head

не сули́ журавля́ в не́бе, дай сини́цу в ру́ки • (ne sulí žuravljá v nébe, daj sinícu v rúki)

не сули́ журавля́ в не́бе (canonical)
дай сини́цу в ру́ки (canonical)
ne sulí žuravljá v nébe (romanization)
daj sinícu v rúki (romanization)

[nʲɪ‿sʊˈlʲi ʐʊrɐˈvlʲa ˈv‿nʲebʲe | daj sʲɪˈnʲit͡sʊ ˈv‿rukʲɪ]

Literally, “don’t promise a stork in the sky, give a titmouse into my hands”.

lit

не сули журавля в небе, дай синицу в руки

за двумя́ за́йцами пого́нишься, ни одного́ не пойма́ешь

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

en-не_сули_журавля_в_небе,_дай_синицу_в_руки-ru-proverb-7oytY7-2


豺狼道に当たる

ja-pos

さい ろう みち に あたる

豺(さい)狼(ろう)道(みち)に当(あ)たる • (sai rō michi ni ataru)

豺狼道に当たる (canonical)
sai rō michi ni ataru (romanization)

Literally, “dholes and wolves have taken over the roads”. Calque of Literary Chinese 豺狼當道 (cháilángdāngdào).

calque

politics abound in usurpers
politics abound in usurpers


琴棋書画

琴棋書画 (canonical)
kinkishoga (romanization)

* From Middle Chinese 琴棋書畫／琴棋书画 (qínqíshūhuà). Literally "Koto, go, calligraphy and painting".

He who is poorly versed in koto, go, calligraphy or painting is not a person of taste.


一将功成りて万骨枯る

ja-pos

いっしょう こう なりて ばん こつ かる

一(いっ)将(しょう)功(こう)成(な)りて万(ばん)骨(こつ)枯(か)る • (isshō kō narite ban kotsu karu)

一将功成りて万骨枯る (canonical)
isshō kō narite ban kotsu karu (romanization)

Behind one general's glory lie the remains of countless unsung heroes. Lit. While one general reaches glory, ten thousand bones are decaying.


同病相憐む

どうびょう あいあわれむ

同病相憐(どうびょうあいあわれ)む • (dōbyō aiawaremu)

同病相憐む (canonical)
dōbyō aiawaremu (romanization)

Literally, "those who suffer from the same illness can sympathize best with each other."

misery loves company
misery loves company


口に蜜あり腹に剣あり

くち に みつ あり はら に けん あり

口(くち)に蜜(みつ)あり腹(はら)に剣(けん)あり • (kuchi ni mitsu ari hara ni ken ari)

口に蜜あり腹に剣あり (canonical)
kuchi ni mitsu ari hara ni ken ari (romanization)

Literally, "where there is a mouth of honey, there is a sword in the belly." Calque of Literary Chinese 口密腹劍.


日暮れて道遠し

ひ くれて みち とおし

日(ひ)暮(く)れて道(みち)遠(とお)し • (hi kurete michi tōshi) ^(←ひくれてみちとほし (fikuretemititofosi)?)

日暮れて道遠し (canonical)
hi kurete michi tōshi (romanization)
fikuretemititofosi (romanization)
ひくれてみちとほし (hiragana historical)

* From Middle Chinese 日暮途窮／日暮途穷 (rìmùtúqióng)

zh-l

日暮途窮／日暮途穷 (rìmùtúqióng)

arduous is the race against time as one grows old. (literally "as the sun goes down, the road remains a long one.")


the map is not the territory

From general semantics; coined by Alfred Korzybski.

Our models of the world, and our sensations of the world, are not the true world.


head

בשלושה דברים אדם ניכר: בכוסו, בכיסו, ובכעסו. • (bishloshá d'varím adám nikár: b'khosó, b'khisó, uv'kha`asó.)

בשלושה דברים אדם ניכר: בכוסו (canonical)
בכיסו (canonical)
ובכעסו. (canonical)
b'khisó (romanization)

From the Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 65. Literally “In three things man is recognized: in his cup, in his pocket, and in his anger” (the three nouns sound similar in Hebrew), or in idiomatic English, “By three things a man is known: by his cup, by his pocket, and by his anger.” (i.e., by how he behaves when drunk, how generous he is with his possessions, and how he behaves when in a temper).

בשלושה דברים אדם ניכר בכוסו בכיסו ובכעסו

People reveal their true personality when influenced by drink, money, or anger.

en-בשלושה_דברים_אדם_ניכר_בכוסו_בכיסו_ובכעסו-he-proverb-SBIaZJlk


peningar vaxa ekki á trjám

Literally, "money [they] grow not on trees". See also the Swedish pengar växer inte på träd.
: (NB: in this proverb, the word money is in its plural form.)

q

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


v nouzi poznáš přítele

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


en-proverb

/ə ˈspuːnfəl əv ˈʃʊɡə(ɹ)ˌhɛlps ðə ˈmɛdɪsɪn ɡoʊ ˌdaʊn/

From the Sherman Brothers' 1964 song "A Spoonful of Sugar".

One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."

1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, →ISBN, page 372:

It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?

2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, →ISBN, page 319:

2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, →ISBN, page 11,
If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.

An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.

An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant.

lidt sukker i skeen, hvis din medicin er sur

een klein schepje suiker wordt een bittere pil zoet

lääkkeen karvaan sä sokerilla makeaksi saat

un morceau de sucre aide la médecine à couler

ein Löffelchen voll Zucker bittre Medizin versüßt

smá sykur hjálpar til við að halda lækninum frá

un poquito de azúcar toda purga endulzará

a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down


ekki er allt gull sem glóir

From ekki (“not”) + er (“is”) the 3. person singular of vera (“to be”) + allt the 3rd person neuter of allur (“all”) + gull (“gold”) + sem (“which, that”) + glóir (“glows”) the 3. person singular of the verb glóa (“to glow”). Literally meaning "not is all gold that glows".

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


all things come to those who wait

patience is a virtue
patience is a virtue

(dated) A patient person will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue.


there but for the grace of God go I

There are several variants of this phrase, but all make reference to the same concept: an admission of humility that were it not for the work of God's grace (and perhaps also one's upbringing among those also formed in God's grace), any number of trials or tribulations could have befallen a person. The original is most often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, who may well have been quoting or paraphrasing the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:8–10, which states, "Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am..."
It has also been attributed to a mid-16th-century statement by a protestant, John Bradford: "There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford", in reference to a group of prisoners being led to execution.

I been turned out of places all over town
My smile is a frown turned upside down
There but for the grace of God go I

2001, J. G. Thirlwell (lyrics and music), “Grace of God”, in Flow, performed by Foetus:

A recognition that others' misfortune could be one's own, if it weren't for the blessing of the Divine, or for fortune or fate.


mnoho povolaných, málo vyvolených

many are called, but few are chosen
many are called, but few are chosen


divide et impera

[ˈd̪iːu̯ɪd̪ɛ ɛt̪ ˈɪmpɛräː]


sow the wind, reap the whirlwind

Before the attack started, Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, decried efforts by his fellow Republicans to overturn the results of the election. But his eloquence was the very definition of a gesture both too little and too late. They who sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

2021 January 7, “Trump Is to Blame for Capitol Attack”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them; if one starts trouble or takes actions in spite of the discontent they cause, one will incur negative consequences.

ко́йто се́е вя́тър, жъ́не бу́ри

every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them

quien siembra vientos recoge tempestades


divide and conquer

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-divide and conquer.wav

In order to rule securely, do not allow alliances between your enemies.


it never rains but it pours

Attested as early as the early 18th century. The modern form of the expression first appeared in print as early as 1772. For quotations using this term, see Citations:it never rains but it pours.

seeCites

الْمَصَائِبُ لَا تَأْتِي فُرَادَى (al-maṣāʔibu lā taʔtī furādā, literally “misfortunes do not come alone”)

har ein skriðan er lopin er onnur væntandi

צָרוֹת בָּאוֹת בִּצְרוֹרוֹת (tzarót ba'ót bi-tz'rorót, literally “misfortunes come in packages”)

踏んだり蹴ったり (ふんだりけったり, fundari-kettari, literally “we often tread on and we often bump off”)

泣きっ面に蜂 (なきっつらにはち, nakittsura ni hachi, literally “a wasp on a tearful face”)

弱り目に祟り目 (よわりめにたたりめ, yowari me ni tatari me, literally “in times of weakness, evil eyes”)

降れば土砂降り (ふればどしゃぶり, fureba doshaburi, literally “if it rains, it pours”)

пришла́ беда́ — отворя́й воро́та (prišlá bedá — otvorjáj voróta, literally “when the trouble comes, open the gate”)

беда́ одна́ не хо́дит (bedá odná ne xódit, literally “trouble does not come alone”)

¿no querías caldo? ¡pues toma dos tazas!

ความวัวไม่ทันหาย ความควายเข้ามาแทรก (kwaam-wuua-mâi-tan-hǎai kwaam-kwaai-kâo-maa-sɛ̂ɛk, literally “the condition of cows does not yet cease, the condition of buffaloes comes in to join”)

бі́да ні́коли сама́ не хо́дить (bída níkoly samá ne xódytʹ, literally “trouble does not come alone”)


поспешишь — людей насмешишь

head

поспеши́шь — люде́й насмеши́шь

поспеши́шь — люде́й насмеши́шь • (pospešíšʹ — ljudéj nasmešíšʹ)

поспеши́шь — люде́й насмеши́шь (canonical)

[pəspʲɪˈʂɨʂ | lʲʉˈdʲej nəsmʲɪˈʂɨʂ]

Literally, “if you do it in a hurry, you’ll make people laugh”.

lit

en-поспешишь_—_людей_насмешишь-ru-proverb-LOL0PlWn


пришла беда — отворяй ворота

head

пришла́ беда́ — отворя́й ворота́

пришла́ беда́ — отворя́й ворота́ • (prišlá bedá — otvorjáj vorotá)

пришла́ беда́ — отворя́й ворота́ (canonical)

Literally, “when trouble comes, open the gate”.

lit

when it rains, it pours
when it rains, it pours

en-пришла_беда_—_отворяй_ворота-ru-proverb-RcMU-Exm


揚湯止沸，不如去薪

Lifting the soup to stop it from boiling is less effective than taking away the firewood.

ㄧㄤˊ ㄊㄤ ㄓˇ ㄈㄟˋ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄑㄩˋ ㄒㄧㄣ

бужу цюй синь

/jɑŋ³⁵ tʰɑŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ feɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵¹ ɕin⁵⁵/

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14ᵗʰ century CE

Chén wén yángtāngzhǐfèi, bùrúqùxīn; kuì yōng suī tòng, shèng yú yǎng dú.

臣聞揚湯止沸，不如去薪；潰癰雖痛，勝於養毒。

臣闻扬汤止沸，不如去薪；溃痈虽痛，胜于养毒。

It is better to solve the root problem, rather than treating the symptoms.


fr-proverb

il y a plusieurs façons de plumer un canard

/i.l‿i.j‿a ply.zjœʁ fa.sɔ̃ də ply.me.ʁ‿œ̃ ka.naʁ/

Literally, “there are many methods to pluck a duck”.

lit

there's more than one way to skin a cat
there's more than one way to skin a cat

(idiomatic) there's more than one way to skin a cat


la curiosidad mató al gato

curiosity killed the cat
curiosity killed the cat


head

ber er hver að baki, nema sér bróður eigi

From Brennu-Njáls saga, a phrase uttered by Kári Sölmundarson. Consists of ber (“bare”) + er (“is”), from vera (“to be”) + hver (“each, everyone”) + að (“concerning, to”) + baki the dative singular form of bak (“back”) + nema (“unless”) + sér, dative form of sig (“oneself, one”) + bróður, the accusative form of bróðir (“brother”) + eigi, form of eiga (“to own”).
Literally meaning that the "back of each man is bare, unless he has a brother to him".

he who doesn't have a companion (brother) in battle is unprotected


spare the rod and spoil the child

Commonly claimed to have come from the King James Version of the Bible, Book of Proverbs, 13:24: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”
Due to the associated “spoil" concept which is not in the Bible, it more likely came from a 17th-century poem by Samuel Butler called Hudibras. In the poem, a love affair is likened to a child, and spanking is mockingly commended as a way to make the love grow stronger. The actual verse reads:
* “What medicine else can cure the fits
Of lovers when they lose their wits?
Love is a boy by poets styled
Then spare the rod and spoil the child.”

If one does not discipline a child, the child will never learn obedience and good manners.

Book of Proverbs
King James Version of the Bible
Samuel Butler (poet)
spare the rod and spoil the child

不打不成器

if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility

wer mit der Rute spart, verzieht das Kind

hòs pheídetai tês baktērías miseî tòn huiòn autoû, ho dè agapôn epimelôs paideúei

ὃς φείδεται τῆς βακτηρίας μισεῖ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἐπιμελῶς παιδεύει

пожале́ешь ро́згу — испо́ртишь ребёнка (požaléješʹ rózgu — ispórtišʹ rebjónka)

кого́ люблю́ — того́ и бью (kovó ljubljú — tovó i bʹju)

aga din son medan han är liten, annars agar han dig när han blir stor

spare the rod and you will spoil the child

give him enough rope and he'll hang himself


as you sow, so shall you reap

/əz‿ju ˈsəʊ səʊ‿ʃəl‿ju ˈɹiːp/

From Galatians 6:7 in the Bible (King James Version; spelling modernized): “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Near-synonyms: as you make your bed, so you must lie in it; (archaic) as you have brewed, so you must drink

every man is the architect of his own fortune

The consequences of one's actions to oneself are in proportion to one's good or bad intentions towards others.

