ENGLISH PROVERBS PART A

A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.	Overcoming adversity leads to competence.
	A stitch in time saves nine.	It's better to deal with a  problem at an early stage, to prevent it from getting   worse.
	A stumble may prevent a fall.	Correcting a small mistake may help you to avoid making a bigger one.
	A swallow does not make the summer.	One good event does not mean that everything is alright.
	A tree is known by its fruit.	A man is judged by his actions.
	A watched pot never boils	If you wait anxiously for something, it seems to take a long time.
	A young idler, an old beggar.	If you don't work, you won't have any money when you're old.
	After dinner rest a while, after supper walk a mile.	Today 'dinner' is usually called 'lunch', and 'supper' more often called 'dinner'.
	As you sow, so shall you reap	You have to accept the consequences of your actions.
	Ask me no questions, I'll tell  you no lies.	There are subjects I'd rather not discuss.
B	Bad news travels fast.	People tend to circulate bad news (accidents, illness etc.) very quickly.
	Beauty is only skin deep.	A person's character is more important than their appearance.
	Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.	Different people have different tastes.
	Beauty is the wisdom of women. Wisdom is the  beauty of men.
	Be swift to hear, slow to speak.	Listen carefully before speaking.
	Better be alone than in bad company.	Be careful in the choice of the people you associate with.
	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.
	Better flatter a fool than fight him.	It's better to avoid disputes with stupid people.
	Better the devil you know than the devil you  don't know	It's better to deal with somebody difficult but familiar, than change and risk dealing   with somebody worse.
	Better late than never.	It's better to do something, even if it's late,  than not do it at all.
	Better lose the saddle than the horse.	It's better to stop and accept a small loss, rather than continue and risk losing   everything.
	Better safe than sorry	It's better to be too careful than to be careless and regret  it later.
	Better to drink the milk than to eat the cow.	Be careful not to destroy the source of your income or welfare.
	Better untaught than ill-taught	It's better not to be taught at all than to be taught badly.
	Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.	Don't trust your enemies.
	Birds of a feather flock together.	People of the same sort are usually found together.
	Blood is thicker than water	Family relationships are stronger than relationships with other people.
	Blood will out.	A person's background or education will eventually show.
C	Charity begins at home.	A person's first duty is to help and care for his own family.
	Children and fools tell the truth.
	Cleanliness is next to godliness.	A clean body is just as important as a pure soul.
	Clear moon, frost soon.	If the atmosphere is clear, frost may form.
	Clothes don't make the man.	Appearances can be deceiving.
	Constant occupation prevents temptation.	When you work you avoid temptation.
D	Dead men tell no tales	A dead person cannot cause difficulties by revealing something that it would be   preferable to conceal.
	Diamond cuts diamond.	Refers to two people equally matched in wit or cunning.
	Diligence is the mother of good fortune.	Hard work brings rewards.
	Discretion is the better part of valour	It is useless to take unnecessary risks.
	Diseases of the soul are more dangerous than  those of the body.
	Distance makes the heart grow fonder.	When you are separated from the person you love, your feelings are even stronger.
	Dogs of the same street bark alike.	People from the same background have the same behaviour.
	Don't bark if you can't bite.	Don't complain if you can't enforce your point of view.
	Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.	You must not be too confident that something will be successful.
	Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork.	Don't do something yourself which causes your own downfall.
	Don't judge a book by its cover.	Don't judge by appearances.
E	Early to bed and early to rise makes a man  healthy, wealthy and wise.
	Easier said than done.	What is suggested sounds easy but it is more difficult to actually do it.
	Elbow grease is the best polish.	Hard work gives the best results.
	Empty vessels make the most noise.	The least intelligent people are often the most talkative or noisy.
	Every ass likes to hear himself bray.	People like to listen to themselves talking.
	Every cloud has a silver lining	There is a positive or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation.
	Every man for himself.	You must think of your own interests before the interests of others.
	Every man has his price.	Everyone's loyalty can be bought for a price.
	Every man is the architect of his own fortune.	Life is what you make it.
	Every path has its puddle.	Progress is rarely without difficulty.
	Every rose has its thorn.	Every good thing has an unpleasant side.
	Every why has a wherefore.	There is an explanation for everything.
	Everything in the garden is rosy.	Everything is satisfactory.
	Experience is the father of wisdom.	Experience and knowledge result in better judgement.
