowledge results in happiness; it is more comfortable to not know certain things.

bienheureux celui qui ne connaît pas la vérité

was ich nicht weiß, macht mich nicht heiß

ме́ньше зна́ешь — кре́пче спишь (ménʹše znáješʹ — krépče spišʹ)

незна́ние — блаже́нство (neznánije — blažénstvo)

многие зна́ния — многие печа́ли (mnogije znánija — mnogije pečáli)


麻雀雖小，五臟俱全

Asparrow may be small, but it has all its vital organs.

ㄇㄚˊ ㄑㄩㄝˋ ㄙㄨㄟ ㄒㄧㄠˇ

ㄨˇ ㄗㄤˋ ㄐㄩˋ ㄑㄩㄢˊ

maa⁴ zoek³ seoi¹ siu², ng⁵ zong⁶ keoi¹ cyun⁴

мацюэ суй сяо

уцзан цзюйцюань

/mä³⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹ su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕy⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵/

màh jeuk sēui síu, ńgh johng kēui chyùhn

maa⁴ dzoek⁸ soey¹ siu², ng⁵ dzong⁶ koey¹ tsyn⁴

/maː²¹ t͡sœːk̚³ sɵy̯⁵⁵ siːu̯³⁵ ŋ̍¹³ t͡sɔːŋ²² kʰɵy̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰyːn²¹/


塞翁失馬，焉知非福

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (塞翁失馬，焉知非福):
* → Vietnamese: tái ông thất mã, yên tri phi phúc (塞翁失馬，焉知非福)

ㄙㄞˋ ㄨㄥ ㄕ ㄇㄚˇ

coi³ jung¹ sat¹ maa⁵, jin¹ zi¹ fei¹ fuk¹

сайвэн ши ма

яньчжи фэй фу

/saɪ̯⁵¹ wəŋ⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵ fu³⁵/

tsoi³ jung¹ sat⁷ maa⁵, jin¹ dzi¹ fei¹ fuk⁷

/t͡sʰɔːi̯³³ jʊŋ⁵⁵ sɐt̚⁵ maː¹³ jiːn⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ fei̯⁵⁵ fʊk̚⁵/

It can be difficult to foresee the twists and turns which compel misfortune to beget fortune, and vice versa.
There once was a (father), skilled in divination, who lived close to the frontier (with his son). One of his horses accidentally strayed into the lands of the Xiongnu, so everyone consoled him.
(But) the father said, “Why should I hastily (conclude) that this is not fortunate?”
After several months, the horse came back from the land of the Xiongnu, accompanied by another fine horse, so everyone congratulated him.
(But) the father said, “Why should I hastily (conclude) that this can not be unfortunate?”
His family had a wealth of fine horses, and his son loved riding them. One day (the son) fell off the horse, and broke his leg, so everyone consoled (the father).
(But) the father said, “Why should I hastily (conclude) that this is not fortunate?”
One year later, the Xiongnu invaded the frontier, and all able-bodied men took up arms and went to war. Of the men from the frontier (who volunteered), nine out of ten men perished (from the fighting). It was only because of (the son's) broken leg, that the father and son were spared (this tragedy).
Therefore, misfortune begets fortune, and fortune begets misfortune. This goes on without end, and its depths can not be measured. (Wiktionary translation)

Fú huòfú zhī zhuǎn ér xiāngshēng, qí biàn nán jiàn yě.
Jìn sài shàng zhī rén yǒu shàn shù zhě, mǎ wúgù wáng ér rù hú. Rén jiē diào zhī.
Qí fù yuē: “Cǐ hé jù bù wéi fú hū?”
Jū shù yuè, qí mǎ jiāng hú jùnmǎ ér guī. Rén jiē hè zhī.
Qí fù yuē: “Cǐ hé jù bùnéng wéi huò hū?”
Jiā fù liáng mǎ, qí zǐ hǎo qí, duò ér zhé qí bì. Rén jiē diào zhī.
Qí fù yuē: “Cǐ hé jù bù wéi fú hū?”
Jū yī nián, húrén dà rù sài, dīngzhuàng zhě yǐn xián ér zhàn, jìn sài zhī rén, sǐ zhě shí jiǔ, cǐ dú yǐ bǒ zhī gù, fù zǐ xiāng bǎo.
Gù fú zhī wéi huò, huò zhī wéi fú, huà bùkě jí, shēn bùkě cè yě.