كَمَا تَدِينَ تُدَانُ

consequences of one’s actions to oneself are in proportion to one‘s good or bad intentions towards others

كَمَا تَزْرَعَ تَحْصِدُ

悪事身に返る (akuji mi ni kaeru, literally “your evil deeds come back to you”)

콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다

kong simeun de kong nago pat simeun de pat nanda

کسی که خربزه میخورد، پای لرزش هم مینشیند


pride goeth before a fall

pride comes before a fall
pride comes before a fall#English

Alternative form of pride comes before a fall


pride comes before a fall

A person who is excessively proud will often suffer a setback or failure.

驕兵必敗

a person who is excessively proud will often suffer a setback or failure

Satan was proud and fell from heaven; the pharaoh was proud but sank in the sea; and when we are proud, what are we worth?

Satana gordilsja, s neba svalilsja; faraon gordilsja, v more utopilsja; a my gordimsja - kuda godimsja?

Сатана гордился, с неба свалился; фараон гордился, в море утопился; а мы гордимся - куда годимся?

the bigger they are, the harder they fall


hindsight is 20/20

From the term 20/20 referring to normal visual acuity.

Another common error dealing with memory is that of "hindsight bias." This is the tendency to exaggerate what could have been anticipated in the past. This is also known as "Monday morning quarter backing" or "hindsight is 20/20" where the "right" decision as to what should have been done appears to be more obvious now than it was in the past.

2009, Joseph Grcic, Facing Reality: An Introduction to Philosophy, Revised edition, Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, page 57:

Honestly? If you would have told me that becoming a professional tennis player might net me a decent supply of free pasta, I would have never begged my mom to quit my lessons. 😭 Hindsight = 20/20.

2023 July 30, Gretty Garcia, “Coco Gauff Is Still a Teenager, but Her Net Worth Reveals That She’s Already a Millionaire”, in Cosmopolitan:

(idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.

馬後炮

in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset

冇乞儿 (jau⁵ zou² zi¹, mou⁵ hat¹ ji⁴⁻¹, literally “there would be no homeless people if everyone knows beforehand”)

事后孔明 (si⁶ hou⁶ hung² ming⁴, literally “everyone can be Kongming in hindsight”)

depois que a onça já está morta, todo caçador é valente

за́дним умо́м всяк кре́пок (zádnim umóm vsjak krépok, literally “everyone is strong by one's hindmind”)

пото́м и Семён умён (potóm i Semjón umjón, literally “afterwards, even Semyon is wise”)

догада́лся, как проигра́лся (dogadálsja, kak proigrálsja, literally “(he) guessed it after (he) lost”)

мужи́к не перекре́стится ((poká) grom ne grjánet, mužík ne perekréstitsja, literally “until it thunders the man won't cross himself”)

después de la batalla somos todos generales


only fools and horses work

A philosophy of life, holding that people who do not look for an easy way of earning a living are foolish.


live by the sword, die by the sword

Gospel of Matthew
King James Version of the Bible
Live by the sword, die by the sword

1611, King James Version of the Bible, Gospel of Matthew, 26:52
:* Then said Jesus unto him, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."

One who uses violence can expect a violent response; it is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible.

one who uses violence can expect a violent response

usje, što vózʹmucʹ mječ, ad mjača i zahinucʹ

усе, што возьмуць меч, ад мяча і загінуць

vsički, koito se zalavjat za nož, ot nož šte poginat

всички, които се залавят за нож, от нож ще погинат

wie leeft bij het zwaard, zal sterven bij het zwaard

joka miekkaan tarttuu, se miekkaan hukkuu

wer das Schwert ergreift, der soll durchs Schwert umkommen

pántes ósoi piásosi máchairan diá machaíras thélousin apolesthí

πάντες όσοι πιάσωσι μάχαιραν διά μαχαίρας θέλουσιν απολεσθή

pántes gàr hoi labóntes mákhairan en makhaírēi apoloûntai

πάντες γὰρ οἱ λαβόντες μάχαιραν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀπολοῦνται

(a)ki kardot fog/ránt/ragad, kard által vész

alle som griper til sverd, skal falle for sverd

quem vive pela espada, morre pela espada

toți cei ce scot sabia, de sabie vor pieri

kto s mečóm k nam pridjót, tot ot mečá i pogíbnet

кто с мечо́м к нам придёт, тот от меча́ и поги́бнет

alla som griper till svärd skall dödas med svärd

vsi, xto vizʹme meča, vid meča i zahynutʹ

всі, хто візьме меча, від меча і загинуть

(figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey a sense that poetic justice is inevitable.

And in Dirk Diggler's most anguished scene, as he shouts at Jack Horner, "I'm ready to shoot my scene RIGHT NOW!" we learn that those who live by the sword can also die by it.

1997 October 17, Roger Ebert, “Boogie Nights (1997) review”, in Chicago Sun-Times:

In the “live by the sword, die by the sword” category of ironic litigation, consider the fate of struggling hardware and software maker Sun Microsystems.

2009, Larry Downes, The Laws of Disruption: Harnessing the New Forces That Govern Life and Business in the Digital Age, Basic Books, →ISBN:

(figuratively) The means of one's success can become the means of one's downfall.


en-proverb

you pays your money and you takes your choice

You can get there by bus, or train, or taxi. Whatever. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

Showman. On your right you will perceive a Prime Minister a Bolishing of hisself. And over your left is another Prime Minister a Bolishing of the Corn-Laws. / Master John Bull. But which is the Prime Minister? / Showman. Which ever you please, my little dear. You pays your money, and you takes your choice.

1846, “THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.[cartoon]”, in Punch, page 17:

Each person can make his or her own decisions.

you pays your nickel and you takes your choice

you pays your money and you takes your chances


欲加之罪，何患無詞

ㄩˋ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄓ ㄗㄨㄟˋ

ㄏㄜˊ ㄏㄨㄢˋ ㄨˊ ㄘˊ

yü⁴ chia¹ chih¹ tsui⁴, ho² huan⁴ wu² tzʻŭ²

юй цзя чжи цзуй

хэ хуань у цы

/y⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹ xɤ³⁵ xu̯än⁵¹ u³⁵ t͡sʰz̩³⁵/

欲加之罪，何患無辭 欲加之罪，何患無辭#Chinese

欲加之罪，何患无辞 欲加之罪，何患无辞#Chinese

Alternative form of 欲加之罪，何患無辭／欲加之罪，何患无辞 (yù jiā zhī zuì, hé huàn wú cí)


家家有本難念的經

家家有本难念的经
家家有本難唸的經

every family has a text which is difficult to read

ㄐㄧㄚ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄧㄡˇ ㄅㄣˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄋㄧㄢˋ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄐㄧㄥ

gaa¹ gaa¹ jau⁵ bun² naan⁴ nim⁶ dik¹ ging¹

jiājiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng [Phonetic:jiājiāyóuběnnánniàndejīng]

chia¹-chia¹ yu³ pên³ nan² nien⁴ tê⁵ ching¹

цзяцзя ю бэнь нань нянь дэ цзин

/t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ pən²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵ ni̯ɛn⁵¹ d̥ə¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

gaa¹ gaa¹ jau⁵ bun² naan⁴ nim⁶ dik⁷ ging¹

/kaː⁵⁵ kaː⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ puːn³⁵ naːn²¹ niːm²² tɪk̚⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵/

every family has a (sad or unpleasant) story; every family goes through its own problems


欲加之罪，何患無辭

ㄩˋ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄓ ㄗㄨㄟˋ

ㄏㄜˊ ㄏㄨㄢˋ ㄨˊ ㄘˊ

юй цзя чжи цзуй

хэ хуань у цы

In summer, in the 4th month, Jifu, duke of Zhou (w:zh:周公忌父), and Dang, son of king Xi(?), joined Xi Peng (w:zh:隰朋) of Qi in securing the establishment of the marquis of Jin, who put to death Li Ke (里克) to clear himself of any complicity with him in the murders which he had committed. When he was about to put him to death, he sent a message to him, saying, "But for you, I should not have attained to my present position; but considering that you murdered two marquises and one great officer, is it not a difficult thing to be your ruler?" Ke replied, "If others had not been removed, how could you have found room to rise? But if you wish to make out a man's guilt, there is no difficulty in finding ground to do so. I have heard your command." With this he cut his own throat, and died.

夏，四月，周公忌父、王子黨，會齊隰朋，立晉侯。晉侯殺里克以說。將殺里克，公使謂之曰：「微子則不及此。雖然，子弒二君與一大夫，為子君者，不亦難乎？」對曰：「不有廢也，君何以興？欲加之罪，其無辭乎

欲加之罪，何患无辞
欲加之罪，何患無詞

If you want to convict someone, there is no need to worry about making a suitable pretext.

If you want to find a fault of someone, there is no need to worry about making a suitable pretext.


hic Rhodus, hic salta

The phrase arises from the Latin form of Aesop's Fables (Gibbs 209; Perry 33; Chambry 51), as translated from Ancient Greek "Αὐτοῦ γὰρ καὶ Ῥόδος καὶ πήδημα" (literally) "Here is Rhodes, jump here!". In the fable, a boastful athlete brags that he once achieved a stupendous long jump in competition on the island of Rhodes. A bystander challenges him to dispense with the reports of the witnesses and simply repeat his accomplishment on the spot: "Here is Rhodes, jump here!"

1820, Hegel, “Philosophy of Right”, Preface, from SW Dyde 1896 translation
As a philosophic writing, it must be on its guard against constructing a state as it ought to be. Philosophy cannot teach the state what it should be, but only how it, the ethical universe, is to be known. Idou Podos, idou kai to pidima / Hic Rhodus, hic saltus.

On the other hand, proletarian revolutions, like those of the nineteenth century, constantly criticize themselves, constantly interrupt themselves in their own course, return to the apparently accomplished, in order to begin anew; they deride with cruel thoroughness the half-measures, weaknesses, and paltriness of their first attempts, seem to throw down their opponents only so the latter may draw new strength from the earth and rise before them again more gigantic than ever, recoil constantly from the indefinite colossalness of their own goals – until a situation is created which makes all turning back impossible, and the conditions themselves call out: Hic Rhodus, hic salta!

1852, Karl Marx, “The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte”, Chapter 1, from Saul K Padover English translation, published 1937

The repeated retreat of the mass of the European workers' movement in the face of the Hic Rhodus, hic salta of the 1918-1920 period, a retreat which included the violent destruction of its radical minority, favored the completion of the Bolshevik development and let this false result present itself to the world as the only proletarian solution.

1967, Guy Debord, “The Society of the Spectacle”, Chapter 4, from Black and Red translation, published 1970

1992, Francis Fukuyama, “The End of History and the Last Man”, Part IV, Leaping Over Rhodes (quoted as epigram).
Hic Rhodus, hic saltus

(politics) Prove what you can do, here and now.


яблоко от яблони недалеко падает

head

я́блоко от я́блони недалеко́ па́дает

я́блоко от я́блони недалеко́ па́дает • (jábloko ot jábloni nedalekó pádajet)

я́блоко от я́блони недалеко́ па́дает (canonical)
jábloko ot jábloni nedalekó pádajet (romanization)

[ˈjabɫəkə ɐt‿ˈjabɫənʲɪ nʲɪdəlʲɪˈko ˈpadə(j)ɪt]

LL-Q7737 (rus)-Tatiana Kerbush-яблоко от яблони недалеко падает.wav

(idiomatic) the apple doesn't fall far from the tree (an apple falls close to the apple tree).

en-яблоко_от_яблони_недалеко_падает-ru-proverb-wUYzoLkf


nhập gia tuỳ tục, nhập giang tuỳ khúc

[ɲəp̚˧˨ʔ zaː˧˧ twi˨˩ tʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ ɲəp̚˧˨ʔ zaːŋ˧˧ twi˨˩ xʊwk͡p̚˧˦]

[ɲəp̚˨˩ʔ jaː˧˧ twɪj˦˩ tʊwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ ɲəp̚˨˩ʔ jaːŋ˧˧ twɪj˦˩ kʰʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[ɲəp̚˨˩ʔ jaː˧˧ twɪj˦˩ tʊwk͡p̚˨˩ʔ ɲəp̚˨˩ʔ jaːŋ˧˧ twɪj˦˩ xʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥]

[ɲəp̚˨˩˨ jaː˧˧ t⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩ tʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨ ɲəp̚˨˩˨ jaːŋ˧˧ t⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩ kʰʊwk͡p̚˦˥]

[ɲəp̚˨˩˨ jaː˧˧ t⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩ tʊwk͡p̚˨˩˨ ɲəp̚˨˩˨ jaːŋ˧˧ t⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩ xʊwk͡p̚˦˥]

Sino-Vietnamese word from 入家隨俗，入江隨曲, literally: "enter house, follow customs; enter river, follow bends".

