Proverbs from Erasmus

Found 451 related proverbs. Click on any proverb below to view the full analysis and original text.

• A56 AFRICA is always producing something new (monsters, serpents)
• A73 Old AGE is sickness of itself
• A155 ALL is well, the old man dances
• A195 I have lost ALL and found myself
• A209 Venture not ALL in one bottom
• A231 What cannot be ALTERED must be borne not blamed
• A247 ANGER punishes itself
• A263 An APE is an ape though clad in scarlet (gold)
• A264 The APE kills her young with kindness (by clipping)
• A282 APOTHECARIES would not give pills in sugar unless they were bitter
• A283 APPAREL makes (Clothes make) the man
• A366 To see an ASS play on a harp
• A400 AURORA (The morning) is a friend to the Muses
• A402 AUTHORITY (Honor, Office) shows what a man is
• B98 BASHFULNESS is an enemy to poverty
• B141 We are not BORN for ourselves
• B205 The BEE sucks honey out of the bitterest flowers (thyme)
• B242 A BEGGAR's purse is bottomless (always empty)
• B261 An ill (bad) BEGINNING has an ill (bad) ending
• B264 From small BEGINNINGS come great things
• B286 The BELLY has no ears
• B293 A fat BELLY does not engender a subtle wit
• B376 An ill (evil) BIRD (crow) lays an ill (evil) egg
• B425 The hasty BITCH brings forth blind whelps
• B465 Like BLOOD, like good, and like age make the happiest marriage
• B491 To be in the same BOAT (ship)
• B632 Who has no more BREAD than needs must not keep a dog
• B711 He may bear (carry) a BULL that hath borne (carried) a calf
• B714 To milk a BULL (he-goat)
• B758 A BUSKIN that will serve both legs
• C27 The CAMEL going to seek horns lost his ears
• C30 It becomes him as well as it becomes a CAMEL to dance
• C34 The more CAMOMILE is trodden down the more it spreads
• C43 It smells of the CANDLE (lamp, oil)
• C69 A CAPTAIN (ruler) should not sleep the whole night
• C103 To set the CART before the horse
• C210 CENSURE, which spares the raven, torments the dove
• C211 Without CERES and Bacchus Venus grows cold
• C221 As changeable as a CHAMELEON
• C222 The CHAMELEON can change to all colors save white
• C229 CHANGE is sweet
• C233 There is CHANGE of all things
• C309 It is a wise CHILD (father) that knows his own father (child)
• C480 Let not the COBBLER (shoemaker) go beyond his last
• C486 Every COCK is proud on his own dunghill
• C503 Poorer than CODRUS
• C511 COLEWORTS (Cabbage) twice sodden
• C571 It is good to have COMPANY in trouble (misery)
• C601 CONSCIENCE is a thousand witnesses
• C742 The COVER is worthy of such a cup
• C758 It becomes him as well as a COW does a cart saddle
• C773 A COWARD changes color
• C805 The CRANE to avoid sleep holds a stone in its foot
• C812 Every CREATURE thinks her own fair
• C815 CREDIT ought rather to be given to the eyes than to the ears
• C828 If one dwell by (next door to) a CRIPPLE he will learn to halt
• C831 CROCODILE TEARS
• C859 A white CROW (raven)
• C908 To drink of the same CUP
• C912 CUPBOARD LOVE
• C932 CUSTOM (Use) is another (a second) nature
• D79 He that fights and runs away may live to fight another DAY
• D93 No DAY without a line
• D112 You come a DAY after the fair
• D123 You burn DAYLIGHT
• D142 DEATH is common to all
• D174 One DECEIT (falsehood) drives out another
• D321 To move as does the DIAL HAND, which is not seen to move
• D455 The DOG returns to his vomit
• D513 To play the DOG in the manger, not eat yourself nor let anybody else
• D528 Cowardly DOGS bark much
• D542 Silly DOGS are more angry with the stone than with the hand that had flung it
• D573 As loving (tame, patient) as a DOVE (pigeon)
• D583 A DRAUGHT of hen's milk
• D604 To snatch a DRINK like the dogs of Egypt (at the Nile)