F	Facts speak louder than words.	People show what they are really like by what they do, rather than by what   they say.
	Failure teaches success.
	False friends are worse than open enemies.
	Familiarity breeds contempt	Knowing somebody very well may lead to a lack of respect for them.
	Fine words butter no parsnips.	No amount of talking can replace action.
	First come, first served.	The first person in the line will be attended to first.
	Fool me once, shame on you;  fool me twice, shame on me.	One should learn from one's mistakes.
	Fools rush in where angels fear to tread	Inexperienced people act in situations that more intelligent people would avoid
	Friendship is love with understanding.
G	Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.	Nothing is achieved without effort.
	Give someone an inch and they will take a  mile (or yard).	Give someone a little and they will want more - some people are never satisfied.
	Give someone enough rope and they will hang  themselves.	Give someone enough time and freedom and they will get into trouble.
	God helps those who help themselves.
	Good accounting makes good friends.	You will keep your friends if you avoid disputes over money.
	Good and quickly seldom meet.	A well-done job takes time.
	Good management is better than good income.
	Great minds think alike.	Said when you express the same opinion as another person at the same time.
	Great oaks grow from little acorns.	Large successful operations can begin in a small way.
	Grief divided is made lighter	If you share your grief it is easier to bear.
H	Half a loaf is better than none.	You should be grateful for something, even if it's not as much as you wanted.
	Hard words break no bones.
	Haste makes waste.	If something is done too quickly, it may be done carelessly and need to be redone.
	Hatred is a blind as love.	A person who feels hatred does not see any qualities in the person he/she hates.
	He can who believes he can.	If you believe you can do something, you will be able to do it.
	He has enough who is content.	A happy person needs nothing more.
	He who hesitates is lost.	If you delay your decision too long, you may miss a good opportunity.
	He who is everywhere is nowhere.	It's not good to do too many things at the same time.
	He who knows nothing, doubts nothing.	Knowledge leads us to make choices.
	He who pays the piper calls the tune.	The person who provides the money for something should control how it is spent
	He who plays with fire gets burnt.	If you behave in a risky way, you are likely to have problems.
	He who wills the end wills  the means.	If you are determined to do something you will find a way.
	He laughs best who laughs last.	Don't express your joy, or your triumph, too soon!
	Health is better than wealth.	It's better to be in good health than to be rich.
	Home is where the heart is.	You call home the place where the people you love are.
	Honesty is the best policy.	It's always better to be honest.
	Honey catches more flies than vinegar.	You can obtain more cooperation from others by being nice.
	However long the night, the dawn will  break	Bad things don't last forever.
	Hunger is a good sauce.	All food tastes good when you are hungry.
I	In times of prosperity friends are plentiful.	You have many friends when you have no difficulties.
	If a camel gets his nose in a tent, his body will  follow.	If you let something intrusive enter your life, your life will become difficult .
	If in February there be no rain, 'tis neither good  for hay nor grain.	Plants and crops will grow badly if there is no rain in early spring.
	If you are patient in one moment of anger,  you will avoid 100 days of sorrow.	Avoid regrets by taking time to think before speaking or acting angrily.
	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.
	If two ride a horse, one must ride behind.	When two people do something together, one will be the leader   and the other will be the subordinate.
	If you want a friend, be a friend.
	If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.	Wishing alone is of no use;  you must act as well.
	Ignorance is bliss.	Possible interpretation: What you do not know causes no worry or sadness.
	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.
	In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.	A man of even limited ability has an advantage over a person who is less able.
	It never rains but it pours.	Misfortunes usually come in large numbers.
	It is always darkest before the dawn	The most difficult time is just before a problem is solved.
	It's no use crying over spilt milk.	Don't express regret for something that has happened and cannot be remedied.
	It takes all sorts to make a world.	People vary in character and abilities, and this is a good thing.
J	Justice delayed is justice denied.	If the law is applied too late, there is no justice.
K	Knowledge in youth is wisdom in age.	What you learn when you are young will be invaluable when you grow old.
	Knowledge is power.	Knowledge makes it possible for you to act.
	Kill one to warn a hundred.	Warn many by punishing a few.
	Kill the goose that lays the golden egg.	Destroy something that would be a source of wealth or success.
	Kindness begets kindness.	If you are kind to people, they will be kind to you.