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


the ends justify the means

the end justifies the means
the end justifies the means#English

Alternative form of the end justifies the means


jablko nepadá daleko od stromu

Literally, “the apple doesn't fall far from the tree”.


an Englishman's home is his castle

a man's home is his castle
a man's home is his castle#English

(British) Synonym of a man's home is his castle


you can't unring a bell

you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube


don't look a gift horse in the mouth

en-au-don't look a gift horse in the mouth.ogg

Calque from Latin expressions such as equi dentes inspicere donati (“to inspect the teeth of a provided horse”) in St. Jerome's c. 400 Preface to the Commentaries of the Letter to the Ephesians (Commentariorum in Epistolam ad Ephesios Libri Tres), which designates it as a "common proverb" (vulgare proverbium). The ultimate referrent is inspection of horses' teeth as a way of ascertaining their age and value.

No man ought to looke a geuen hors in the mouth.

1546, John Heywood, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

He ne’er consider'd it, as loth
To look a Gift-horse in the mouth.

One should not unappreciatively question or inspect a gift too closely.

kalit të falur nuk i shikohen dhëmbët

a phrase referring to unappreciatively questioning of a gift or handout too closely

à cheval donné, on ne regarde pas la bouche

à cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents

à cheval donné on ne regarde pas la bride

à cheval donné on ne regarde pas la denture

o cabalo regalado, cólleo con ollos pechados

a cabalo regalado no se lle mira o dente

einem geschenkten Gaul schaut man nicht ins Maul

einem geschenkten Gaul sieht man nicht ins Maul

einem geschenkten Gaul guckt man nicht ins Maul

tou charízane gáidaro kai ton koítaze sta dóntia

του χαρίζανε γάιδαρο και τον κοίταζε στα δόντια

engem geschenkte Gaul kuckt een net an d'Maul

darowanemu koniowi nie zagląda się w zęby

darowanemu koniowi w zęby się nie zagląda

darowanemu koniowi w zęby się nie patrzy

a caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes

a caballo regalado no le mires el diente

a caballo regalado, no le mires el dentado

a caballo regalado, no le mires el diente

a caballo regalado, no se le ve el colmillo

pāpamani pāta cīra istē gōḍa cāṭuku veḷḷi mūra vēsindaṭa

పాపమని పాత చీర ఇస్తే గోడ చాటుకు వెళ్ళి మూర వేసిందట

a geshenkt ferd kukt men nisht in di tseyner

אַ געשענקט פֿערד קוקט מען נישט אין די ציינער

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


el algodón no engaña

Literally, “the cotton does not deceive”.

the proof of the pudding is in the eating


when in Rome, do as the Romans

when in Rome, do as the Romans do#English

(uncommon) Alternative form of when in Rome, do as the Romans do


where there's smoke, there's fire

en-au-where there's smoke, there's fire.ogg

with a grain of salt
with a grain of salt

(UK, US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand) If there is a hint of something occurring it could indeed be true, but such rumors should be taken with a grain of salt.

أَيْنَمَا يُوجَدُ دُخَان، تُوجَدُ نَار

if there is a hint of something occurring it could indeed be true, but rumors should be handled with skepticism

All rumors are true
all rumors are true#English


wie der Vater, so der Sohn

like father, like son
like father, like son


alle Wege führen nach Rom

all roads lead to Rome
all roads lead to Rome


neue Besen kehren gut

a new broom sweeps clean
a new broom sweeps clean


ein Bild sagt mehr als tausend Worte

De-ein Bild sagt mehr als tausend Worte.ogg

Literally, “a picture says more than a thousand words”.

lit

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

a picture paints a thousand words
a picture paints a thousand words

a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture paints a thousand words


es ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt

De-es ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt.ogg

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


viele Köche verderben den Brei

too many cooks spoil the broth
too many cooks spoil the broth


寧為太平犬，不做亂世人

ㄋㄧㄥˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄊㄞˋ ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄑㄩㄢˇ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄨㄛˋ ㄌㄨㄢˋ ㄕˋ ㄖㄣˊ

ㄋㄧㄥˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄊㄞˋ ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄑㄩㄢˇ

ning⁴ wai⁴ taai³ peng⁴ hyun², bat¹ zou⁶ lyun⁶ sai³ jan⁴

bù zuò luànshì rén [Phonetic:nìng wéi tàipíng quǎn

нин вэй тайпин цюань

бу цзо луаньши жэнь

/niŋ⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹ pʰiŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡su̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʐən³⁵/

bù zuò luànshì rén [Phonetic:níng wéi tàipíng quǎn

/niŋ³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹ pʰiŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡su̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ lu̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʐən³⁵/

nìhng wàih taai pèhng hyún, bāt jouh lyuhn sai yàhn

ning⁴ wai⁴ taai³ peng⁴ hyn², bat⁷ dzou⁶ lyn⁶ sai³ jan⁴

ning⁴ wei⁴ tai³ péng⁴ hün², bed¹ zou⁶ lün⁶ sei³ yen⁴

/nɪŋ²¹ wɐi̯²¹ tʰaːi̯³³ pʰɛːŋ²¹ hyːn³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ t͡sou̯²² lyːn²² sɐi̯³³ jɐn²¹/

It’s better to be a dog in a peaceful time than be a man in a chaotic period.


today is a good day to die

/tʊˈdeɪ ɪz ə ˈɡʊd deɪ tə ˈdaɪ/

Crazy Horse
Leavenworth Times
Low Dog
Oglala Lakota
University of Oklahoma Press

The phrase is frequently attributed to the Oglala Lakota war leader Crazy Horse (c. 1842 – 1877), though this is inaccurate as the earliest published reference, in the 14 August 1881 edition of the Leavenworth Times, attributes it to the Oglala Lakota chief Low Dog (c. 1846 – 1894).

Junkies brag about the "rush" of mainlined heroin or inhaled crack cocaine; I'll put the rush of danger up against any drug. I wasn't kidding when I told Bouton it was a good day to die. Any day is a good day to die. As long as you go down fighting.

[1993, Stephen Solomita, chapter 12, in A Good Day to Die, New York, N.Y.: Otto Penzler Books, →ISBN:

We will keep safe the heritage of this country. And if someday we must die to serve this cause, well, then, it will be a good day to die.

[1997, Robert B[rown] Parker, chapter 26, in Night Passage: A Jesse Stone Novel, New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN:

Otherwise, small business owners like those in the construction industry will have to be prescient, as well as politically and financially astute, in deciding if today is a good day to die.

2001, Engineering News-Record: Top Construction Management Firms, volume 246, New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 72:

An expression of willingness, even eagerness, to give one’s life for a cause.

hoxe é un bo día para morrer

To be given the strength to live without regrets, without the feeling that you should be doing something more, something different. To make today''' a good day to die. To gain fulfillment not with length of time, but with quality.

[2002, Dave Collins, “Gains”, in Please Remain Seated until the Ride has Come to a Complete Stop: Dave Collins Memoir, Lincoln, Neb.: Writer's Showcase, iUniverse, →ISBN, pages 86–87:

The main thing is to die after having truly lived, after leaving behind a contribution. Socrates lived fully and was perfectly content to let go when the time came. As the Native American saying goes, "Today is a good day to die."

2006, Dan Millman, “On Chapter Four: The Sword is Sharpened”, in Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior: A Companion to the Book that Changes Lives, Tilburon, Calif.: H. J. Kramer; Novato, Calif.: New World Library, →ISBN, page 111:

In the native tradition of the Pacific Northwest there is a saying: "Today is a good day to die." What it means, of course, is that today is a good day to live completely. If you were lying on that hospital bed right now, what would be on that short list?

2008, John Izzo, “The First Secret: Be True to Your Self”, in The Five Secrets You must Discover before You Die, San Francisco, Calif.: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, →ISBN, page 43:

An expression indicating that one should not live with any regrets, or tasks left undone.


allir vegir liggja til Rómar

Origin of this wording uncertain; see all roads lead to Rome for earlier forms in Latin and other languages.


øye for øye, tann for tann

eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth


三個臭皮匠，勝過諸葛亮

threeunskilled cobblers are superior to Zhuge Liang

ㄙㄢ ˙ㄍㄜ ㄔㄡˋ ㄆㄧˊ ㄐㄧㄤˋ

ㄕㄥˋ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄓㄨ ㄍㄜˇ ㄌㄧㄤˋ

ㄕㄥˋ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄓㄨ ㄍㄜˊ ㄌㄧㄤˋ

saam¹ go³ cau³ pei⁴ zoeng⁶, sing³ gwo³ zyu¹ got³ loeng⁶

сань гэ чоупицзян

шэнго Чжугэ Лян

/sän⁵⁵ g̊ə² ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯⁵¹ pʰi³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ku̯ɔ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu⁵⁵ kɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ li̯ɑŋ⁵¹/

/sän⁵⁵ g̊ə² ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯⁵¹ pʰi³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ku̯ɔ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu⁵⁵ kɤ³⁵ li̯ɑŋ⁵¹/

sāam go chau pèih jeuhng, sing gwo jyū got leuhng

saam¹ go³ tsau³ pei⁴ dzoeng⁶, sing³ gwo³ dzy¹ got⁸ loeng⁶

sam¹ go³ ceo³ péi⁴ zêng⁶, xing³ guo³ ju¹ god³ lêng⁶

/saːm⁵⁵ kɔː³³ t͡sʰɐu̯³³ pʰei̯²¹ t͡sœːŋ²² sɪŋ³³ kʷɔː³³ t͡syː⁵⁵ kɔːt̚³ lœːŋ²²/

two heads are better than one
two heads are better than one

三個臭皮匠，勝過一個諸葛亮／三个臭皮匠，胜过一个诸葛亮

sān ge chòupíjiàng, shèngguò yīge Zhūgě Liàng


ajándék lónak ne nézd a fogát

[ˈɒjaːndeːk ˈloːnɒk ˈnɛ neːzd ɒ ˈfoɡaːt]

Literally, “don’t look at the teeth of a gift horse”.

lit

don't look a gift horse in the mouth
don't look a gift horse in the mouth


良禽擇木而棲

ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄗㄜˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄦˊ ㄑㄧ

лянцинь цзэ му эр ци

/li̯ɑŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ mu⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵/

/lœːŋ²¹ kʰɐm²¹ t͡saːk̚² mʊk̚² jiː²¹ t͡sʰɐi̯⁵⁵/

A good bird chooses (for himself) the tree upon which to perch, the talented subject chooses (for himself) the lord that he shall serve.

Liángqín zémù ér qī, xiánchén zé zhǔ ér shì.

良禽擇木而棲，賢臣擇主而事。

良禽择木而栖，贤臣择主而事。

A talented person is free to choose his own boss.


ne'er cast a clout till May be out

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-ne'er cast a clout till May be out.wav

Ne’er is a contraction of never; while clout is an archaic or dialectal word for a (worthless) piece of cloth or a rag, and is used to refer to clothing in a derogatory manner.

Leave not off a Clout, / Till May be out.

[1732, Thomas Fuller, compiler, Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs; Wise Sentences and Witty Sayings, Ancient and Modern, Foreign and British, London: […] B. Barker […]; and A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, […], →OCLC, paragraph 6193, page 276:

There is another ungracious rhyme about this favourite month of the poets— / Till May be out / Change na a clout: / That is, thin not your winter-clothing till the end of May—a good maxim if we are to put faith in the great father of modern medicine, [Herman] Boerhaave, who, on being consulted as to the proper time for putting off flannel, is said to have answered, "On Midsummer night, and—put it on again next morning!"

[1834 February 8, “Popular Rhymes. The Weather.”, in William Chambers, Robert Chambers, editors, Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal, volume III, number 106, Edinburgh: William and Robert Chambers, […]; [William Somerville] Orr and Smith, […], published 1835, →OCLC, page 16, column 2:

Of old it was said,— / "Ne'er cast a clout / Till May is out." / More recently the version is, / "No garment cast / Till May be past." / The advice is the same, but how different the style!

1849 May 4, “To Correspondents. [Poetry.]”, in The Liverpool Mercury, and Lancashire, Cheshire, and General Advertiser, volume XXXIX, number 2088, Liverpool: Thomas Rogerson, […], and John Smith, […], at the Mercury and General Printing Establishment, […], →OCLC, page 286:

The defenses against him [the month of March] should be more carefully watched than those of the depth of Winter. Fires are left to smolder down in the warmth of the day until the house is thoroughly chilled, and a sudden damp wind springs up in the afternoon and carries disease and death into the open windows. "Till May be out, Ne'er cast a clout," is counsel as good as homely.

[1875 March 9, “March”, in New-York Tribune, volume XXXIV, number 10,588, New York, N.Y.: [s.n.], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6, column 5:

In this sense the Boeotian poetry may be taken to have its germ in maxims similar to our English / "Till May be out, ne'er cast a clout," / or / "A rainbow in the morning / Is the Shepherd's warning."

[1914, Hugh G[erard] Evelyn-White, “Introduction”, in Hesiod, translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Hesiod: The Homeric Hymns and Homerica […] (Loeb Classical Library; no. 57), London: William Heinemann; New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Co., →OCLC, page xi:

Proverbs emphasise the protective function of clothes, which are valued more highly if they protect from heat or cold, rain or sun: […] It was better to wear too much than too little, and one should not be in too much of a hurry to shed one's winter clothes at the first sign of fine weather: ‘Ne’er cast a clout till May be out.’

