English proverbs

The proverb warns that judging people against one another can be hurtful. Praise for one person may leave another feeling diminished.

The proverb challenges someone who blames an external danger after encountering it a second time. It suggests that the first setback may have offered a reason to take greater care.

The saying pairs a cool temperament with a good disposition. Someone can be restrained in manner while remaining kind and agreeable toward others.

A frank, willing admission of a real fault can take force out of someone else’s attempt to use it against you. The proverb presents openness as a way to weaken an attack.

Acknowledging a fault is itself a meaningful part of making amends. The saying values a frank admission because it accepts responsibility rather than denying or concealing the wrong.

Admitting a fault openly can ease a troubled conscience and help a person take responsibility for what happened.

The proverb treats self-control as a difficult accomplishment. Resisting a harmful impulse or overcoming a personal weakness can demand real effort.

The proverb presents freedom from guilt as something a person can rely on. Like a good card in hand, a clear conscience offers steadiness when a situation becomes difficult.

Small efforts, repeated consistently, can accomplish what a single attempt cannot. The proverb presents persistence as a force that works gradually rather than all at once.

Regret cannot restore what has been completely spent or lost. The proverb warns against waiting until a resource is gone before considering the consequences of using it.

Contentment can do what the legendary philosopher’s stone promised: make a person feel rich without changing what they own.

Someone who is satisfied with what they have can experience a lasting sense of abundance without needing lavish comforts.

Having no possessions does not, by itself, bring peace of mind. A person with nothing may still feel the want of what they lack.

The saying presents independence as a reason for satisfaction: someone who can meet their needs without borrowing or seeking favor through flattery may feel at ease with their circumstances.

Physical comfort can make satisfaction easier. The proverb contrasts having enough to eat with the discomfort of hunger, while allowing that this is not always so.

A person who is satisfied with modest means may feel richer than someone who has much more but remains dissatisfied. The proverb places the sense of having enough above the amount one owns.

A crop that looks disappointing in May may look much more promising in June. Its early appearance need not predict how it will develop.

The proverb compares the removal of unwanted matter from grain with the moral improvement that can follow correction. In both cases, the cleansing process may be uncomfortable or forceful.

The speaker values a humble possession already in hand above a far grander one that is not yet available. Present control matters more here than the size or splendor of a future entitlement.

The proverb presents counsel as something whose value need not fade simply because time has passed. An older recommendation may still offer insight into a present decision.

The proverb warns that drinking can cloud judgment, making advice offered at the time less likely to be wise or helpful.

Marriage and the pursuit of prosperity are consequential enough to warrant hearing many people's views before deciding. A person should not rely solely on private judgment in such matters.

The proverb treats secrecy as increasingly fragile when more people share confidential information. Its pointed arithmetic suggests that one person can guard a confidence more reliably than three can.

Advice can only do good when the person receiving it is willing to consider it. A refusal to listen may leave others unable to offer effective help.

Countries may differ in many ways, but a change of place does not change the most familiar patterns of the natural world.

The proverb turns an expectation upside down: news about London is heard in the countryside rather than in London itself. It suggests that distance can affect what people hear and pass along.

The proverb distinguishes a couple, understood as two brought together, from a pair whose members fit each other. Mere association does not establish compatibility.

A supportive connection close to those who make decisions can be more valuable than a small amount of cash. The proverb contrasts personal influence with modest financial resources.

The proverb suggests that life away from a court, where powerful business is conducted, can be less troubled. Closeness to that sphere may bring anxiety rather than ease.

An almanack gives dates that a person can look up. The proverb says courts offer no comparable guide to when things there will happen.

Polite words are not enough when someone needs material help. The speaker asks for generosity that has a practical cost rather than kindness expressed only through manners.

The proverb suggests that courtesy is hard to sustain when only one person or group makes the effort. Considerate behavior is more likely to continue when it is returned.

The proverb contrasts the idealized hopes of courtship with the more practical experience of married life. Falling in love can make a shared future seem simpler than it will be.

A friendly claim of kinship is welcome only if it comes without deception. The speaker accepts the familiar address but refuses to be cheated or manipulated.

A person should adjust their ambitions or spending to what they can actually afford. The coverlet represents the limits of the resources available to them.

A person may offer shelter or care while also causing harm. The protective gesture does not erase the injury that comes with it.

The proverb counsels moderation in what a person wants. A wish may be understandable, but pursuing it too intensely can become unwise.

The proverb presents covetousness as an unproductive desire: wanting possessions, especially what belongs to others, does not by itself bring any gain.

A parent's good qualities do not guarantee that a child will share them. The contrast between cow and calf makes that difference plain.

A household’s well-being depends on caring for its livestock and grain. If these basic resources are kept in good order, there is reason to expect things to go well.

The proverb presents cruelty as a characteristic of cowardice. It condemns someone who acts harshly while lacking the courage to behave otherwise.

The saying presents cowardice as something that hides from view. It suggests that people may fear not only a difficult situation, but also having their reluctance to face it noticed.

Size is not a reliable measure of quality. A crab that looks more substantial may offer less satisfying meat than a smaller one.

Someone who wants a reward must first do the work needed to obtain it. The kernel is worth having, but it cannot be enjoyed while the shell remains intact.

Nothing comes of the attempt to gain by devious means. The craft in this saying is underhand scheming, not practical ability or workmanship.

The proverb treats honesty as a skill worth cultivating, not merely a quality someone happens to possess. It places integrity above expertise in any particular trade.

An evasive reply may be artful, but its ingenuity cannot make it an honest account of the matter. Avoiding the point leaves the truth unaddressed rather than defended.

A ship that cannot sail properly will struggle regardless of which way the wind blows. The image shifts attention from changing conditions to the vessel’s own defects.

Signs of wear do not necessarily mean that something is about to give way. A noisy old gate may remain in place for a surprisingly long time.

A faulty wheel announces itself by making noise. The proverb suggests that conspicuous complaining may reveal a person's shortcomings rather than their importance.