A bad cause requires many words.
A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.
A bird in the hand is worth two in a bush.
A broken hand works, but not a broken heart.
A cat has nine lives.
A clear conscience is a soft pillow.
A close friend can become a close enemy.
A closed mouth catches no flies.
A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs.
A courtyard common to all will be swept by none.
A dimple on the chin, the devil within.
A dog is wiser than a woman; it does not bark at is master.
A drink precedes a story.
A drowning man is not troubled by rain.
A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.
A forest is in an acorn.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
A friend's eye is a good mirror.
A good denial, the best point in law.
A good husband is healthy and absent.
A hard beginning maketh a good ending.
A healthy man is a successful man.
A hedge between keeps friendship green.
A hen is heavy when carried far.
A hound's food is in its legs.
A house without a dog or a cat is the house of a scoundrel.
A hungry man is an angry man.
A lie travels round the world while truth is putting her boots on.
A little too late, is much too late.
A loan though old is not gift.
A lock is better than suspicion.
A man does not seek his luck, luck seeks its man.
A man is not honest simply because he never had a chance to steal.
A man may well bring a horse to the water, but he cannot make him drink.
A man should live if only to satisfy his curiosity.
A monkey never thinks her baby's ugly.
A new broom sweeps clean, but the old brush knows all the corners.
A penny for your thoughts.
A penny saved is a penny gained.
A poor beauty finds more lovers than husbands.
A prudent man does not make the goat his gardener.
A rumor goes in one ear and out many mouths.
A silent mouth is melodious.
A single Russian hair outweighs half a Pole.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
A son is a son till he gets him a wife,
But a daughter's a daughter the rest of your life.
A spoon does not know the taste of soup, nor a learned fool the taste of wisdom.
A table is not blessed if it has fed no scholars.
A teacher is better than two books.
A thief believes everybody steals.
A thorn defends the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom.
A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.
A trade not properly learned is an enemy.
A tree falls the way it leans.
A white Christmas fills the churchyard.
A wise man hears one word and understands two.
A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.
A woman has the form of an angel, the heart of a serpent, and the mind of an ass.
A worthy woman is far more precious than jewels, strength and dignity are her clothing.
Act in the valley so that you need not fear those who stand on the hill.
Advice should be viewed from behind.
Advice when most needed is least heeded.
After shaking hands with a Greek, count your fingers.
Age is honorable and youth is noble.
All is well that ends well.
All things grow with time, except grief.
An angry man is not fit to pray.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
An ass in Germany is a professor in Rome.
An enemy will agree, but a friend will argue.
An Englishman will burn his bed to catch a flea.
An ox remains an ox, even if driven to Vienna.
And old rat is a brave rat.
Anger can be an expensive luxury.
Anger is as a stone cast into a wasp's nest.
Anger without power is folly.
Appetite comes with eating.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
As mad as a March hare.
As proud as a peacock.
As sluttish and slatternly as an Irishwoman bred in France.
As the best wine makes the sharpest vinegar, the truest lover may turn into the worst enemy.
As the big hound is, so will the pup be.
As we live, so we learn.
Be neither intimate nor distant with the clergy.
Beggars shouldn't be choosers.
Better give a penny then lend twenty.
Better late than never.
Better no doctor at all than three.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know.
Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
Better wear out shoes than sheets.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Beware of a silent dog and still water.
Black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love. (About coffee.)
Blood is thicker than water.
Both your friend and your enemy think you will never die.
Butter would not melt in her mouth.
Call on God, but row away from the rocks.
Children are poor men's riches.
Children should be seen and not heard.
Children suck the mother when they are young and the father when they are old.
Choose neither a woman or linen by candlelight.
Climb mountains to see lowlands.
Clogs to clogs in three generations.
Clouds gather before a storm.
Commit a sin twice and it will not seem a crime.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Darkness reigns at the foot of the lighthouse.
Deal with the faults of others as gently as with your own.
Death always comes too early or too late
Death closes all doors.
Death pays all debts.
Did hogs feed here or did Lithuanians have a feast here?
Do not be born good or handsome, but be born lucky.
Do not blame God for having created the tiger, but thank him for not having given it wings.
Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.
Do not rejoice at my grief, for when mine is old, yours will be new.
Do not speak of secrets in a field that is full of little hills.
Do not talk Arabic in the house of a Moor.
Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead.
Don't imitate the fly before you have wings.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Eat well, drink in moderation, and sleep sound, in these three good health abound.
Epigrams succeed where epics fail.
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Even a small thorn causes festering.