1994, Daniel Roche, “Caring for Clothes: From Propriety to Cleanliness”, in Jean Birrell, transl., The Culture of Clothing: Dress and Fashion in the ‘Ancien Régime’ (Past and Present Publications), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, published 1999, →ISBN, part 3 (Producing, Selling and Stealing: The Distribution of Appearances), page 377:

The well-known phrase ‘Cast ne’er a clout [or ‘Ne’er cast a clout’] till May is out’ cautions people not to cast off their winter clothes until they are sure that summer is with us. In recent years it has been commonly stated that the phrase does not refer to the month of May but rather to the blossoming of the hawthorn, which in many parts is referred to as ‘may’, but many earlier references to the phrase make it perfectly clear that the month is what is meant. The saying was often extended to include other months, as in […] a rhyme printed in Notes & Queries in 1870 but claimed to be current in Yorkshire a hundred years before: / Don’t change a clout / Till May is out; / If you change in June / ’Twill be too soon.

2006, Steve Roud, “May”, in The English Year: A Month-by-month Guide to the Nation’s Customs and Festivals, from May Day to Mischief Night, paperback edition, London: Penguin Books, published 2008, →ISBN, pages 200–201:

May 31st is the day to look out and iron summer dresses, as our grandmothers used to say. / "Ne'er cast a clout / Till May be out."

2020, Elizabeth Wood, “May”, in Pancakes and Plum Pudding: A Pathway to the Past (Looking at Customs, Cooking, Saints’ Days and Superstitions), Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire: Matador, →ISBN, page 87:

(UK, dialectal) Do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.

do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)

the weather at the end of March bodes the weather when May begins

mitä Mariana katolla, sitä vappuna vaolla

en avril ne te découvre pas d’un fil, en mai fais ce qu’il te plaît

april, aprilone, non mi rifai metter giù il pelliccione

aprile, non ti scoprire; maggio, adagio adagio; giugno, allarga il pugno

kwiecień plecień, bo przeplata trochę zimy, trochę lata

первая ла́сточка весны не делает (pervaja lástočka vesny ne delajet, literally “the first swallow does not mean spring has come”)

si quieres criarte gordito y sano, la ropa del invierno gasta en verano


en-proverb

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

From the Bible's account of Jesus' last night in Gethsemane. Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

As much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible. Sometimes extended to jocular or organizational referents.

achieving something is made impossible by frailty

ar-rūḥu tawwāqatu walākinna l-jasadu ḍaʕīfu

الرُوحُ تَوَّاقَةُ وَلٰكِنَّ الجَسَدُ ضَعِيفُ

duchť zajisté hotov jest, ale tělo nemocno

de geest is gewillig, maar het vlees is zwak

la spirito ja estas fervora, sed la karno estas malforta

henki tosin on altis, mutta liha on heikko

der Geist ist willig, aber das Fleisch ist schwach

lo spirito è pronto, ma la carne è stanca

spiritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirma

he hihiko te wairua, ko te kikokiko ia he ngoikore

o espírito está pronto, mas a carne é fraca

дух је, истина, вољан, но тијело је слабо

duh je, istina, voljan, no tijelo je slabo

el espíritu está presto, mas la carne enferma

tâm thần thì muốn lắm, mà xác thịt thì yếu đuối


diamonds are a girl's best friend

While love is a luxury, material wealth (particularly jewellery) is more valuable to a girl.


you get what you pay for

You get what you pay for. If you want a lower price, you can go to Motel 6..

1991 October 28, Janice Castro, Richard Woodbury, “The Man Who Fired a Dog To Save a Buck”, in Time, retrieved 2018-11-04:

In commercial transactions, the quality of goods and services increases as the prices increase, i.e., the more one pays, the better the merchandise.

一分錢，一分貨

quality of goods increases as the prices increases

安物買いの銭失い

やすものがいのぜにうしない

колку пари, толку музика (kolku pari, tolku muzika, literally “as much music as there is money”)

you pays your money and you takes your choice


cast not a clout till May be out

ne'er cast a clout till May be out#English

Alternative form of ne'er cast a clout till May be out


almost doesn't count

Near success (or near accuracy) is not adequate.


l'habit ne fait pas le moine

l’ habit ne fait pas le moine (canonical)

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-l’habit ne fait pas le moine.wav

Literally, “the clothing doesn't make the monk”.

lit

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

you can't judge a book by its cover (it is not possible nor advisable to judge things by external appearances alone)


tout ce qui brille n'est pas or

tout ce qui brille n’ est pas (canonical)

Literally, “all that shines is not gold”.


說曹操，曹操到

/ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯³⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯³⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/syːt̚³ t͡sʰou̯²¹ t͡sʰou̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰou̯²¹ t͡sʰou̯⁵⁵ tou̯³³/

speak of the devil and he shall appear
speak of the devil and he shall appear

(idiomatic) speak of the devil and he shall appear


festina lente

[fɛs̠ˈt̪iːnäː ˈɫ̪ɛn̪t̪eː]

Calque of Ancient Greek σπεῦδε βραδέως (speûde bradéōs).

calque

σπεῦδε βραδέως

more haste, less speed
more haste, less speed

make haste slowly; hasten slowly: an oxymoron equivalent to more haste, less speed


燕雀安知鴻鵠志

ja-r

燕雀%安んぞ鴻鵠の志を知らんや

えんじゃく% いずくんぞ こうこく の こころざし を しらんや

→ Japanese: 燕雀(えんじゃく)安(いずく)んぞ鴻鵠(こうこく)の志(こころざし)を知(し)らんや (enjaku izukunzo kōkoku no kokorozashi o shiran'ya) (calque)

ㄧㄢˋ ㄑㄩㄝˋ ㄢ ㄓ ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄏㄨˊ ㄓˋ

яньцюэ ань чжи хунху чжи

/jɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹ ˀän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ xʊŋ³⁵ xu³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/jiːn³³ t͡sœːk̚³ ɔːn⁵⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ hʊŋ²¹ hʊk̚² t͡siː³³/

From Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian

When Chen She was young, he worked in the fields with other day laborers. One day, he stopped working and climbed to the top of a hill. He was sullen for quite some time, then said, "If I become rich, I will not forget you all." The other workers laughed, and responded, "You're a day labourer, what riches?" Chen She sighed, and said, "Alas, how can a little songbird understand the ambitions of a grand swan!"

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

Chén Shè shàoshí, cháng yǔ rén yōnggēng. Chuò gēng zhī lǒng shàng, chànghèn jiǔzhī, yuē: “Gǒu fùguì, wú xiàngwàng.” Yōng zhě xiào ér yìng yuē: “Ruò wèi yōnggēng, hé fùguì yě?” Chén Shè tàixī yuē: “Jiēhū, yànquè ān zhī hónghú zhī zhì zāi!”

陳涉少時，嘗與人傭耕。輟耕之壟上，悵恨久之，曰：「苟富貴，無相忘。」傭者笑而應曰：「若為傭耕，何富貴也？」陳涉太息曰：「嗟乎，燕雀安知鴻鵠之志哉！」

陈涉少时，尝与人佣耕。辍耕之垄上，怅恨久之，曰：「苟富贵，无相忘。」佣者笑而应曰：「若为佣耕，何富贵也？」陈涉太息曰：「嗟乎，燕雀安知鸿鹄之志哉！」

At midnight, the county governor ordered his personal aides to discreetly escort Cao Cao to the rear courtyard for questioning; he asked, "I have heard that the chancellor treats you very well, so why have you brought such trouble upon yourself?" Cao said, "'How can a little songbird understand the ambitions of a grand swan?' You have captured me, and now you can leisurely turn me over to the authorities and collect your reward. Why ask more questions!"

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14ᵗʰ century CE

Zhì yèfēn, xiànlìng huàn qīnsuí rén àndì qǔ chū Cáo Cāo, qiě zhì hòuyuàn zhōng shěnjiū; wèn yuē: “Wǒ wén chéngxiàng dài rǔ bùbó, hégù zìqǔqíhuò?” Cāo yuē: “‘Yànquè ān zhī hónghú zhì zāi’? Rǔ jì ná zhù wǒ, biàndang jiě qù qǐngshǎng. Hébì duō wèn!”

至夜分，縣令喚親隨人暗地取出曹操，且至後院中審究；問曰：「我聞丞相待汝不薄，何故自取其禍？」操曰：「『燕雀安知鴻鵠志哉』？汝既拏住我，便當解去請賞。何必多問！」

至夜分，县令唤亲随人暗地取出曹操，且至后院中审究；问曰：「我闻丞相待汝不薄，何故自取其祸？」操曰：「『燕雀安知鸿鹄志哉』？汝既拿住我，便当解去请赏。何必多问！」

(figuratively) How can an ordinary person understand the ambitions of a great person?

Records of the Grand Historian
Sima Qian


nevděk světem vládne

Literally, “the ingratitude rules the world”.

lit

ingratitude is ubiquitous and to be expected; we can't do anything about it


head

kdo se směje naposled, ten se směje nejlíp

Literally, “he who laughs last laughs best”.

lit

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


kdo zaváhá, nežere

he who hesitates is lost
he who hesitates is lost


sejde z očí, sejde z mysli

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


neplač nad rozlitým mlékem

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


lež má krátké nohy

a lie has no legs (literally: short legs)


když se kácí les, létají třísky

Literal translation: "Whenever the forest gets cut, chips fly"

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs


všechny cesty vedou do Říma

all roads lead to Rome
all roads lead to Rome


nebuď zvědavej, budeš brzo starej

curiosity killed the cat
curiosity killed the cat


starého psa novým kouskům nenaučíš

Literally, “you won't teach an old dog new tricks”.

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


kdo chce psa bít, hůl si vždycky najde

Literally, “he who wants to hit a dog will always find himself a stick”.

lit

it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog


ranní ptáče dál doskáče

Literally, “the early bird jumps further”.

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


darovanému koni na zuby nekoukej

Literally, “don't look at the teeth of a gift horse”. Since horses' teeth grow over time, checking their length is a way of gauging old age, and therefore a sign of mistrust towards the giver. Although uncertain, the origin can be traced even further to St. Jerome's Latin translation equi donati dentes non inspiciuntur, from the Letter to the Ephesians, circa AD 400.


není všechno zlato, co se třpytí

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


když kocour není doma, myši mají pré

[ɡdɪʃ kot͡sou̯r nɛɲiː doma mɪʃɪ majiː prɛː]

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

lit

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


ráno moudřejší večera

Literally, “the morning is wiser than the evening”. Compare Russian у́тро ве́чера мудрене́е (útro véčera mudrenéje).

cog

у́тро ве́чера мудрене́е

sleep on it (instead of making hasty decisions in the evening, it is better to postpone them to the morning)


kdo seje vítr, sklízí bouři

Bin Ládin se na krátký čas ocitl na vrcholu své krvavé kariéry. Pak se však naplnilo pořekadlo, kdo seje vítr, sklízí bouři.

For a short time, Bin Laden found himself at the peak of his bloody career. But then, as the saying goes, he who sows the wind will reap the whirlwhind.

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


寧教我負天下人，休教天下人負我

head

寧教我負天下人，休教天下人負我

ㄋㄧㄥˋ ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄈㄨˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄖㄣˊ

ㄒㄧㄡ ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄈㄨˋ ㄨㄛˇ

ㄋㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄈㄨˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄖㄣˊ

ning⁴ gaau¹ ngo⁵ fu⁶ tin¹ haa⁵ jan⁴, jau¹ gaau¹ tin¹ haa⁵ jan⁴ fu⁶ ngo⁵

нинцзяо во фу тянься жэнь

сю цзяо тянься жэнь фу во

/niŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ fu⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ fu⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/niŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ fu⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ fu⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

nìhng gāau ngóh fuh tīn háh yàhn, yāu gāau tīn háh yàhn fuh ngóh

ning⁴ gao¹ ngo⁵ fu⁶ tin¹ ha⁵ yen⁴, yeo¹ gao¹ tin¹ ha⁵ yen⁴ fu⁶ ngo⁵

/nɪŋ²¹ kaːu̯⁵⁵ ŋɔː¹³ fuː²² tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː¹³ jɐn²¹ jɐu̯⁵⁵ kaːu̯⁵⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː¹³ jɐn²¹ fuː²² ŋɔː¹³/

From the Romance of the Three Kingdoms [circa 14th century AD].

Gōng yuē: ‘Zhī ér gùshā, dà bùyì yě!’ Cāo yuē: ‘Nìngjiàowǒfùtiānxiàrén, xiūjiàotiānxiàrénfùwǒ.’

宮曰：『知而故殺，大不義也！』操曰：『寧教我負天下人，休教天下人負我。』

宫曰：『知而故杀，大不义也！』操曰：『宁教我负天下人，休教天下人负我。』

宁教我负天下人，休教天下人负我

I would rather that everyone were betrayed by me, instead of me being betrayed by everyone.


opakování matka moudrosti

Literally, “repetition is the mother of wisdom”.

lit

practice makes perfect
practice makes perfect


nem esik messze az alma a fájától

[ˈnɛm ɛʃik ˈmɛsːɛ ɒz ˈɒlmɒ ɒ ˈfaːjaːtoːl]

Literally: "the apple doesn't fall far from its tree"

like father, like son
like father, like son

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, like father, like son


morgonstund har guld i mun

Borrowed from German Morgenstunde hat Gold im Munde. Often misinterpreted to mean "The morning has gold in its mouth" (rather than hand), due to mund being an archaic form of mun.

bor+

the early bird catches the worm
the early bird catches the worm


kutyából nem lesz szalonna

Literally, “out of a dog there will be no lard”.

lit

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

the fox may grow grey but never good
the fox may grow grey but never good

you cannot turn chalk into cheese
you cannot turn chalk into cheese

a leopard cannot change its spots, the fox may grow grey but never good, the wolf may lose his teeth but never his nature, you cannot turn chalk into cheese


hallgatni arany

[ˈhɒlɡɒtni ˈɒrɒɲ]

Literally, “to remain silent [is] golden”.


money talks

19th century, from earlier forms such as gold speaks (1666, in full, “Man prates, but gold speaks.”), as translation from Italian by Giovanni Torriano, in Piazza Universale di Proverbi Italiani: or, A Common Place of Italian Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, 179.