• D617 Many (Small) DROPS make a shower (flood)
• D650 To cast DUST in a man's eyes
• E1 The EAGLE does not catch flies
• E5 An EAGLE's old age
• E24 To sleep securely on both EARS (on either EAR)
• E61 He holds a wet EEL by the tail
• E62 Hold fast an EEL with a fig leaf
• E66 As like as one EGG is to another
• E81 To come of the same EGG (nest)
• E85 From the EGGS to the apples
• E136 He that ENDURES (Who suffers) is not overcome (overcomes)
• E177 Better be ENVIED than pitied
• E178 Marry your EQUAL
• E197 Drawing EVIL about one as the northeast wind does clouds
• E198 He sucked EVIL from the dug
• E202 It is good to prevent an EVIL in the beginning
• E220 EXPERIENCE is the mistress of fools
• E231a The EYE sees not itself but by reflection
• E236 He has an EYE behind
• E240 He that has one EYE is a king among the blind
• F31 Grecian FAITH
• F40 The FALLING-OUT of lovers is a renewing of love
• F64 Cloak a FART with a cough
• F65 Everyone thinks his own FART smells sweet
• F81 As sure (firm) as FATE
• F92 Such a (Like) FATHER such a (like) son
• F97 You are your FATHER's own son.
• F107 He finds FAULT with others and does worse himself (He that will blame another must be blameless himself)
• F176 The greatest FELICITY is never to be born
• F245 To have it at his FINGERS' ends
• F267 He bears (carries) FIRE in one hand and water in the other
• F287 To quench FIRE with oil
• F300 As mute as a FISH
• F323 Teach FISH to swim
• F332 The FISHER stricken will be wise
• F391 The fairest FLOWERS (freshest colors) soonest fade
• F393 The FLY has her spleen and the ant her gall
• F394 The FLY (moth) that plays too long in the candle singes its wings at last
• F398 To make of a FLY an elephant
• F459 A FOOL cannot speak unlike himself
• F567 Measure yourself (not another) by your own FOOT
• F569 To have one FOOT in Charon's boat
• F590 In the FOREHEAD and in the eye the lecture of the heart (mind) doth lie
• F595 One good FOREWIT is worth two afterwits
• F601 FORTUNE favors the bold (hardy, valiant)
• F626 The FOWLER is caught (taken) in his own net (snare)
• F636 The FOX knows many tricks but the hedgehog one great one
• F647 An old FOX cannot be taken by a snare
• F661 To yoke FOXES
• F685 Before you make a FRIEND eat a bushel of salt with him
• F690 A FRIEND as far as the altar (as conscience permits)
• F694 A FRIEND is never known till a man have need
• F696 A FRIEND is one's second self
• F709 I cannot be your FRIEND and your flatterer
• F729 Among FRIENDS all things are common
• F738 FRIENDS (Men) may meet but mountains never (never greet)
• F762 Trencher FRIENDSHIP
• F785 Add FUEL to the fire
• G3 GAIN savors sweetly from anything
• G19 To be hanged on a fair GALLOWS (with a silken halter)
• G90 Evil (Ill) GOTTEN evil (ill) spent
• G97 A GIFT is valued by the mind of the giver
• G100 A small GIFT brings often a great reward
• G109 GIFTS from enemies are dangerous
• G125 He that GIVES quickly (in a trice) gives twice
• G182 GOD comes with leaden (woolen) feet but strikes with iron hands
• G236 Help thyself and GOD will help thee
• G242 One GOD, no more, but friends good store
• G301 Evil-gotten (Ill-gotten) GOODS never prove well (prosper, endure)
• G425 To hold a GRASSHOPPER by the wing
• G441 At the GREEK CALENDS
• G446 The greater GRIEF (sorrow) drives out the less
• H21 Pull HAIR and hair and you'll make the carl (the horse's tail) bare
• H32 To split HAIRS
• H43 The HALF is more than the whole
• H62 Between the HAMMER and the anvil
• H68 Give not your right HAND to every man
• H87 One HAND washes another and both (both wash) the face
• H125 With unwashed HANDS
• H150 A HARE has crossed your way
• H153 A HARE sleeps with his eyes open
