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| 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. |
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| 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. | |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| J | Justice delayed is justice denied. | If the law is applied too late, there is no justice. |
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| 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. |
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| L | Laughter is the best medicine. | |
| Learn to walk before you run. | Don't rush into doing something until you know how to do it. |
| Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. | Education is something you keep forever. |
| Least said soonest mended. | The more discreet you are, the less damage you cause. |
| Let bygones be bygones. | Let's forgive and forget past quarrels. |
| Let not the sun go down on your wrath. | Do not stay angry for more than one day. |
| Let the chips fall where they may. | We should not try to control our destiny. |
| Liars need good memories. | People who do not tell the truth must be careful to remember what they say. |
| Lightning never strikes in the same place twice | An unusual event is not likely to occur again in exactly the same circumstances. |
| Like father, like son. | A son's character can be expected to resemble his father's. |
| Little strokes fell great oaks. | If you divide a task into small parts, it becomes easier to do. |
| Look before you leap. | Consider possible consequences before taking action. |
| Loose lips sink ships. | Disclosing important information ( to the enemy or a competitor) could result in large losses. |
| Losers weepers, finders keepers. | If you lose something you weep, if you find something you keep it. |
| Love is blind. | A person in love does not see the faults of the person he/she loves. |
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| M | Make a silk purse out of a sow's ear | Manage to produce something good using poor material. |
| Man is the head of the family; woman is the neck that turns the head. | |
| Man proposes, God disposes. | Our destiny depends on God's will. |
| 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. |
| Memory is the treasure of the mind. | |
| Men make houses, women make homes. | |
| Might as well be hanged for a sheep as (for) a lamb | If the penalty is going to be the same, you might as well commit the greater offence. |
| Money begets money. | If you have money you can make more money. |
| Money doesn't grow on trees. | You shouldn't waste money because it is not plentiful. |
| Money is the root of all evil. | Money is the main cause of wrongdoing and problems. |
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| N | Necessity is the mother of invention. | The need for something forces people to find a way of obtaining it. |
| Need teaches a plan. | Necessity will make you find a solution. |
| Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today | Don't postpone something you can do now. |
| Never say die. | Never give up. |
| Nobody is perfect. | |
| No man can serve two masters. | It's impossible to follow instructions from two different sources. |
| No man is an island. | We all need other people. |
| 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... |
| No wind, no waves. | Similar to : 'no smoke without fire'. |
| Nothing ventured, nothing gained. | You cannot expect to achieve anything if you don't take risks. |
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| O | Once bitten, twice shy. | After an unpleasant experience, people are careful to avoid something similar. |
| One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters. | |
| One good turn deserves another. | You should be helpful to someone who helps you. |
| One of these days is none of these days. | 'One of these days' remains vague. |
| One today is worth two tomorrow. | What you have today is better than what is promised or hoped for. |
| One man's meat is another man's poison | People don't always like the same things. |
| One man's trash is another man's treasure. | What is useless to one person could be valuable to another. |
| One swallow doesn't make a summer. | A single satisfactory event does not mean that all the others will be as good. |
| Only real friends will tell you when your face is dirty. | Only a real friend will tell you the truth. |
| Opportunity seldom knocks twice. | Don't miss opportunities that come along. |
| Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings | Children often speak wisely. |
| Out of sight, out of mind. | We tend to forget people or things that we do not see. |
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| P | Patience is a virtue | It is good to be patient. |
| 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. |
| People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. | One should not criticize others for faults similar to one's own. |
| 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 the 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. |
| Procrastination is the thief of time | Delaying an action for too long is a waste of time. |
| Punctuality is the soul of business | You should always be on time for your business appointments. |
| Put all your eggs in one basket | Risk everything by relying on one plan (by putting all one's money in one business). |
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| R | Revenge is sweet. | There is satisfaction in returning an injury. |
| 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. |
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| S | Save me from my friends. | Friends can be more dangerous than enemies. |
| Saying is one thing, doing is another. | People don't always do what they announce. |