Money still talks — indeed, thanks in part to the Roberts court, it talks louder than ever. Still, ideas matter too, shaping both how we talk about society and, eventually, what we do.

2014 April 25, Paul Krugman, “The Piketty Panic”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

It is easier to accomplish goals using money instead of just talk.

錢可通神

it is easier to accomplish goals using money

閻魔大王が下す地獄での判決も金次第では軽くもなる

Enma Daiō ga kudasu jigoku de no hanketsu mo kane shidaide wa karuku mo naru


silence is golden

Calque of Latin silentium est aureum (“silence is golden”).

cal

"[I] adore good music, I hate bad, and I despise mediocre. Silence is golden, indeed, compared with poor music."

1877, Charles Reade, chapter 21, in A Woman-Hater:

言わぬが花 (いわぬがはな, iwanu ga hana, literally “not saying is a flower”)

сло́во — серебро́, молча́ние — зо́лото (slóvo — serebró, molčánije — zóloto)

молча́ние — зо́лото (molčánije — zóloto)

's fhearr a bhith sàmhach na droch dhan a ghabhail

am fear a ghléidheas a theangaidh, ghléidhidh e a charaid

But I have spoken long enough. There are times when silence is golden, and one of those times is at hand.

1897, Horatio Alger, chapter 2, in Walter Sherwood's Probation:

I shouldn't lower myself to respond to the personal attacks on me, but silence, as the current scandal plaguing the federal administration shows, isn't golden.

1987 April 4, T.R. Witomski, “witomski responds to readers' response to witomski (letter)”, in Gay Community News, page 6:

Often the best choice is to say nothing.


alle wegen leiden naar Rome

/ˈɑ.lə ˈʋeː.ɣə(n)ˈlɛi̯.də(n)naːr ˈroː.mə/

Origin of this wording uncertain; see all roads lead to Rome for earlier forms in Latin and other languages.
See also Dutch Wikipedia entry.


что посеешь, то и пожнёшь

head

что посе́ешь, то и пожнёшь

что посе́ешь, то и пожнёшь • (što poséješʹ, to i požnjóšʹ)

что посе́ешь (canonical)
то и пожнёшь (canonical)
što poséješʹ (romanization)
to i požnjóšʹ (romanization)

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

en-что_посеешь,_то_и_пожнёшь-ru-proverb--HRR9OQ5


как посеешь, так и пожнёшь

как посе́ешь, так и пожнёшь

как посе́ешь, так и пожнёшь • (kak poséješʹ, tak i požnjóšʹ)

как посе́ешь (canonical)
так и пожнёшь (canonical)
kak poséješʹ (romanization)
tak i požnjóšʹ (romanization)

en-как_посеешь,_так_и_пожнёшь-ru-proverb--HRR9OQ5


old habits die hard

Old habits die hard. The stronger beverage of English ale had been so long in use that the old folks could not be induced to relinquish it for a foreign herb.

1884, Arthur Reade, Tea and Tea Drinking, London: S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, page 12:

Established habits are difficult to change.

بو طبيع ما يوز عن طبعه

established habits are difficult to change

man kan ikke lære en gammel hund nye kunster

πρώτα βγαίνει η ψυχή και μετά το χούι

próta vgaínei i psychí kai metá to choúi

teaching an old dog to sit is a daunting task

það er erfitt að kenna gömlum hundi að sitja

привы́чка — втора́я нату́ра (privýčka — vtorája natúra) (a habit is a second nature)

от ста́рой привы́чки тру́дно изба́виться


The distinguishing features of a camel, like its humps, plate-shaped feet, habitual spitting, strange shape and poor temperament, can be seen as the sort of deformities that typify the sort of ideas that committees come up with that make projects bad.

A camel is a horse designed by a committee, so we hope that this committee will—and I think it will—function appropriately.

1952, Proceedings Regular Meeting, Ohio Valley Transportation Advisory Board, Pacific Northwest Advisory Board, page 24:

And we all know the saying, which is true as well as witty, that a camel is a horse that was designed by a committee.

1964, Peter and the Commissar, Allan Sherman and the Boston Pops

If a camel is a horse designed by a committee, what is a materials policy statement prepared by seven study teams?

1975, The Professional Geographer: The Journal of the Association of American Geographers, volume 27, page 132:

Whoever concluded that a camel is a horse designed by a committee could have similar thoughts about taxicabs.

1976, Popular Science, v.209 1976 Jul-Dec:

"A camel," it has been said, "is a horse designed by committee." This might sound like a telling example of the terrible deficiencies of committee decisions, but it is really much too mild an indictment.

1998, The Possibility of Social Choice, Nobel Lecture, Amartya Sen

"This is a presidential address, Andrea, not a camel (...) A camel! A horse built by committee!" (Toby Ziegler)

2002,The West Wing, episode Night Five, original airdate February 6th, 2002

To quote another ancient proverb, "A camel is a horse designed by a committee." Life or Something Like It is the movie designed by the camel.

2004, Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2005, Roger Ebert, Andrews McMeel Publishing, →ISBN, page 388:

"You know what they say about committees, a camel is a horse designed by a committee - Honorable Mayor Lawrence Werther, Mayor of the Incorporated Village of Mineola, New York.

2011, January 5, 2011 Mineola, NY Village Meeting. original airdate January 5, 2011

Too many people on one project can spoil it by having conflicting or inexperienced ideas.

kameli on komitean suunnittelema hevonen

뱃사공이 많으면 배가 산으로 간다

baetsagong-i maneumyeon baega saneuro ganda

a camel is a horse designed by committee


割雞焉用牛刀

desc

鶏を割くに焉んぞ牛刀を用いん

→ Japanese: 鶏を割くに焉んぞ牛刀を用いん (niwatori o saku ni izukunzo/nanzo gyūtō o mochiin) (calque)

→ Vietnamese: giết gà dùng dao mổ trâu (calque)

ㄍㄜ ㄐㄧ ㄧㄢ ㄩㄥˋ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄉㄠ

гэцзи янь юн нюдао

/kɤ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ jʊŋ⁵¹ ni̯oʊ̯³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/kɔːt̚³ kɐi̯⁵⁵ jiːn⁵⁵ jʊŋ²² ŋɐu̯²¹ tou̯⁵⁵/

From the Analects, Book 17 (《論語·陽貨》):
:
In this passage, Confucius was joking with his disciple Yan Yan, suggesting that the ritual court music might be a bit over the top, when considering that Wucheng was such a lowly assignment.

The master went to Wucheng. When he heard the sound of ritual court music, the master smiled and said, "Why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken?" Ziyou replied, "In that past, I have heard you say, 'If a ruler learns the way, then he will love the people. If a person of low station learns the way, then it will be easier for him to serve.'" The master said, "Gentlemen! What Yan said is correct. As for my previous statement, I was only teasing him!"

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, Wiktionary translation

Zǐ zhī Wǔchéng, wén xiángē zhī shēng, Fūzǐ wǎn'ěr ér xiào, yuē: “Gējī yān yòng niúdāo.” Zǐyóu duì yuē: “Xīzhě, Yǎn yě wén zhū Fūzǐ yuē: ‘Jūnzǐ xué dào zé ài rén, xiǎorén xué dào zé yì shǐ yě.’” Zǐ yuē: “Èrsānzǐ! Yǎn zhī yán shì yě, qiányán xì zhī ěr!”

子之武城，聞弦歌之聲，夫子莞爾而笑，曰：「割雞焉用牛刀。」子游對曰：「昔者，偃也聞諸夫子曰：『君子學道則愛人，小人學道則易使也。』」子曰：「二三子！偃之言是也，前言戲之耳！」

子之武城，闻弦歌之声，夫子莞尔而笑，曰：「割鸡焉用牛刀。」子游对曰：「昔者，偃也闻诸夫子曰：『君子学道则爱人，小人学道则易使也。』」子曰：「二三子！偃之言是也，前言戏之耳！」

He had not yet finished speaking, when a person standing behind Lü Bu said loudly, "'Why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken?' We shouldn't trouble the Marquis of Wen to go personally.

Yán wèi jué, Lǚ Bù bèihòu yīrén, gāoshēng chū yuē: ‘Gējī yān yòng niúdāo?’ Bùláo wēnhóu qīnwǎng.

言未絕，呂布背後一人，高聲出曰：『割雞焉用牛刀？』不勞溫侯親往。

言未绝，吕布背后一人，高声出曰：『割鸡焉用牛刀？』不劳温侯亲往。

use a sledgehammer to crack a nut
use a sledgehammer to crack a nut

(rhetorical question) something of a big calibre is not necessary to handle small or minor problems; why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut


wherever you go, there you are

(colloquial) One cannot run from one's problems indefinitely.


žádný učený z nebe nespadl

Literally, “no learned man has fallen off the sky”.

lit

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


čiň čertu dobře, peklem se ti odmění

/ˈt͡ʃɪɲ ˈt͡ʃɛrtʊ ˈdɔbr̝ɛ ˈpɛklɛm ˈsɛcɪ ˈʔɔdm̩ɲɛɲiː/

Literally, “do good to the devil; he will reward you with hell”.

lit

bad people reward your good deeds toward them with bad deeds toward you


head

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

Literally, “so long does one walk with a jug for water, until one day the handle breaks off”. Compare German der Krug geht so lange zum Brunnen, bis er bricht.

cog

when you use a thing too much, it ultimately breaks down at some point
 every day the bucket goes to the well but one day the bottom will drop out


komu se nelení, tomu se zelení

Literally, “he who does not laze around, gets the greens”.

lit

early bird gets the worm
early bird gets the worm


sytý hladovému nevěří

Literally, “he who is full does not believe the hungry one”.

lit

he who has not experienced difficulties does not believe the accounts of those who had them


己に如かざる者を友とするなかれ

ja-pos

おのれ に しかざる もの を とも と するなかれ

己(おのれ)に如(し)かざる者(もの)を友(とも)とするなかれ • (onore ni shikazaru mono o tomo to surunakare)

己に如かざる者を友とするなかれ (canonical)

Calque of Literary Chinese 無友不如己者 (wú yǒu bùrú jǐ zhě).

calque

Do not befriend people who are not as sincere as you are.


君子は器ならず

ja-pos

君(くん)子(し)は器(き)ならず • (kunshi wa ki narazu)

君子は器ならず (canonical)
kunshi wa ki narazu (romanization)

A gentleman is no specialist. That is, unlike a tool fashioned for a specific purpose, a gentleman is well-rounded, someone who has talents suited to any task.


温良恭倹譲

おん-りょう-きょう-けん-じょう

温(おん)良(りょう)恭(きょう)倹(けん)譲(じょう) • (on-ryō-kyō-ken-jō)

温良恭倹譲 (canonical)
on-ryō-kyō-ken-jō (romanization)

From Middle Chinese 溫良恭儉讓 (MC 'won ljang kjowng gjemX nyangH).

ltc-l

Be cordial, kind, courteous, modest, and deferential.


既往は咎めず

既往は咎めず (canonical)
kiō wa togamezu (romanization)

let bygones be bygones
let bygones be bygones

On things that are past, it is needless to pursue past mistakes; let bygones be bygones.