夫禍福之轉而相生，其變難見也。
近塞上之人有善術者，馬無故亡而入胡。人皆吊之。
其父曰：「此何遽不為福乎？」
居數月，其馬將胡駿馬而歸。人皆賀之。
其父曰：「此何遽不能為禍乎？」
家富良馬，其子好騎，墮而折其髀。人皆吊之。
其父曰：「此何遽不為福乎？」
居一年，胡人大入塞，丁壯者引弦而戰，近塞之人，死者十九，此獨以跛之故，父子相保。
故福之為禍，禍之為福，化不可極，深不可測也。

夫祸福之转而相生，其变难见也。
近塞上之人有善术者，马无故亡而入胡。人皆吊之。
其父曰：「此何遽不为福乎？」
居数月，其马将胡骏马而归。人皆贺之。
其父曰：「此何遽不能为祸乎？」
家富良马，其子好骑，堕而折其髀。人皆吊之。
其父曰：「此何遽不为福乎？」
居一年，胡人大入塞，丁壮者引弦而战，近塞之人，死者十九，此独以跛之故，父子相保。
故福之为祸，祸之为福，化不可极，深不可测也。

When the old man from thefrontier lost his horse, how could one have known that it would not be fortuitous?

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

blessing in disguise
blessing in disguise

Every cloud has a silver lining. / A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.


a closed mouth gathers no feet

/ə ˈkləʊzd ˌmaʊθ ˈɡæ.ðəz nəʊ ˈfiːt/

From put one's foot in one's mouth (“to say something embarrassing or wrong, or to make a mistake in public, or a social blunder, that is embarrassing or offensive”), adopting the structure of a rolling stone gathers no moss and a closed mouth catches no flies.

From the wall of a New York bar: "A closed mouth gathers no feet."

1958, “Wall Signs Dept.”, in Advertising Agency, volume 51, Bristol, Conn.: Moore Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 9:

A closed mouth gathers no feet.

1972, American Eagle, San Francisco, Calif.: American Forest Products Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, column 2:

Now disinflation is conventional wisdom on Wall Street, and Rutledge makes no apologies for his flamboyance: "A closed mouth gathers no feet," he says.

1987, Forbes, volume 139, New York, N.Y.: Forbes, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 71:

Or just keep your mouth shut. As sex therapist Marty Klein says, "A closed mouth gathers no feet."

1993 April, “The Playboy Advisor”, in Hugh M[arston] Hefner, editor, Playboy, volume 40, number 4, Chicago, Ill.: Playboy Enterprises, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 39, column 1:

So open your mouth to speak about what is good. And above all remember that "a closed mouth gathers no feet!"

1996, Marvin Phillips, “A Closed Mouth Gathers No Feet”, in Never Lick a Moving Blender!: Humorous Insights that Motivate and Encourage, West Monroe, La.: Howard Publishing, →ISBN; republished New York, N.Y.: Howard Books, 2010, →ISBN, page 72:

Bubba said he would like to go along. Leonard said, "That's okay, Bubba, but please allow me to do the talking. Remember, a closed mouth gathers no feet."

2001, Gary W. Carter, “The Role of a Tax Consultant”, in Getting Started in Tax Consulting, New York, N.Y.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 21:

(humorous) One who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing.

šutnja je zlato

one who does not speak can be sure of not saying anything embarrassing


experience is the best teacher

A calque translation of Latin usus magister est optimus Cicero, Oration for Rabirius.

Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.

käytäntö on paras opettaja

lessons learned from experience are the most lasting

la experiencia es la madre de la ciencia


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aequam mementō rēbus in arduīs servāre mentem

/ˈae̯.kʷam meˈmen.toː ˈreː.bus in ˈar.du.iːs serˈu̯aː.re ˈmen.tem/

[ˈäe̯kʷä̃ˑ mɛˈmɛn̪t̪oː ˈreːbʊs̠ ɪn ˈärd̪uiːs̠ s̠ɛrˈu̯äːrɛ ˈmɛn̪t̪ɛ̃ˑ]

/ˈe.kwam meˈmen.to ˈre.bus in ˈar.du.is serˈva.re ˈmen.tem/

[ˈɛːkwäm meˈmɛn̪t̪o ˈrɛːbus in ˈärd̪uis serˈväːre ˈmɛn̪t̪em]

aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem

(please add an English translation of this quotation)

23 BCE, Horace, Odes, book II, poem III, lines 1–2, Aequam memento rebus in arduis / servare mentem, […]

Remember to keep a clear head in difficult times.


古今多少事，都付笑談中

ㄍㄨˇ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄕㄠˇ ㄕˋ

ㄉㄡ ㄈㄨˋ ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄊㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄥ

гуцзинь дошао ши

доу фу сяотань чжун

/ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ʂɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ toʊ̯⁵⁵ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ tʰän³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵/

* From the last line of the opening poem of Romance of the Three Kingdoms
*: Literally: How many things from past and present have they laughed and talked about with each other?

It is better to keep an open mind with respect to right and wrong or success and failure when evaluating historical developments.


betri er krókur en kelda

Literally ‘a detour is better than a bog’, i.e. it is better to take a detour than to risk getting stuck in the bog.

it is better to go the long way than to take a risky shortcut


two wrongs don't make a right

"But when it comes to taking what belongs to another—well, a thief is a thief. . . . After all, two wrongs don't make a right, do they?"

1915, William MacLeod Raine, chapter 15, in The Highgrader:

"Late in the fight, Roger told me Zab was going to do something dirty, and he did it," Mayweather said after the fight. "I didn't return it, because two wrongs don't make a right."

2006 April 9, Clifton Brown, “Boxing: Mayweather Is Crowned, but not without a Fight”, in New York Times, retrieved 2009-06-17:

I have no doubt that while the industry loses a great deal of revenue owing to fraudulent travel, it probably more than makes up for it by allowing journey planners to charge too much for journeys - and two wrongs don't make a right.

2023 May 31, Barry Doe, “A potential downside of ticket reform needs consideration”, in RAIL, number 984, page 58:

(ethics) A wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action.

冤冤相報永無完了

a wrongful action is not a morally appropriate way to correct or cancel a previous wrongful action

az egyik fél vétsége nem teszi a másik vétségét semmissé

an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind


多言は身を害す

ja-pos

たげん は み を がいす

多(た)言(げん)は身(み)を害(がい)す • (tagen wa mi o gaisu)

多言は身を害す (canonical)
tagen wa mi o gaisu (romanization)

Literally, "too much words will harm oneself." Calque of Literary Chinese 多言害身.

One word too many will be the end of me.


病は口より入り、禍は口より出ず

やまい は くち より いり、 わざわい は くち より いず

病(やまい)は口(くち)より入(い)り、禍(わざわい)は口(くち)より出(い)ず • (yamai wa kuchi yori iri, wazawai wa kuchi yori izu)

病は口より入り、禍は口より出ず (canonical)

Calque from Literary Chinese 病從口入，禍從口出／病从口入，祸从口出.

zh-l

病從口入，禍從口出／病从口入，祸从口出

Speak no ill-fated words
Speak no ill-fated words

let no feeding cause you ailment
let no feeding cause you ailment

(idiomatic) Speak no ill-fated words; let no feeding cause you ailment; literally Diseases enter through the mouth, disasters come out of the mouth.