• H159 Who eats a HARE laughs seven days after (will look fair)
• H163 He that hunts two HARES loses both
• H165 So HARES may pull dead lions by the beard
• H177 To be a HARPOCRATES
• H192 Make HASTE Slowly
• H211 No HATE like to brothers' if they fall at debate
• H219 To shipwreck in the HAVEN (harbor)
• H233 He has HAY on his horn
• H278 As many HEADS as Hydra
• H330 To eat one's HEART out
• H333 What is in the HEART of the sober man is in the tongue (mouth) of the drunkard
• H350 To be in HEAVEN
• H368 HEDGEHOGS lodge among thorns because themselves are prickly
• H436 HERCULES himself cannot deal with two
• H571 HONOR is the reward of virtue
• H584 HONORS nourish arts
• H591 To fish with a golden (silver) НOOK
• H625 He wears the HORNS
• H638 Do not spur a free HORSE
• H678 Look not a given HORSE in the mouth
• H711 Trust not a HORSE's heel nor a dog's tooth
• H713 From the HORSES to the asses
• H819 HUNGER is the best sauce
• H830 He that HURTS another hurts himself
• I3 To break the ICE
• I7 Better to be IDLE than not well occupied
• I91 IRON not used soon rusts
• I92 IRON (Gold) with often handling is worn to nothing
• I93 IRON (Brass) with use grows bright
• I99 He has many (other) IRONS in the fire
• I101 As poor as IRUS
• J37 Like JANUS, two-faced
• J38 The JAY is unmeet for a fiddle
• J81 Far from JOVE (Jupiter) far from thunder (lightning)
• J82 JOVE laughs at lovers' perjuries
• J89 Your JOY is that of the Pyrausta (Pyralis)
• J101 To drink the JUICE of mandrake (mandragora)
• J103 JUPITER himself cannot please all
• K47 KINDNESS is lost that is done to an old man and young child
• K67 A KING or a beggar
• K87 KINGS have long arms (ears, hands)
• K168 To seek a KNOT in a rush (bulrush)
• K175 KNOW thyself
• K182 He is not happy that KNOWS not himself happy
• K188 In KNOWING nothing is the sweetest life
• L14 If you go into a LABYRINTH take a clew with you
• L56 To see LAND
• L95 The LAUREL is ever green
• L116 LAWS catch flies (little flies) but let the hornets (great flies) go free
• L148 A LEAP in the dark
• L219 A LIAR should have a good memory
• L232 A hot (sudden) LIE is the best
• L249 LIFE is a pilgrimage
• L269 While there's LIFE there's hope
• L274 The LIGHT is nought for sore eyes
• L286 LIKE will to like
• L304 Bring your LINE to the wall, not wall to line
• L313 A LION is known by his paw (claw)
• L316 The LION spares the suppliant
• L319 If the LION's skin cannot the fox's shall
• L326 Like (Such) LIPS like (such) lettuce
• L333 With what LIQUOR a vessel is first seasoned, it will long keep the scent of it
• L342 By the LITTLE is known the much
• L378 It is not how long but how well we LIVE
• L384 Too soon wise to LIVE long
• L479 Follow LOVE (pleasure, glory) and it will flee, flee love (pleasure, glory) and it will follow thee
• L501 LOVE comes by looking (in at the eyes)
• L510 LOVE is never without jealousy
• L538 One LOVE drives out (expels) another
• L548 True LOVE kithes¹ in time of need
• L558 It is impossible to LOVE and be wise
• M80 A blind MAN can (should) judge no colors
• M116 Every MAN has (No man is without) his faults
• M129 Every MAN (The wearer) knows best where the shoe wrings (pinches)
• M131 Every MAN likes his own thing best
• M182 The healthful MAN can give good counsel to the sick
• M202 It is not given to every MAN to go to Corinth
• M207 A learned MAN carries his treasure about with him
• M241 MAN is a god to man
• M245 MAN is a wolf to man
• M246 MAN is but a bubble
• M272 A MAN must ask excessively to get a little
• M287 A MAN need not look in your mouth to know how old you are (your age)
• M315 No living MAN all things can