徳は孤ならず必ず隣あり

ja-pos

とく は こ ならず かならず となり あり

徳(とく)は孤(こ)ならず必(かなら)ず隣(となり)あり • (toku wa ko narazu kanarazu tonari ari)

徳は孤ならず必ず隣あり (canonical)
toku wa ko narazu kanarazu tonari ari (romanization)

Calque of Literary Chinese 德不孤，必有鄰 (débùgū, bìyǒulín).

cal

(idiomatic) virtue never has solitude and always has companionship


君子は周して比せず小人は比して周せず

ja-pos

くんし は しゅうして ひせず しょうじん は ひして しゅうせず

君(くん)子(し)は周(しゅう)して比(ひ)せず小(しょう)人(じん)は比(ひ)して周(しゅう)せず • (kunshi wa shūshite hisezu shōjin wa hishite shūsezu)

君子は周して比せず小人は比して周せず (canonical)

[kɯ̟̃ɰ̃ɕi β̞a̠ ɕɨːɕite̞ çise̞zɨ ɕo̞ːʑiɰ̃ β̞a̠ çiɕite̞ ɕɨːse̞zɨ]

Calque of Literary Chinese 君子周而不比，小人比而不周.

calque

君子周而不比，小人比而不周

A gentleman encompasses all and remains impartial. A petty mind is partial and does not encompass all. That is, a gentleman shows kindness to all with fairness, but a petty person is only kind to a few friends.

en-君子は周して比せず小人は比して周せず-ja-proverb-akjD~I-o


朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり

ja-pos

朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり

あした に みち を きかば ゆうべ に しす とも かなり

朝(あした)に道(みち)を聞(き)かば夕(ゆう)べに死(し)すとも可(か)なり • (ashita ni michi o kikaba yūbe ni shisu tomo kanari)

朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり (canonical)

From the Analects of Confucius, a calque of Literary Chinese 朝聞道，夕死可矣 (zhāo wén dào, xī sǐ kě yǐ).
Literally, “if the [[[correct]]] path is [[[hear]]d] next morning, it is sufficient even [if] it dies in the evening”.

m-g

if the [[􂀿correct]]􂁀 path is [[􂀿hear]]d􂁀 next morning, it is sufficient even 􂀿if􂁀 it dies in the evening

lit

one has not lived in vain if he dies after he is told of the true path

en-朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり-ja-proverb-j3tQfLW8


過ちては則ち改むるに憚ること勿れ

ja-pos

あやまちて は すなわち あらたむる に はばかる こと なかれ

過(あやま)ちては則(すなわ)ち改(あらた)むるに憚(はばか)ること勿(なか)れ • (ayamachite wa sunawachi aratamuru ni habakaru koto nakare)

過ちては則ち改むるに憚ること勿れ (canonical)

Calque of Literary Chinese 過則勿憚改 (guòzéwùdàngǎi), from The Analects:
: 子(し)曰(いわ)く、「君(くん)子(し)重(おも)からざれば則(すなわ)ち威(い)あらず、学(なら)べば則(すなわ)ち固(こ)ならず。忠(ちゅう)信(しん)を主(しゅ)とし、己(おのれ)に如(し)かざる者(もの)を友(とも)とすること無(な)かれ、過(あやま)ちては則(すなわ)ち改(あらた)むるに憚(はばか)ること勿(なか)れ。」
Shi iwaku,“Kunshi omokarazareba sunawachi i arazu, narabeba sunawachi ko narazu. chūshin o shu to shi, onore ni shikazaru mono o tomo to suru koto nakare, ayamachite wa sunawachi aratamuru ni habakaru koto nakare.”
The Master said, "If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid. Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Have no friends not equal to yourself. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."

calque

あやまちてはすなわちあらたむるにはばかることなかれ

ja-usex

子%曰く、「君%子%重からざれば則ち威あらず、学べば則ち固ならず。忠%信を主とし、己に如かざる者を友とすること無かれ、過ちては則ち改むるに憚ること勿れ。」

^し% いわく、「^くん%し% おもからざれば すなわち い あらず、ならべば すなわち こ ならず。ちゅう%しん を しゅ と し、おのれ に しかざる もの を とも と する こと なかれ、あやまちて は すなわち あらたむる に はばかる こと なかれ。」

When making a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it. Be quick to amend one's wrongs.


chudoba cti netratí

poverty does not make one less honorable


it's never too late to mend

One is never too old to change one's ways; learning is always possible.

亡羊补牢

one is never too old to change one's ways

век живи́ — век учи́сь (vek živí — vek učísʹ)


bez práce nejsou koláče

Literally, “There are no kolaches without work”. Compare Polish bez pracy nie ma kołaczy.

lit

where there is no work and effort, there are no enjoyable results (no pain, no gain))


head

parēs cum paribus facillimē congregantur

/ˈpa.reːs kum ˈpa.ri.bus faˈkil.li.meː kon.ɡreˈɡan.tur/

[ˈpäreːs̠ kʊ̃ˑ ˈpärɪbʊs̠ fäˈkɪlːʲɪmeː kɔŋɡrɛˈɡän̪t̪ʊr]

/ˈpa.res kum ˈpa.ri.bus faˈt͡ʃil.li.me kon.ɡreˈɡan.tur/

[ˈpäːres kum ˈpäːribus fäˈt͡ʃilːime koŋɡreˈɡän̪t̪ur]

Literally "equals with equals very easily associate (themselves)"

pares cum paribus facillime congregantur

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


kdo dřív přijde, ten dřív mele

first come, first served
first come, first served


samochvála smrdí

the praise you give to yourself is not trustworthy for other people


co tě nepálí, nehas

Literally, “what doesn't burn you, don't extinguish”.

lit

mind one's own business
mind one's own business

cobbler, stick to thy last
cobbler, stick to thy last

mind one's own business; cobbler, stick to thy last


kam čert nemůže, nastrčí ženskou

Literally, “where the devil can't reach, he puts a woman”.

lit

the explanation of why the person caused the problem is that she is a woman


con trâu là đầu cơ nghiệp

[kɔn˧˧ t͡ɕəw˧˧ laː˨˩ ʔɗəw˨˩ kəː˧˧ ŋiəp̚˧˨ʔ]

[kɔŋ˧˧ ʈəw˧˧ laː˦˩ ʔɗəw˦˩ kəː˧˧ ŋiəp̚˨˩ʔ]

[kɔŋ˧˧ ʈəw˧˧ laː˨˩ ʔɗəw˨˩ kəː˧˧ ŋip̚˨˩˨]

having a water buffalo allows one to start a business


kdo hledá, najde

seek and ye shall find
seek and ye shall find


jedna vlaštovka jaro nedělá

Literally, “one swallow doesn't make a spring”.

one swallow doesn't make a summer
one swallow doesn't make a summer


konec dobrý, všechno dobré

all's well that ends well
all's well that ends well


kdo chce s vlky býti, musí s nimi výti

/ˈɡdɔ xt͡sɛ ˈzvl̩kɪ ˈbiːcɪ ˈmʊsiː ˈsɲɪmɪ ˈviːcɪ/

Literally, “who wants to hang out with wolves, has to howl together with them”, or more loosely translated as “if you want to keep company with wolves, you must howl with them”.

lit

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


naděje umírá poslední

while there's life, there's hope
while there's life, there's hope


kdo si počká, ten se dočká

literal meaning: those who wait will see

all things come to those who wait
all things come to those who wait


brennt barn forðast eldinn

From brennt the neuter of brenndur (“burnt”) and barn (“child”) and forðast (“shuns, avoids, steer clear of”) and eldinn (“the fire”) the accusative definite form of eldur (“fire”). Literally meaning "a burnt child steers clear of the fire" or "a child burnt shuns the fire".

once bitten, twice shy
once bitten, twice shy

a burnt child dreads the fire
a burnt child dreads the fire

once bitten, twice shy, a burnt child dreads the fire


árinni kennir illur ræðari

From árinni (“the oar”) the dative definite form of ár (“oar”) + kennir (“someone ascribes, someone blames”) a form of kenna (“to ascribe, to blame”) + illur (“bad”) + ræðari (“a rower”); meaning "a bad rower blames his oar", or "a bad rower ascribes his rowing to the oar".

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

a poor workman blames his tools
a poor workman blames his tools

a bad workman always blames his tools, a poor workman blames his tools


sjaldan er ein báran stök

it never rains but it pours
it never rains but it pours

when it rains, it pours
when it rains, it pours

it never rains but it pours, when it rains, it pours (literally: “seldom is a wave alone.”)


přání otcem myšlenky

the wish is father to the thought
the wish is father to the thought


pes, který štěká, nekouše

barking dogs seldom bite
barking dogs seldom bite


pýcha předchází pád

pride comes before a fall
pride comes before a fall


košile bližší než kabát

blood is thicker than water
blood is thicker than water


prázdný sud nejvíce duní

empty vessels make the most sound
empty vessels make the most sound


vrána k vráně sedá

Literally, “a crow sits to another crow”.

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


zakázané ovoce chutná nejlépe

forbidden fruit is the sweetest
forbidden fruit is the sweetest


neříkej hop, dokud nepřeskočíš

/ˈnɛr̝iːkɛj ˈɦɔp ˈdɔkʊt ˈnɛpr̝̊ɛskɔtʃiːʃ/

Literally, “do not say "hop" until you have leapt over”.

lit

don't count your chickens before they're hatched


hlad je nejlepší kuchař

hunger is a good sauce
hunger is a good sauce


s poctivostí nejdál dojdeš

honesty is the best policy
honesty is the best policy


víra hory přenáší

faith will move mountains
faith will move mountains


head

co můžeš udělat dnes, neodkládej na zítřek

/ˈt͡sɔ ˈmuːʒɛʃ ˈʔʊɟɛlat ˈdnɛs ˈnɛʔɔtklaːdɛj ˈna‿ziːtr̝̊ɛk/

Literally, “never put off till tomorrow what you can do today”.


head

co se v mládí naučíš, ve stáří jako když najdeš

/ˈt͡sɔ‿sɛ ˈvmlaːɟiː ˈnaʔʊ̯t͡ʃiːʃ ˈvɛ‿staːr̝iː ˈjakɔ ˈɡdɪʃ ˈnaɪ̯dɛʃ/

Literally, “what you learn in your youth will be as if found when you're old”.

lit

what you learn in your youth will be useful when you are old


dočkej času, jako husa klasu

Literally, “wait like a goose is waiting for an ear (of the grain to grow)”.

lit

all things come to those who wait
all things come to those who wait

wait, period (remotely related to all things come to those who wait)


dvakrát měř, jednou řež

measure twice and cut once
measure twice and cut once

measure twice and cut once; verify your plans and the information on which they are based before you execute them


chybami se člověk učí

we learn by our mistakes (related to to err is human)


chytrému napověz, hloupého kopni

Literally, “provide a hint to the clever; kick the stupid”.


mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato

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


chytrost nejsou žádné čáry

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


lepší pozdě než nikdy

[lɛpʃiː pozɟɛ nɛʃ ɲɪɡdɪ]

better late than never
better late than never


head

jak se do lesa volá, tak se z lesa ozývá

[jak sɛ do lɛsa volaː tak sɛ zlɛsa oziːvaː]

Literally, “the way you call into the forest, the way it calls back”.

lit

what goes around comes around
what goes around comes around

angry and impolite words lead to angry and impolite replies; what goes around comes around


na každém šprochu pravdy trochu

Every statement contains a kernel of truth.


jak si kdo ustele, tak si lehne

Literally, “as one makes one's bed, so one will lie in it”.

lit

as you make your bed, so you must lie in it


devatero řemesel, desátá bída

Literally, “nine crafts, tenth poverty”.

jack of all trades, master of none
jack of all trades, master of none


výjimka potvrzuje pravidlo

every rule has an exception
every rule has an exception


head

lepší vrabec v hrsti nežli holub na střeše

[lɛpʃiː vrabɛt͡s vɦr̩scɪ nɛʒlɪ ɦolup na str̝̊ɛʃɛ]

Literally, “better a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof”.

lit

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


kdo lže, ten krade

he that will steal an egg will steal an ox


kdo jinému jámu kopá, sám do ní padá

[ɡdo jɪnɛːmu jaːmu kopaː saːm do ɲiː padaː]

he who puts down traps for other people is caught in them himself


když se dva perou, třetí se směje

Literally, “when two people fight, the third laughs”.

lit

the quarrel of two parties is to the benefit of the third one, which might have stimulated the quarrel

two dogs fight for a bone, and a third runs away with it


líná huba, holé neštěstí

who is lazy to ask a question or to ask for a service will bear bad consequences


po bitvě je každý generál

Literally, “after the battle, everyone is a general”.

lit

twenty-twenty hindsight
twenty-twenty hindsight

twenty-twenty hindsight, hindsight is 20/20


tichá voda břehy mele

still waters run deep
still waters run deep


nechval dne před večerem

Literally, “don't praise the day before the evening time”.

lit

don't count your chickens before they're hatched


mladí ležáci, staří žebráci

he who is lazy to work when he is young will be poor in old age


víc hlav víc ví

two heads are better than one
two heads are better than one


komu není shůry dáno, v apatyce nekoupí

Literally, “who was not given from above will not buy in pharmacy”.

lit

there is no way to compensate for lacking talent


nemusí pršet, jen když kape

/ˈnɛmʊsiː ˈpr̩ʃɛt ˈjɛn ˈɡdɪʃ ˈkapɛ/

Literally, “It doesn't have to pour down, a light rain will do”.


pro jedno kvítí slunce nesvítí

Literally, “the sun doesn't shine for just one flower”.

lit

when your beloved woman has broken your heart and left you, you will still fall in love again with another one


i mistr tesař se někdy utne

we all make mistakes
we all make mistakes

we all make mistakes (Direct translation: Even a master carpenter gets cut sometimes.)


sjón er sögu ríkari

From sjón (“sight”) and er (“is”) and sögu the dative of saga (“a story”) and ríkari (“richer”) the comparative of ríkur (“rich”), meaning "seeing is more valuable than a story".


seeing is believing

They said their product will be ready for shipment in two months and we could even "take that to the bank", but we’ve heard that before. Seeing is believing.

There is nothing like Matter of Fact; Seeing is Believing.

1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “How Lewis Baboon Came to Visit John Bull, and What Pass’d between Them”, in Lewis Baboon Turned Honest, and John Bull Politician. Being the Fourth Part of Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], London: […] John Morphew, […], →OCLC, page 21:

Seeing is believing, says the proverb. Though, of all our senses, the eyes are the most easily deceived, we believe them in preference to any other evidence.

1848, J. C., A. W. Hare, Guesses at Truth, second edition, page 497:

(idiomatic) One needs to see something in order to believe it; visible facts cannot be denied.

