PROVERBS

No. Proverbs Meanings

Blaming the tools for bad workmanship is an excuse for lack of

1 A bad workman blames his tools.
skill.

A bird in hand is worth two in It is better to keep what you have rather than to risk losing it by
2
a bush. searching for something better.

3 A change is as good as a rest. A change in routine is often as refreshing as a break or a holiday.

4 A friend in need is a friend indeed. Someone who helps you when you are in trouble is a real friend.

5 Beauty is only skin deep. A person's character is more important than their appearance.

6 Be swift to hear, slow to speak. Listen carefully before speaking.

7 Better late than never. It's better to do something, even if it's late, than not do it at all.

8 Better safe than sorry. It's better to be too careful than to be careless and regret it later.

Family relationships are stronger than relationships with other

9 Blood is thicker than water.
people.

10 Charity begins at home. A person's first duty is to help and care for his own family.

Neither children nor fools know that it is sometimes advantageous

11 Children and fools tell the truth.
to lie.

12 Clothes don't make the man. Appearances can be deceiving.

13 Diligence is the mother of good fortune. Hard work brings rewards.

Don't count your chickens before they're

14 You must not be too confident that something will be successful.
hatched.

15 Don't judge a book by its cover. Don't judge by appearances.

16 Every cloud has a silver lining. There is a positive or hopeful side to every situation.

17 Every rose has its thorn. Every good thing has an unpleasant side.

18 Everything in the garden is rosy. Everything is satisfactory.

19 Fine words butter no parsnips No amount of talking can replace action.

20 First come, first served. The first person in the line will be attended to first.

Friendship is like money, easier made

21 Effort is necessary to keep a friendship alive.
than kept.

Gardens are not made by sitting in the

22 Nothing is achieved without effort.
shade.

Give someone an inch and they will Give someone a little and they will want more - some people are
23
take a mile (or yard) never satisfied.

24 Grasp all, lose all. Trying to obtain everything will often result in gaining nothing.

You should be grateful for something, even if it is not as much as

25 Half a loaf is better than none
you wanted.

If something is done too quickly, it may be done carelessly and

26 Haste makes waste
need to be redone.

27 He who plays with fire gets burnt. If you behave in a risky way, you are likely to have problems.

If you start something, it is better to spend the time or money

28 In for a penny, in for a pound.
necessary to complete it.

Don't express regret for something that has happened and cannot
29 It's no use crying over spilt milk.
be remedied.

30 Justice delayed is justice denied. If the law is applied too late, there is no justice.

Keep your friends close, and your If someone is your enemy, treat them like a friend so you can be
31 enemies closer
ready if they ever try to betray you.

32 Kill not the goose that lays the golden egg Do not destroy the source of your good fortune.

33 Kill one to warm a hundred Warn many people by punishing a few.

34 Kindness begets kindness If you are kind to someone, they will return your kindness.

What you learn when you are young will be invaluable when you
35 Knowledge in youth is wisdom is age
grow old.

Laughter is the best medicine When you’re in a difficult situation, laughing can make it easier to
36
get through that situation.
 Lightning never strikes in the same place An unusual event is not likely to occur again in exactly the same
37 twice circumstances.

38 Look before you leap Consider possible consequences before taking action.

39 Loose lips sink ships Disclosing important information could result in large lossess.

40 Make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear Manage to product something good using poor material.

41 Misery loves company When people are sad they often like others to feel sad too.

42 Many hands make light work Sharing work makes the task easier.

43 A new broom sweeps clean A newly appointed person often makes changes quickly.

No one is truly capable of living alone. We need human

44 No man is an island
connection to be healthy.

If the news was bad, we would hear of it. Since we have heard
45 No news is good news
nothing, we can assume that all is well.

46 No pain, no gain Nothing is achieved without effect.

47 One good turn deserves another You should be helpful to someone who helps you.

Refer to a person who is careful about spending small amounts of

48 Penny wise, pound foolish
money, but not careful about spending large amounts.

People who live in glass houses should not

49 throw stones Don’t criticize someone if you’re not prefect either.

50 Practice makes perfect The more you do something, the better you will become at it.

It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the

51 Prevention is better than cure
damage or cure the disease later.
 Risk everything by relying on one plan(e.g. by putting all one’s
52 Put all your ears in one basket
money into one business).

A dishonest or immoral person can have a bad influence on a

53 A rotten apple spoils the barrel
group.

People who wake up early or who get to places early have a better
54 The early bird gets the worm
chance of success.

The grass is always greener on the other

55 People always want what they don’t have.
side

A person makes more progress if they take time to do things

56 The more haste, the less speed
carefully.

57 There is no place like home Your home is the most comfortable place in the world.

58 There is no such thing as a free lunch Nothing is free. Even the things that are free have a hidden cost.

59 There is no time like the present Don’t wait to do something. Do it now.

60 Two heads are better than one It’s easier to do something as a team than by yourself.

Trying to get revenge on someone who has hurt you will only
61 Two wrongs don’t make a right
make things worse.

When you are in a new place or situation, try to act like the
62 When in Rome, do as the Romans do
majority of people in that place or situation.

When the going gets tough, the tough get When a situation becomes difficult, strong people don’t give up;
63 going they work harder.

If something seems wrong, it probably is; also there is usually

64 Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
some truth to a rumour.

You can lead a horse to water but you You can try to help someone by giving good advice but you can’t
65 can’t make him drink it force them to accept it or follow it.