Proverb Explanation / Meaning

1 Absence makes the heart grow fonder. When you are away from someone you love, you love them even more. 3 Accidents will happen. Some unfortunate events must be accepted as inevitable. 4 Actions speak louder than words. What a person actually does is more important that what they say they will do. 5 All cats are grey in the dark. People are undistinguished until they have made a name. 6 All good things come to those who wait. Patience brings rewards. 7 All that glitters is not gold. Appearances can be deceptive. 8 All is fair in love and war Things that are done in love or war can often be excused. 9 All's well that ends well There is a solution to everything even though there are doubts. 10 All that glitters is not gold. What look good on the outside may not be so in reality. 11 An apple a day keeps the doctor away.* Eating an apple every day can help to keep you healthy. Other interpretation : A small preventive treatment wards off serious problems. 12 An empty purse frightens away friends. When one's financial situation deteriorates, friends tend to disappear. 13 An idle brain is the devil's workshop. When you work you avoid temptation. 14 A bad workman blames his tools. Blaming the tools for bad workmanship is an excuse for lack of skill. 15 A bird in hand is worth two in a bush. It's better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by searching for something better. 16 A burnt child dreads the fire. A bad experience will make people stay away from certain things. 17 A fool and his money are soon (easily) parted. A foolish person usually spends money carelessly. 18 A friend in need is a friend indeed. Someone who helps you when you are in trouble is a real friend. 19 A friend's eye is a good mirror. A real friend will tell you the truth. 20 A good example is the best sermon. Giving an example is better than giving advice. 21 A good beginning makes a good end. If a task is carefully planned, there's a better chance that it will be done well. 22 A guilty conscience needs no accuser.

23 A new broom sweeps clean. A newly-appointed person makes changes energetically. 24 A rolling stone gathers no moss. If a person keeps moving from place to place, they gain neither friends nor possessions. Another interpretation is that, by moving often, one avoids being tied down! 25 A stitch in time saves nine. It's better to deal with a problem at an early stage, to prevent it from getting worse. 26 A young idler, an old beggar. If you don't work, you won't have any money when you're old. 27 As you sow, so shall you reap You have to accept the consequences of your actions. 28 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Different people have different tastes. 29 Better be the head of a dog then the tail of a lion. It's better to be the leader of a small group than a subordinate in a bigger one. 30 Better late than never. It's better to do something, even if it's late, than not do it at all. 31 Blood is thicker than water Family relationships are stronger than relationships with other people. 32 Charity begins at home. A person's first duty is to help and care for his own family. 33 Diamond cuts diamond. Refers to two people equally matched in wit or cunning. 34 Diligence is the mother of good fortune. Hard work brings rewards. 35 Distance makes the heart grow fonder. When you are separated from the person you love, your feelings are even stronger. 36 Dogs of the same street bark alike. People from the same background have the same behaviour. 37 Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. You must not be too confident that something will be successful. 38 Empty vessels make the most noise. The least intelligent people are often the most talkative or noisy. 39 Every ass likes to hear himself bray. People like to listen to themselves talking. 40 Every cloud has a silver lining There is a positive or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation. 41 Every man is the architect of his own fortune. Life is what you make it. 42 Every path has its puddle. Progress is rarely without difficulty. False friends are worse than open enemies.

43 Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. One should learn from one's mistakes. 44 God helps those who help themselves. 45 Haste makes waste. If something is done too quickly, it may be done carelessly and need to be redone. 46 He who hesitates is lost. If you delay your decision too long, you may miss a good opportunity. 47 He who knows nothing, doubts nothing. Knowledge leads us to make choices. 48 Honesty is the best policy. It's always better to be honest. 49 If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one. If you try to do two things at the same time, you won't succeed in doing either of them. 50 If you want a friend, be a friend. 51 If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. Wishing alone is of no use; you must act as well. 52 Ignorance is bliss. Possible interpretation: What you do not know causes no worry or sadness. 53 In for a penny, in for a pound. If you start something, it's better to spend the time or money necessary to complete it. 54 It's no use crying over spilt milk. Don't express regret for something that has happened and cannot be remedied. 55 Justice delayed is justice denied. If the law is applied too late, there is no justice. 56 Knowledge is power. Knowledge makes it possible for you to act. 57 Kill one to warn a hundred. Warn many by punishing a few. 58 Kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Destroy something that would be a source of wealth or success. 59 Learn to walk before you run. Don't rush into doing something until you know how to do it. 60 Let bygones be bygones. Let's forgive and forget past quarrels. 61 Liars need good memories. Manners make the man. Possibly: a person's manners show their origins. Many hands make light work. Sharing work makes work easier. Marry in haste, repent at leisure. If you get married too quickly, you may spend all your life regretting it. Necessity is the mother of invention. The need for something forces people to find a way of obtaining it. Never say die. Never give up. No man can serve two masters. It's impossible to follow instructions from two different sources.

No news is good news. If the news was bad, we would hear of it. Since we have heard nothing, we can assume that all is well. No smoke without fire. There could be some truth in the rumour... Once bitten, twice shy. After an unpleasant experience, people are careful to avoid something similar. One today is worth two tomorrow. What you have today is better than what is promised or hoped for. Out of sight, out of mind. We tend to forget people or things that we do not see. Penny wise, pound foolish. Refers to a person who is careful about spending small amounts of money, but not careful about spending large amounts of money. Poverty waits at the gates of idleness. If you do not work you will not make money. Practice makes perfect. Doing something repeatedly is the only way to become good at it. Practise what you preach Do yourself what you advise others to do. Prevention is better than cure It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair then damage or cure the disease later. Pride comes before a fall. Don't be too self-confident or proud; something may happen to make you look foolish. Rome was not built in a day. It takes a long time to do a job properly. You should not expect to do it quickly. Saying is one thing, doing is another. People don't always do what they announce. Still waters run deep. A quiet person can have much knowledge or wisdom. A stitch in time saves nine It's better to deal with a problem in its early stages, because if you don't, it will get worse. Stolen fruit is the sweetest. What is forbidden is the most tempting. The darkest hour is just before dawn. There is hope even in the worst of times. The first step is the hardest. The most difficult thing is to begin. The pen is mightier than the sword Words and communication have greater effect than war and fighting. There is a black sheep in every flock. There is always one who doesn't behave or perform like the others. Time has wings. Time goes by quickly. To err is human, to forgive divine It is human nature to make mistakes, therefore one should forgive. Too many cooks spoil the broth. (Humoristic version: Too many clicks spoil the browse!)If too many people are involved in something, it will not be done properly.

Two wrongs don't make a right It is wrong to harm someone because they have harmed you. Unwillingness easily finds an excuse. A person who doesn't want to do something always finds a reason to avoid it. What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over. If a person doesn't know about something, it cannot hurt them. What a man says drunk, he thinks sober. People speak more freely under the influence of alcohol. When the cat's away, the mice play. People misbehave when their boss, or the person in authority, is absent. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. You should adopt the customs of the people or country you are visiting, and behave in the same way. When poverty come in the door, love goes out the window. You are never too old to learn. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. You can offer someone an opportunity to do something but you can't force them. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. A person who is used to doing things a certain way cannot change.