• M317 No MAN better knows what is good than he who has endured evil
• M335 No MAN is wise at all times
• M337 No MAN loses (wins) but another wins (loses)
• M346 An old MAN has one foot in the grave
• M364 A rich MAN is either wicked himself or the heir of a wicked man
• M421 A wise MAN commonly has a fool to his heir (has foolish children)
• M468 A MAN's country is where he does well
• M501 All MEN are made of the same metal
• M510 Dead MEN bite not (do no harm)
• M570 Old MEN are twice children (bairns)
• M583 So many MEN so many minds
• M611 Great MEN's sons seldom do well
• M612 Happy is he whom other MEN's harms make beware
• M615 It is good to (He is wise who can) beware by other MEN's harms
• M625 Ill MANNERS (lives) produce good laws
• M630 MANNERS make often fortunes
• M729 One MASTER in a house is enough
• M754 Much MATTER of a wooden platter
• M793 The MEAN (The merry mean) is the best
• M834 Put not thy MEAT in an unclean dish
• M893 A MERCURY is not made of every wood
• M905 MESSENGERS should neither be headed nor hanged
• M941 He that comes first to the MILL grinding first
• M948 No MILL no meal
• M1012 MISFORTUNE (Evil) never (seldom) comes alone
• M1022 Like MISTRESS like maid
• M1034 As blind as a MOLE
• M1076 MONEY makes the man
• M1120 The MOON is not seen where the sun shines
• M1122 Pale MOON does rain, red moon does blow
• M1149 The MORE one drinks (eats) the more one may
• M1196 If your MOTHER had not lost her virginity you would not have been born
• M1215 The MOUNTAIN was in labor and brought forth a mouse
• M1217 To promise MOUNTAINS (golden mountains)
• M1234 A MOUSE in pitch
• M1236 The MOUSE that has but one hole is quickly taken
• M1258 Out of one MOUTH to blow hot and cold
• M1293 To speak MUCH and to the matter is two men's labor
• M1306 One MULE (ass, horse) does scrub (scratch, claw) another
• M1333 He looks as if he lived on Tewkesbury MUSTARD¹
• N17 One NAIL drives out another
• N50 Though you cast out NATURE with a fork it will still return
• N51 To go against NATURE (Invita Minerva)
• N57 I am NEAREST to myself
• N108 An ill NEIGHBOR is an ill thing
• N115 Our NEIGHBOR's ground yields better corn than our own
• N116 When thy NEIGHBOR's house does burn be careful of thine own
• N133 He that handles a NETTLE tenderly is soonest stung
• N174 NIGHT is the mother of counsels
• N233 To lead one by the NOSE
• N254 Happy is he that owes NOTHING
• N288 NOTHING dries sooner than tears
• O9 To drink the OCEAN dry
• O13 Bad ODORS attract the vulture (beetle), perfumes repel him
• O14 None is OFFENDED but by himself
• O25 As smooth as OIL
• O30 To add OIL to (pour oil on) the fire
• O70 OPPORTUNITY (Night, Midnight) is woredom's bawd
• P37 The straighter (higher) grows the PALM the heavier the weight it bears
• P250 Near is my PETTICOAT (kirtle, coat) but nearer is my smock (sark)
• P256 As rare as the PHOENIX
• P289 A knotty PIECE of timber must have sharp wedges
• P434 The PLOW goes before the oxen
• P490 As deaf (dumb) as a POST
• P509 I hate a POT COMPANION with a good memory
• P514 The POTTER envies the potter, the smith the smith
• Q12 We must live by the QUICK (living) and not by the dead
• Q14 QUICK and quething
• R7a To take RAIMENT (clothes) from a naked man
• R59 Do not wear RED before a bull nor white before an elephant
• R73 The REMEMBRANCE of past sorrow (dangers) is joyful
• R81 To buy REPENTANCE too dear
• R82 To buy REPENTANCE too dear
• R119 Good RIDING at two anchors men have told, for if the one fail the other may hold
• R121 It is safe RIDING in a good haven (harbor)
• R122 Extreme RIGHT (justice) is extreme wrong (injustice, injury)
• R129 Do not wear a tight (strait) RING
• R139 A RIVER running into many brooks becomes shallow