Every ass loves to hear himself bray.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
Every dog has its day.
Every garden may have some weeds.
Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven.
Everyone loves justice in the affairs of another.
Everyone pushes a falling fence.
Evil enters like a needle and spreads like an oak tree.
Evil is sooner believed than good.
Experience is a comb which nature gives to men when they are bald.
Fame is a magnifying glass.
Feather by feather the goose can be plucked.
Fine feathers make fine birds.
Flattery makes friends and truth makes enemies.
Fortune is a woman; if you neglect her today do not expect to regain her tomorrow.
Fortune is blind, but not invisible.
Friends are like fiddle strings, they must not be screwed too tight.
Friends are lost by calling often and calling seldom.
Friendship is a furrow in the sand.
Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he'll eat forever.
Give neither counsel nor salt till you are asked for it.
Give the devil his due.
Glutton: one who digs his grave with his teeth.
God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
God gives the nuts, but he doesn't crack them.
God heals, and the physician takes the fee.
God help the rich man, let the poor man beg!
God help the rich, the poor can look after themselves.
Going to law is losing a cow for the sake of a cat.
Good advice is often annoying, bad advice never.
Good as drink is, it ends in thirst.
Good luck beats early rising.
Gray hairs are death's blossoms.
Half a loaf is better than none.
Haste makes waste.
Have a horse of your own and then you may borrow another's.
He is not wise that is not wise for himself.
He lied like an eyewitness.
He makes his home where the living is best.
He that can't endure the bad will not live to see the good.
He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned.
He that is rich will not be called a fool.
He that lives on hope will die fasting.
He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
He that marries for money will earn it.
He that plants thorns must never expect to gather roses.
He that seeks trouble never misses.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son.
He that winna be ruled by the rudder maun be ruled by the rock.
He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.
He who cannot agree with his enemies is controlled by them.
He who comes with a story to you brings two away from you
He who could foresee affairs three days in advance would be rich for thousands of years.
He who does not know one thing knows another.
He who gets a name for early rising can stay in bed until midday.
He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.
He who has once burnt his mouth always blows his soup.
He who holds the ladder is as bad as the thief.
He who knows nothing, doubts nothing.
He who leaps high must take a long run.
He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.
He who serves two masters has to lie to one.
He who sups with the devil has need of a long spoon.
He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom.
He who would eat in Spain must bring his kitchen along.
He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star.
Heaven lent you a soul Earth will lend a grave.
Honesty is the best policy.
How many will listen to the truth when you tell them?
Hygiene is two thirds of health.
If a man be great, even his dog will wear a proud look.
If a man deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceives me twice, shame on me.
If all pulled in one direction, the world would keel over.
If God lived on earth, people would break his windows.
If rich people could hire other people to die for them, the poor could make a wonderful living.
If the patient dies, the doctor has killed him, but if he gets well, the saints have saved him.
If two men ride a horse, one must ride behind.
If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.
If you believe everything you read, better not read.
If you bow at all bow low.
If you do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn.
If you love him, don't lend him.
If you take big paces you leave big spaces.
If you want to be criticized, marry.
If you wish to die young, make your physician your heir.
If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.
In a calm sea every man is a pilot.
In America half an hour is forty minutes.
In baiting a mousetrap with cheese, always leave room for the mouse.
In love, there is always one who kisses and one who offers the cheek.
Instinct is stronger than upbringing.
It is a bad hen that does not scratch herself.
It is a bold mouse that nestles in the cat's ear.
It is a long road that has no turning.
It is an equal failing to trust everybody, and to trust nobody.
It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
It is better to be a male for one day than a female for ten.
It is better to be born a beggar than a fool.
It is better to conceal one's knowledge than to reveal one's ignorance.
It is better to exist unknown to the law.
It is better to sit down than to stand, it is better to lie down than to sit, but death is the best of all. (About laziness)
It is hard to pay for bread that has been eaten.
It is not a secret if it is known by three people.
It is not enough to run, one must start in time.
It is not fish until it is on the bank.
It is not the horse that draws the cart, but the oats.
It is sweet to drink but bitter to pay for.
It is the good horse that draws its own cart.
It is the quiet pigs that eat the meal.
It takes time to build castles. Rome wan not built in a day.
It's an ill wind that blows no good.
It's not a matter of upper and lower class but of being up a while and down a while.
Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.
Keep a thing for seven years and you'll find a use for it.
Kill not the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Lack of resource has hanged many a person.
Last ship, best ship.