الحكي مش متل الشوف

one needs to see something to believe it

百聞は一見に如かず

ひゃくぶんはいっけんにしかず

lúčše odín raz uvídetʹ, čem sto raz uslýšatʹ

лу́чше оди́н раз уви́деть, чем сто раз услы́шать

уви́деть — э́то зна́чит пове́рить (uvídetʹ — éto znáčit povéritʹ)

b' fheàrr leam fhaicinn na a chluinntinn

(idiomatic) One is skeptical regarding a claim.


allt er gott sem endar vel

all's well that ends well
all's well that ends well


důvěřuj, ale prověřuj

Literally, “trust, but verify”. Compare Russian доверяй, но проверяй (doverjaj, no proverjaj) and Polish ufaj, ale sprawdzaj.

cog

доверяй, но проверяй

if you trust before you try, you may repent before you die


qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf.wav

Literally, “(he) who steals an egg, steals a cow”. Compare English in for a penny, in for a pound, English one may as well hang for a sheep as a lamb.

cog

once a thief, always a thief
once a thief, always a thief

once a thief, always a thief (someone dishonest enough to steal a small thing can steal a big thing as well)


murder will out

The phrase murder will out, literally "murder will become public", appears as far back as Geoffrey Chaucer's works. The phrase is often linked to the superstition that a murderer's presence near the corpse will be indicated by fresh bleeding.

纸包不住火 (zhǐ bāo bùzhù huǒ, literally “fire cannot be wrapped up in paper”)

ши́ла в мешке́ не утаи́шь (šíla v mešké ne utaíšʹ, literally “you can't hide an awl in a sack”)

(idiomatic) Secrets or hidden crimes will eventually be exposed or discovered; nothing that is secret can remain a secret forever.


som man bäddar får man ligga

Literally, “as one makes the bed, one gets to lie”.

lit

you made your bed, now sleep in it
you made your bed, now sleep in it

as you make your bed, so you must lie in it, you made your bed, now sleep in it


en-proverb

English translation of French plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

uder

plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

Superficial change is not movement, as is indicated by the saying, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

1952, “Freedom and Movement—Necessities for Community Well-Being”, in Community Service News, volume 10, number 3, page 65:

There must be some continuity with the past, “or else the world is a madhouse.” Hence, the more things change, the more they stay the same; the more things stay the same, the more they change.

1994, Delwin Brown, Boundaries of Our Habitations: Tradition and Theological Construction, State University of New York Press, →ISBN, page 65:

On the other hand, the founders would certainly find a familiar state-centric and decentralized institutional approach to problem solving that is incapable of addressing the kinds of life-threatening global challenges increasingly and routinely confronting humanity. As the saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

2009, Thomas G. Weiss, What’s Wrong with the United Nations and How to Fix it, Polity, →ISBN, page 3:

Turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

A change of heart must accompany experience before lasting change occurs.

萬事變化越大，越不會變化, 万事变化越大

change is constant, unavoidable and a fact of life

万事变化越大，越不会变化

wànshì biànhuà yuè dà, yuè bù huì biànhuà

hoe meer alles verandert, hoe meer het hetzelfde blijft

mitä enemmän asiat muuttuvat, sitä enemmän ne pysyvät ennallaan

je mehr sich verändert, desto mehr bleibt sich gleich

je mehr sich alles ändert, desto mehr bleibt alles gleich

im bardziej się wszystko zmienia, tym bardziej jest tak samo

quanto mais as coisas mudam, mais elas ficam iguais


revenge is a dish best served cold

Earliest known metaphorical reference to revenge as food in English is “And then revenge is very good eaten cold, as the vulgar say”, from a 1846 translation of Eugène Sue's Mathilde: Mémoires d'une Jeune Femme. The passage suggests that it was an existing expression. Similar proverbs are known as early as the 17th century with “Reuenge is not good in cold bloud” in a translation of Don Quixote.
The phrase exists in various Romance languages: Italian la vendetta è un piatto che va servito freddo, Spanish la venganza es un plato que se sirve frío, French la vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid. In French, it's commonly used since at least the 19th century.
In English, many variations are attested but the exact phrase revenge is a dish best served cold may originate from the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

cog

Time had brought me revenge on Lionel, and as the Italian proverb says, revenge is a dish which people of taste prefer to eat cold.

1949, Robert Hamer, John Dighton, Kind Hearts and Coronets, spoken by Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price):

Don Corleone nodded. “Revenge is a dish that tastes best when it is cold,” he said.

1969, Mario Puzo, The Godfather, New York, page 404:

Of course! We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold?

1982, Jack B. Sowards, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, spoken by Khan (Ricardo Montalbán):

Revenge is best or most satisfying when delayed.

Eugène Sue
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

revenge is best or most satisfying when delayed

la venjança és un plat que se serveix fred

i ekdíkisi eínai éna piáto pou trógetai krýo

η εκδίκηση είναι ένα πιάτο που τρώγεται κρύο

ada hujan ada panas, ada hari boleh balas

răzbunarea este un fel de mâncare care este servit la rece


kids will be kids

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-kids will be kids.wav

(informal) Children cannot be expected to act like adults.


to err is human

كُلّ اِبْن آدَم خَطَّاء

lit: every Adam's son errs much / meaning.: all Adam's descendants err much

誤るのが人間である

あやまるのがにんげんである


if pigs had wings they would fly

(colloquial) Expresses skepticism toward a hypothetical argument by another.

if wishes were horses, beggars would ride


moni kakku päältä kaunis

Shorter form of moni kakku päältä kaunis, vaan on silkkoa sisältä (literally “many a cake is beautiful on surface, but there's only phloem inside”).

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


kaikki tiet vievät Roomaan

all roads lead to Rome
all roads lead to Rome


kynä on miekkaa mahtavampi

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


joka vitsaa säästää, se lastaan vihaa

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

joka kuritta kasvaa, se kunniatta kuolee


head

joka miekkaan tarttuu, se miekkaan hukkuu

live by the sword, die by the sword
live by the sword, die by the sword


there's many a slip twixt cup and lip

See the detailed Wikipedia article on the ancient proverb.

In any situation, however well planned, something can always go wrong.

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

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

de prometre a complir hi ha molt a dir

in any situation something can always go wrong

de prometre a complir hi ha molt tros per penedir

man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben

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

don't say "hop!" before you (managed to) jump over (it)

не говори́ «гоп», пока́ не перепры́гнешь

na cuir do làmh eadar a' chlach is an sgrath

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


discretion is the better part of valour

Alteration of "The better part of valour is discretion," spoken by Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Act V, Scene 4.

The better part of valour is discretion; in the which better part, I have saved my life.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:

At least there was no problem with Alison travelling on the 'wrong' train - discretion was the better part of valour for ticket checks [on a train full of football supporters].

2019 October, Chris Stokes, “Between the Lines”, in Modern Railways, page 97:

It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave speech or action.


nem mind arany, ami fénylik

Literally: "not everything is gold that glitters"


forewarned is forearmed

Possibly, although not certainly, from the Latin saying praemonitus praemunitus.

[W]hatever a young gentleman of that age says to you, he says to many other ladies; but your experience is not equal to your sense; so profit by mine . . . forewarned is forearmed.

1863, Charles Reade, chapter 4, in Hard Cash:

Sometimes, they say, it is wiser to remain in ignorance; at other times forewarned is forearmed.

1885, G. A. Henty, chapter 4, in Saint George for England:

"Well, Miss Maxwell, I think it only fair to tell you that you may have trouble with those boys when they do come. Forewarned is forearmed, you know."

c. 1903, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Why Mr. Cropper Changed His Mind:

Advance awareness of a situation, especially a risky one, prepares one to deal with it.

предупреждён — значит вооружён (predupreždjón — značit vooružón)

te yu mati barba e bron, yu musu nati di fu yu


sexagenarios de ponte

[s̠ɛks̠äːɡeːˈnäːrioːs̠ d̪eː ˈpɔn̪t̪ɛ]

When the men of Rome reached the age of sixty, they could no longer vote in the ovile and later the Saepta Iulia (the places where the citizens cast vote) and if they tried to enter they would be pushed back from the bridge leading to them. The phrase literally means "sixty-year-olds over the bridge".


殺雞焉用牛刀

ㄕㄚ ㄐㄧ ㄧㄢ ㄩㄥˋ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄉㄠ

ша цзи янь юн нюдао

/ʂä⁵⁵ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ jɛn⁵⁵ jʊŋ⁵¹ ni̯oʊ̯³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/saːt̚³ kɐi̯⁵⁵ jiːn⁵⁵ jʊŋ²² ŋɐu̯²¹ tou̯⁵⁵/

See 割雞焉用牛刀／割鸡焉用牛刀 (gējī yān yòng niúdāo).

zh-l

割雞焉用牛刀／割鸡焉用牛刀 (gējī yān yòng niúdāo)

Besides this, there are times when one creates a simple application in order to meet a special requirement. Perhaps the application will only be run once, or will never doing anything else but that one task. In such cases, why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken? In terms of shortening development time, hard coding would not be a bad strategy.

Chú cǐ zhī wài yǒu shíhòu yīn yìng mǒu xiē tèshū de xūqiú, zhìzuò chū jiǎndān de yìngyòngchéngshì, yìngyòngchéngshì kěnéng zhǐ huì zhíxíng yīcì, huòzhě yǒngyuǎn zhǐ yìngfù yī zhǒng xūqiú, shā jī yān yòng niúdāo, xiěsǐ lái suōduǎn kāifā de shíjiān, yě shì yī zhǒng bùcuò de juécè.

除此之外有時候因應某些特殊的需求，製作出簡單的應用程式，應用程式可能只會執行一次，或者永遠只應付一種需求，殺雞焉用牛刀，寫死來縮短開發的時間，也是一種不錯的決策。

除此之外有时候因应某些特殊的需求，制作出简单的应用程式，应用程式可能只会执行一次，或者永远只应付一种需求，杀鸡焉用牛刀，写死来缩短开发的时间，也是一种不错的决策。

割雞焉用牛刀 割雞焉用牛刀#Chinese

割鸡焉用牛刀 割鸡焉用牛刀#Chinese

(rhetorical question) Synonym of 割雞焉用牛刀／割鸡焉用牛刀 (gējī yān yòng niúdaō).


tantum religio potuit suadere malorum

tantum rēligiō potuit suādēre malōrum (canonical)

/ˈtan.tum reːˈli.ɡi.oː ˈpo.tu.it su̯aːˈdeː.re maˈloː.rum/

[ˈt̪än̪t̪ʊ̃ˑ reːˈlʲɪɡioː ˈpɔt̪uɪt̪ s̠u̯äːˈd̪eːrɛ mäˈɫ̪oːrʊ̃ˑ]

/ˈtan.tum reˈli.d͡ʒi.o ˈpo.tu.it swaˈde.re maˈlo.rum/

[ˈt̪än̪t̪um reˈliːd͡ʒio ˈpɔːt̪uit̪ swäˈd̪ɛːre mäˈlɔːrum]

Literally "To such heights of evil has religion been able to drive men". From Lucretius' De Rerum Natura, Book I, 101.

Tantum rēligiō potuit suādēre malōrum.

c. 99 BCE – 55 BCE, Lucretius, De rerum natura 1.101

So potent was religion in persuading to evil deeds.

The practice of religion leads people to practise evil.


nära skjuter ingen hare

head

nära skjuter ingen hare (literally: "close shoots no hare")


enough is as good as a feast

Here is enough, I am satisfied, (sayd he). / Since enough is enough, (sayd I), here may we / With that one word take end good, as may be geast: / For folke say, enough is as good as a feast.

1546, John Heywood, chapter XI, in Julian Sharman, editor, The Proverbs of John Heywood. […], London: George Bell and Sons, […], published 1874, →OCLC, part II, page 173:

Just the right amount is as good as more than enough: there is no value in excess.

kesederhanaan lebih baik daripada berlebihan


jótett helyébe jót várj

Literally: "expect good for a good deed"

one good turn deserves another
one good turn deserves another


vele handen maken licht werk

/ˌveː.lə ˈɦɑn.də(n)ˌmaː.kə(n)ˌlɪxt ˈʋɛrk/

Literally, “many hands make light work”.

many hands make light work
many hands make light work


one swallow does not a summer make

Calque of Ancient Greek μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ (mía khelidṑn éar ou poieî), part of a remark found in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (1098a18: “one swallow does not a spring make, nor one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy”), itself inspired by the fable The Young Man and the Swallow by Aesop.
The proverb is an allusion to the migration of swallows to Europe during spring. The unexpected translation of ἔαρ (éar) (meaning "spring") as "summer" seen in English is also encountered in many other languages, such as Dutch een zwaluw maakt nog geen zomer and German eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer (note the descendants at the Ancient Greek entry).
The unusual English word order (in use from circa 1920) may be intended to reflect the Greek word order, or it may be influenced by the line “Stone walls do not a prison make,” from To Althea, from Prison by Richard Lovelace (1642).

clq

μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ

cog

[T]hough one swallow does not make a summer, one engagement is apt to make several, and her boys were, most of them, at the inflammable age when a spark ignites the flame[.]

1886, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, chapter 9, in Jo's Boys […] , Boston: Roberts Brothers:

One swallow does not a summer make, nor one onion a spring garden.