| Short reckonings make long friends. | Debts paid quickly encourage friendship. |
| Sickness in the body brings sadness to the mind. | |
| Silence gives consent. | If you don't object to something it can be assumed that you agree with it. |
| Snug as a bug in a rug. | Feeling very comfortable. |
| Spare the rod and spoil the child | If you don't punish a child when he does wrong, you will spoil his character. |
| Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me | Physical attacks may harm me, but cruel words will not. |
| 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. |
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| T | Tall oaks grow from little acorns. | Great things may come from small beginnings. |
| The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. | Children resemble their parents. |
| The best advice is found on the pillow. | After a good night's sleep we may find an answer to our problem. |
| The best things in life are free. | You don't have to pay for what is important : happiness, friendship, good health. |
| The darkest hour is just before dawn. | There is hope even in the worst of times. |
| The devil looks after his own. | Success comes to those who deserve it least . |
| The devil makes work for idle hands | People who have no work, or are idle, often get into or make trouble. |
| The die is cast. | A decision has been made and it's impossible to change it. |
| The early bird catches the worm. | If you want to do something successfully, you should do it as soon as you can. |
| The end justifies the means. | Wrong or unfair methods may be used if the result of the action is good. |
| The first step is the hardest. | The most difficult thing is to begin. |
| The more haste, the less speed. | A person makes more progress if they do things less quickly. |
| The more you have, the more you want. | People have a constant desire to possess more. |
| The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken. | If you depend on just one thing, and it fails you, you will have no alternatives. |
| The pen is mightier than the sword | Words and communication have greater effect than war and fighting. |
| The proof of the pudding is in the eating. | The real value of something can be judged only after it has been tried or tested. |
| The road to hell is paved with good intentions. | It's not enough to intend to do something, you must actually do it. |
| The tongue wounds more than a lance. | Insults can be more hurtful than physical injuries. |
| The truth is in the wine. | People speak more freely under the influence of alcohol. |
| The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. | Feed a man well and he will love you. |
| The wish is father to the thought. | You think that something is true because you want it to be so. |
| There is a black sheep in every flock. | There is always one who doesn't behave or perform like the others. |
| There is a trick in every trade. | There is an established way of doing things. |
| There is no fool like an old fool. | A older person is expected to behave more sensibly. |
| There is safety in numbers | Being in a crowd makes you feel more confident. |
| Time and tide wait for no man. | Delaying a decision will not prevent events from taking place. |
| Time has wings. | Time goes by quickly. |
| Time is money. | Time is valuable and should not be wasted. |
| 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. |
| Too much bed makes a dull head. | If you sleep too much, you are not able to think clearly. |
| True friends are tested in adversity. | It's when you have problems that you realize who your real friends are. |
| Trust not a horse's heel nor a dog's tooth. | Be careful of the reaction of animals. |
| Truth has no answer. | You cannot argue against facts or refute what is true. |
| Truth is stranger than fiction. | Events in real life are sometimes stranger than in fiction. |
| Two wrongs don't make a right | It is wrong to harm someone because they have harmed you. |
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| U | Union is strength. | A group has more force than an individual. |
| Unwillingness easily finds an excuse. | A person who doesn't want to do something always finds a reason to avoid it. |
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| V | Variety is the spice of life. | Doing a lot of different things makes life more interesting. |
| Virtue is its own reward. | You should not expect praise for acting in a correct or moral way. |
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| W | Walls have ears. | Be careful. People could be listening. |
| Waste not, want not. | If you never waste anything, you will have it when you need 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. |
| What soberness conceals, drunkenness reveals. | People are less discreet 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. | |
| Where there's life there's hope. | |
| Where there's a will, there's a way. | A person with determination will find a way of doing something. |
| Who makes himself a sheep will be eaten by the wolves. | Possible interpretation: an easily influenced person can be mislead. |
| Wisdom is better than strength. | |
| Wonders will never cease! | Expresses surprise at an unexpected pleasure or event (ironic). |
| Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow. | Worrying over small details can make them seem worse. |
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| Y | You are what you eat. | What you eat has an effect on your well-being. |
| 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. |
| You never know what you can do until you try. | Try first before deciding not to do something. |
| You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. | You help me and I'll help you. |