Laws control the lesser man. Right conduct controls the greater one.
Lend your money and lose your friend.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Let your heart guide your head in evil matters.
Life is a bridge. Cross over it, but build no house on it.
Life without a friend is death without a witness.
Like a fish out of water.
Like a lame man's legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout.
Little pitchers have big ears.
Live with wolves, and you learn to howl.
Look before you leap.
Look down if you would know how high you stand.
Love enters a man through his eyes, woman through her ears.
Love makes the time pass. Time makes love pass.
Love me, love my dog.
Love your neighbors, but don't pull down the fence.
Love, pain, and money cannot be kept secret; they soon betray themselves.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
English proverbs (4)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
English proverbs collection (3)
A bad workman always blames his tools
A careless or unskilled worker blames bad work on his tools rather than himself.
A new broom sweeps clean
A person newly appointed is always eager and enthusiastic in his work.
Don't judge a book by its cover
Do not be deceived by appearances.
Blood is thicker than water
Family ties are stronger than any other.
Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.
Do not make plans based on something that has not happened.
Don't make a mountain out of a molehill
Do not make a big fuss or issue over something minor or small
Experience is the best teacher
The best way to learn a job is to do it.
The last straw that broke the camel's back
The final thing that, when added to a bad or unpleasant situation, causes failure or ruin.
Look at the bright side
Be optimistic
Make hay while the sun shines
Seize opportunities
Out of sight, out of mind
You will soon forget friends you do not meet or keep in contact with.
A leopard cannot change its spots
A person's nature cannot change.
There are two sides to every question
There are always two ways of looking at something
Too many cooks spoil the broth
Too many people doing the same thing at the same time will not be successful
We never miss the water till the well runs dry
You only realize the importance of something when it is gone
To put the cart before the horse
To do something in an incorrect order
English proverbs collection (2)
Actions speak louder than words
Children usually learn more from the examples set by their elders than from what they are told ; a person's character is judged by the thing she does and not by what he says; actions give evidence or proof of.
Fortune knocks once at every man's door
Everyone gets at least one good opportunity in his lifetime; everyone has the opportunity to be successful in life.
Give the devil his due
Be just and fair-minded , even to the one who does not deserve much or who is unfriendly or unfair; we should punish a person according to his wrongdoings.
God helps those who help themselves
God only helps those people who work hard and make an honest effort.
It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
A bad or evil occurrence.
Great minds think alike
Wise people will normally think and behave alike in certain situations.
Habit is second nature
An act done repeatedly and often enough will sooner or later become a habit or second nature.
He laughs best who laughs last
A person who does his best is the one who will get the greatest satisfaction in the end.
Never do things by halves
One should not do an incomplete or imperfect job - certain tasks must not be left half done; they must be done away with immediately.
Great haste makes great waste
If one does things hastily he will make a lot of mistakes - he will need to spend a lot of time correcting those mistakes later.
It's never too late to mend
It is never too late to correct one's mistakes or faults.
It's no use crying over spilt milk
It is pointless to feel remorseful over a thing lost that can never be found or a mistake done that can never be corrected or rectified.
Still waters run deep
One who is usually silent and goes about his business quietly may be a very wise person.
Jack of all trades and master of none
Is a person who can do almost anything, but he rarely excels in any of them.
Let bygones by bygones
One should consider forgiving one's and forget all the bad deeds done by others.
Let not the pot call the kettle black
A person who has a fault should not point out the same fault in another; do not criticize another person as you may have the same weakness.
Let sleeping dogs lie
One should preferably avoid discussing issues that are likely to create trouble.
No news is good news
When there is no news, it is likely that everything is all right.
Look before you leap
Avoid acting hastily, without considering the possible consequences.
Necessity is the mother of invention
When a person is in great need of something, he will find a way of getting it.
Honesty is the best policy
Being honest is believed to be the best route to take.
One man's meat is another man's poison
No two persons are alike - every one has his own preferences, likes and dislikes.
Once bitten twice shy
If a person has been tricked once he will more be careful and alert the next time.
Like father, like son, like mother, like daughter
( used to describe a child's behavior when he or she acts like the father or mother )
Practice makes perfect
It is believed that if one practices a certain skill often, he will excel in it
Prevention is better than cure
It is better to be careful beforehand than to try to solve a problem after it has arisen.
Rome was not built in a day
Any great plan or big dream cannot be achieved overnight or easily.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
( this is quoted when one takes another loan to pay off an earlier loan ) taking from one to give another.
Spare the rod and spoil the child
A child who is not punished and showed the error of his ways will become unruly.