1921 April 4, “Smile a While”, in The Day, retrieved 2011-11-29, page 6:

One swallow does not a summer make and one football game doesn't make a season.

1969 September 19, Bob Johnson, “Sports: September Madness”, in Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 15:

Added one Western diplomat: "Aquino's success undoubtedly weakens the Communists' appeal to the so-called mass base. But one swallow does not a summer make."

2001 June 24, Susan Tifft, “The Philippines: Now the Hard Part”, in Time, archived from the original on 2009-08-12:

One instance of an event (such as the arrival of a single bird) does not necessarily indicate a trend.

Aesop
Aristotle
Nicomachean Ethics
Richard Lovelace
The Young Man and the Swallow
To Althea, from Prison

մի ծաղկով գարուն չի գա

one instance of an event does not necessarily indicate a trend

한 마리의 제비가 왔다고 봄이 온 것은 아니다

han mariui jebiga watdago bomi on geoseun anida


it takes all kinds

it takes all kinds to make a world#English

Ellipsis of it takes all kinds to make a world.


it takes all kinds to make a world

En-au-it takes all kinds to make a world.ogg

Calque of Spanish de todos ha de haber en el mundo (“There must be of all [types] in the world”), Miguel de Cervantes,
El ingenioso caballero Don Quijote de la Mancha, Capítulo VI, 1615 (Don Quixote, Volume 2, Chapter VI); translated 1620, Shelton, as "In the world there must surely be of all sorts." and appeared in various forms thereafter.

clq

There must be of all 􂀿types􂁀 in the world

He irons his clothes how?! That's crazy! Well, I guess it takes all kinds to make a world.

(idiomatic) Diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike; an expression of surprise at a person or people's eccentricity.


tout est bien qui finit bien

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lyokoï-tout est bien qui finit bien.wav


the sky's the limit

the sky is the limit
the sky is the limit#English

Alternative form of the sky is the limit


better safe than sorry

Moreover, apart from official restrictions, drivers do not a little easing of their engines on their own account, where they consider that the feel of the track makes this desirable; and they can hardly be blamed in consequence. It is better to be safe than sorry.

1947 September and October, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 320:

But I'll be stumbling away / Slowly learning that life is OK / Say after me / It's no better to be safe than sorry

1985, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (lyrics and music), “Take On Me”, in Hunting High and Low, performed by a-ha:

It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to act recklessly and suffer afterwards.

parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraa

það er betra að hafa vaðið fyrir neðan sig

sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tak berguna

gdyby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała

żeby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała

's fheàrr a bhith cinnteach na caillteach


proximus egomet mihi

[ˈprɔks̠ɪmʊs̠ ˈɛɡɔmɛt̪ ˈmi(ɦ)ɪ]

From proximus (“closest, nearest”) and egomet (“myself, I”) and mihi (“to me”) the dative of ego (“I”). Literally meaning "the closest one to me is me myself", "I am the one who is closest to myself" or "I myself am closest to myself".

every man for himself
every man for himself

charity begins at home
charity begins at home

(idiomatic) every man for himself; charity begins at home


fr-proverb

plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

plus ça change (canonical)
plus c’est la même chose (canonical)

English: plus ça change

Literally, “the more it changes, the more it’s the same thing”. An epigram by Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in the January 1849 issue of his journal Les Guêpes (“The Wasps”). Possibly first said by Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754–1838). The plus ... plus construction is hyperbolic.

lit

the more things change, the more they stay the same


það er ýmist of eða van

From það (“it”) + er (“is”), the third person singular of vera (“to be”) + ýmist (“either”) + of (“too, too much”) + eða (“or”) + van (“too little”). Literally meaning "it is either too much or too little".

it never rains but it pours
it never rains but it pours

when it rains, it pours
when it rains, it pours

it never rains but it pours, when it rains, it pours


цыплят по осени считают

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цыпля́т по о́сени счита́ют

цыпля́т по о́сени счита́ют • (cyplját po óseni sčitájut)

цыпля́т по о́сени счита́ют (canonical)
cyplját po óseni sčitájut (romanization)

[t͡sɨˈplʲat pɐ‿ˈosʲɪnʲɪ ɕːɪˈtajʊt]

LL-Q7737 (rus)-Tatiana Kerbush-цыплят по осени считают.wav

Literally, “they count chicks in autumn”, or more loosely translated as “one should count one's chicks in autumn[, not before]”.

m-g

one should count one's chicks in autumn􂀿, not before􂁀

lit

don't count your chickens before they're hatched

en-цыплят_по_осени_считают-ru-proverb-Jgavmgwk


не дели шкуру неубитого медведя

head

не дели́ шку́ру неуби́того медве́дя

не дели́ шку́ру неуби́того медве́дя • (ne delí škúru neubítovo medvédja)

не дели́ шку́ру неуби́того медве́дя (canonical)
ne delí škúru neubítovo medvédja (romanization)

[nʲɪ‿dʲɪˈlʲi ˈʂkurʊ nʲɪʊˈbʲitəvə mʲɪdˈvʲedʲə]

Literally, “don't divide the pelt of the bear not yet killed”.

lit

en-не_дели_шкуру_неубитого_медведя-ru-proverb-Jgavmgwk


lupus in fabula

[ɫ̪ʊpʊs̠ĩːˈfäːbʊɫ̪äː]

Puta dē nescioquō loquēbāris et subitō venit is, dīcis tū, "lupus in fābulā!"

Pompeius, Commentum in Artis Donati partem tertiam in Heinrich Keil, Grammatici Latini 5.311.31K

Say, you were talking about somebody or other, and all of a sudden that person comes, then you say: "talk of the devil!"

Dē Varrōne loquēbāmur. Lupus in fābulā: vēnit enim ad mē …

68 BCE – 44 BCE, Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum 13.33.1

We were talking about Varro the other day. Speak of the devil: he arrived at my place …

speak of the devil and he shall appear
speak of the devil and he shall appear

(idiomatic) talk of the devil, speak of the devil and he shall appear


asinus in tegulis

[ˈäs̠ɪnʊs̠ ɪn ˈt̪eːɡʊlʲiːs̠]

Literally meaning "a donkey on roof tiles".


business before pleasure

Discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.

先工作後玩樂

discharging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification

花より団子 (はなよりだんご, hana-yori dango, literally “dumplings rather than flowers”)

ко́нчил де́ло — гуля́й сме́ло (kónčil délo — guljáj smélo, literally “finished business, play bravely”)

де́лу — вре́мя, поте́хе — час (délu — vrémja, potéxe — čas)


l'argent ne tombe pas du ciel

l’ argent ne tombe pas du ciel (canonical)

Literally, “money doesn't fall from the sky”.

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


caveat lector

Latin for “reader beware”; formed on the model of caveat emptor.


margur verður af aurum api

From margur (“many a man”) + verður (“becomes”), the third person singular of verða (“to become”) + af (“by, from”) + aurum, form of aur (“money”) + api (“monkey, ape”). Literally meaning "many become a monkey from money" or "money makes monkeys out of men".
The proverb is a reference to (quotation of) the seventh-fifth verse of the Hávamál, one of the books of the Poetic Edda.
the 75th verse of the Hávamál
* Hávamál verse 47 in updated (Icelandic) spelling
*: Veit-a hinn
*: er vætki veit:
*: Margur verður af aurum api.
*: Maður er auðigur,
*: annar óauðigur,
*: skyli-t þann vítka vár.
* English translation by Benjamin Thorpe
*: He (only) knows not
*: who knows nothing,
*: that many a one apes another.
*: One man is rich,
*: another poor:
*: let him not be thought blameworthy.
* English translation by Henry A. Bellows
*: A man knows not,
*: if nothing he knows,
*: That gold oft apes begets;
*: One man is wealthy
*: and one is poor,
*: Yet scorn for him none should know.
* English translation by Olive Bray
*: He that learns nought will never know
*: how one is the fool of another,
*: for if one be rich another is poor
*: and for that should bear no blame.
* English translation by W. H. Auden and P. B. Taylor
*: The half wit does not know that gold
*: Makes apes of many men:
*: One is rich, one is poor,
*: There is no blame in that.

webofscience

Icelandic Web of Science: Í Hávamálum er sagt að margur verði af aurum api. Hefur höfundurinn vitað hvað api var? (“It is written in Hávamál that money makes monkeys out of men. Did the author actually know of monkeys?”)

possession of money or worldly goods can make fools out of people


maður er manns gaman

Literally “person is person’s joy”. (Antonymic is the sentiment of the Latin expression homō hominī lupus (“man is a wolf to man”).) Compare Norwegian Nynorsk mann er manns gaman.
The proverb is from the forty-seventh verse of the Hávamál, one of the books of the Poetic Edda.
the 47th verse of the Hávamál
* Hávamál verse 47 in Old Norse
*: Ungr var ek forðum
*: fór ek einn saman
*: þá varð ek villr vega;
*: auðigr þóttumk
*: er ek annan fann
*: maðr er manns gaman.
* English translation by Benjamin Thorpe
*: I was once young,
*: I was journeying alone,
*: and lost my way;
*: rich I thought myself,
*: when I met another.
*: Man is the joy of man.
* English translation by Henry A. Bellows
*: Young was I once,
*: and wandered alone,
*: And nought of the road I knew;
*: Rich did I feel
*: when a comrade I found,
*: for man is man's delight.
* English translation by Olive Bray
*: Young was I once,
*: I walked alone,
*: and bewildered seemed in the way;
*: then I found me another
*: and rich I thought me,
*: for man is the joy of man.
* English translation by W. H. Auden and P. B. Taylor
*: Young and alone
*: on a long road,
*: Once I lost my way:
*: Rich I felt
*: when I found another;
*: Man rejoices in man.

Icelandic Web of Science: Hvað þýðir "maður er manns gaman"? (“What does maður er manns gaman mean?”)

Maðr
er manns gaman
ok moldar auki
ok skipa skreytir.

Icelandic Rune Poem, found in manuscript AM 461 12mo (https://www.ragweedforge.com/rpin.html, https://www.ragweedforge.com/rpie.html)

Man
delight of man
and augmentation of the earth
and adorner of ships.

people enjoy the company of other people


homo nullius coloris

[ˈhɔmoː nuːlˈlʲiːʊs̠ kɔˈɫ̪oːrɪs̠]

Literally meaning "a man of no color". Compare albus an āter sit (“he may be white or black”).

neither fish nor fowl
neither fish nor fowl


albus an ater sit

[ˈäɫ̪bʊs̠ än ˈäːt̪ɛr s̠ɪt̪]

From albus (“white”) + an (“whether”) + āter (“black”) + sit (“he may be”) the present subjunctive third person singular of sum (“I am”). Literally meaning "he may be white or black". Compare homō nūllīus colōris (“a man of no color”).
Originally from the longer:
: Albus an ater sit, nescio.
:: I don't know whether he is white or black.
or
: Albus an ater sit, non curo.
:: I care not whether he is white or black.


an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth

en-au-eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.ogg

Reference to Exodus 21:23-25: "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe". (King James Version)

(idiomatic) compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

ofthalmón antí ofthalmoú kai odónta antí odóntos

οφθαλμόν αντί οφθαλμού και οδόντα αντί οδόντος

目には目を、歯には歯を

めにはめを、はにははを, me ni wa me o, ha ni wa ha o


山不轉路轉

ㄕㄢ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄨㄢˇ ㄌㄨˋ ㄓㄨㄢˇ

шань бу чжуань лу чжуань

/ʂän⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

There's more than one way to skin a cat; There is always a workaround.


人比人，氣死人

жэнь би жэнь

žɛnʹ bi žɛnʹ

/ʐən³⁵ pi²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵/

/ŋin¹¹ pi³¹ ŋin¹¹ hi⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩³¹ ŋin¹¹/

/ŋin¹¹ pi³¹ ŋin¹¹ hi⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩³¹ ŋin¹¹/

comparison is the thief of joy
comparison is the thief of joy

If you compare your lot to others, you will only torture yourself; comparison is the thief of joy.


死有重於泰山，輕於鴻毛

ㄙˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄓㄨㄥˋ ㄩˊ ㄊㄞˋ ㄕㄢ

ㄑㄧㄥ ㄩˊ ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄇㄠˊ

sǐ yǒu zhòng yú Tàishān, qīng yú hóngmáo [Phonetic:síyǒuzhòngyútàishān,qīngyúhóngmáo]

сы ю чжун юй Тайшань

цин юй хунмао

/sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹ y³⁵ tʰaɪ̯⁵¹ ʂän⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ xʊŋ³⁵ mɑʊ̯³⁵/

Some deaths are more weighty than Mount Tai, while others are lighter (and less significant) than a wild goose feather.


強龍不壓地頭蛇

Astrong dragon cannot suppress a local snake

ㄑㄧㄤˊ ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄚ ㄉㄧˋ ㄊㄡˊ ㄕㄜˊ

цян лун бу я дитоушэ

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵ lʊŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹ jä⁵⁵ ti⁵¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ ʂɤ³⁵/

"Well, as the saying goes, even a powerful person cannot defeat a local bully."

Wu Cheng'en, Journey to the West, 16ᵗʰ century CE

“Yěbà, zhè zhèngshì ‘qiáng lóng bù yā dìtóushé’.”

「也罷，這正是『強龍不壓地頭蛇』。」

「也罢，这正是『强龙不压地头蛇』。」

Even a powerful person cannot defeat a local bully.