Speech is silver, silence is golden
Talk may be beneficial, but sometimes acquiescence may be the best option to take.
It takes two to make a quarrel
Both parties in a quarrel should share the blame or take responsibility for it; no one can start a quarrel all by himself.
Strike while the iron is hot
Seize a good opportunity as quickly as possible.
There's no smoke without fire
Rumors do not spread unless there is some element of truth in them.
Time and tide wait for no one
Time is precious, once it is past no one can go back and claim it thus everyone should be mindful of how his time is spent.
To err is human, to forgive divine
It is only normal for man to make mistakes and do wrong, but for one to forgive another for his wrong is indeed great and gracious act.
What's done can't be undone
In life there are some things once done or decisions once made cannot be changed; malicious words once uttered or harmful actions once done cannot be taken back.
Two heads are better than one
It is always better to get the view of another than to rely entirely on one's own judgment.
When in Rome do as the Romans do
When one is in a new place, country or situation he must adapt himself to the new manners and customs.
When the cat is away the mice will play
When law enforcers are not present, certain public members will take the opportunity to break the law
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
One usually desires another more when he or she is far away.
English proverbs collection (1)
Between the devil and the deep sea
To choose between two equally bad alternatives in a serious dilemma.
Where there's a will there's a way
When a person really wants to do something, he will find a way of doing it.
A burnt child dreads fire
A bad experience or a horrifying incident may scar one's attitude or thinking for a lifetime.
First come, first served
The first in line will be attended to first.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
A friend who helps when one is in trouble is a real friend.
Discretion is the better part of valor
If you say discretion is the better part of valor, you mean that avoiding a dangerous or unpleasant situation is sometimes the most sensible thing to do.
A hungry man is an angry man
A person who does not get what he wants or needs is a frustrated person and will be easily provoked to rage.
Empty vessels make the most noise
Those people who have a little knowledge usually talk the most and make the greatest fuss.
A man is as old as he feels
A person's age is immaterial - it is only when he thinks and feels that he is ageing that he actually becomes old.
Great talkers are little doers
Those people who talk a lot and are always teaching others usually do not do much work.
An idle brain is the devil's workshop
One who has nothing to do will be tempted to do many mischievous acts.
An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of wit
It is better to be careful and discrete than to be clever.
Faint heart never won fair lady
To succeed in life one must have the courage to pursue what he wants.
A penny saved is a penny gained
By being thrifty one will be able to save up.
A rolling stone gathers no moss
A person who never settles in one place or who often changes his job will not succeed in life ; one who is always changing his mind will never get anything done.
As you sow, so you shall reap
One will either enjoy or suffer the consequences of his earlier actions or inactions.
Barking dogs seldom bite
Those who make loud threats seldom carry them out.
Better late than never
To do something that is right, profitable, or good a little late is still better than not doing it at all.
A bird in hand is worth two in the bush
Something that one already has is better than going after something seemingly more worthwhile that one may not be able to get.
Birds of a feather flock together
People of the same sort of character or belief always go together.
Call a spade a spade
If you say that someone calls a spade a spade, you mean that they speak frankly and directly, often about embarrassing or unpleasant subjects; an informal expression.
Charity begins at home
A person's first obligation should be to help the member of his own family before he can begin thinking of talking about helping others.
Dead men tell no lies
( often used as an argument for killing someone whose knowledge of a secret may cause one loss or get into serious trouble.)
A great talker is a great liar
A smooth and persuasive talker may be a good liar.
Every cloud has a silver lining
If you say that every cloud has a silver lining, you mean that every sad or unpleasant situation has a positive side to it. If you talk about silver lining you are talking about something positive that comes out of a sad or unpleasant situation.
All that glitters is not gold
Do not be deceived by things or offers that appear to be attractive.
Eat to live, but do not live to eat
Man was created for a divine purpose and he has a destiny with his Creator - he was not born just to enjoy food.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
One should not risk everything he has in a single venture.
Every dog has its day
Everyone will get a period of success or satisfaction during his lifetime.
Every one can find fault, few can do better
It is easier to find fault in other people's actions or methods than to do it properly or correctly.
Any time means no time
When an event is not decided on or planned earlier it will never take place.
Fair exchange is no robbery
A contract is fair as long as both the parties understand and agree to the conditions willingly; after a deal is closed neither side can turn around and say that he was unfairly treated.
Fire is a good servant but a bad master
Fire, like any other manmade tool or device, will serve man well only when it is controlled and used wisely.