• R174 To twist (make) a ROPE of sand
• R179 Every ROSE grows from prickles
• S76 Cast brine SALT into the sea
• S82 He has but one SALVE for all sores
• S89 To plow the SAND (shore)
• S115 He who SAYS (does) what he would he would not
• S117 No sooner SAID than done (So said so done)
• S153 Those that are stung by the SCORPION are healed by the scorpion
• S169 Between SCYLLA and Charybdis
• S174 In a calm SEA every man may be a pilot
• S211 Of little SEEDS grow great cedars (trees)
• S214 Be what thou would SEEM to be
• S228 A SERPENT must eat another serpent before he can become a dragon
• S242 So many SERVANTS so many enemies (foes)
• S244 He that SERVES everybody is paid by nobody
• S246 He that has not SERVED knows not how to command
• S252 Proffered SERVICE (ware) stinks
• S257 SEVEN at a feast, nine at a fray
• S261 To be afraid of his own (a) SHADOW
• S262 To fight with one's own SHADOW
• S329 A good SHEPHERD must fleece his sheep but not flay them
• S352 The SHIP which is large on the river is small on the sea
• S364 Every (One) SHOE fits not every foot
• S366 A great (Hercules') SHOE will not fit a little (a child's) foot
• S447 SILENCE is the best ornament of a woman
• S459 White SILVER draws black lines
• S482 All good SINGERS have colds
• S538 A SLIP of the tongue is wont to tell the truth
• S570 Shunning the SMOKE he fell into the fire
• S572 The SMOKE of a man's own house (country) is better than the fire of another's
• S576 To sell (buy) SMOKE
• S632 A SON of the white hen
• S638 To sing the same (one) SONG
• S639 He makes two SONS-IN-LAW of one daughter
• S640 SOON enough if well enough
• S648 Where the SORE is there is the hand
• S649 To rip up (rub) old SORES
• S680 A SOW (swine) to teach Minerva
• S687 As they SOW so let them reap
• S699 To call a SPADE a spade
• S714 Of a little SPARK a great fire
• S725 To SPEAK (Not to speak) as one thinks
• S731 The SPEAR of Achilles could both wound and heal
• S746 If you beat (pound) SPICE it will smell the sweeter
• S885 A rolling STONE gathers no moss
• S890 To leave no STONE unturned
• S894 Under every ST0NE sleeps a scorpion
• S927 It is hard (folly, in vain) to strive against the STREAM
• S936 To harp upon one (the same) STRING
• S940 Great STROKES make not sweet music
• S941 Many (Little) STROKES fell great oaks
• S979 The rising, not the setting, SUN is worshiped by most men
• S980 The same SUN softens (melts) wax and hardens clay
• S988 To set forth the SUN with a candle (lantern, taper)
• S989 When the SUN is highest he casts the least shadow
• S992 Two SUNS cannot shine in one sphere
• S1025 One SWALLOW makes not summer
• S1026 SWALLOWS, like false friends, fly away upon the approach of winter
• S1027 As rare as a black SWAN
• S1028 Like a SWAN, he sings before his death
• S1035 He deserves not the SWEET that will not taste of the sour
• S1048 A leaden (wooden) SWORD (dagger) in an ivory (golden, painted) sheath (scabbard)
• S1050 Put not a SWORD in the hand of a child
• S1054 To slay (cut one's throat) with a leaden SWORD
• T51 You tell a TALE to a deaf man
• T82 From thence came these TEARS
• T97 THANKS will buy nothing in the market
• T115 A THIEF knows a thief and a wolf knows a wolf
• T158 Too much of one THING is good for nothing
• T163 All THINGS are obedient to money
• T167 All THINGS fit not all persons
• T175 All THINGS thrive at thrice (There are three things of all things)
• T181 Good THINGS are difficult
• T191 Many THINGS happen (fall) between the cup and the lip
• T197 Taste not of THINGS that have black tails
• T206 The THINGS that are above us are nothing to us
• T229 He cuts large THONGS of other men's leather
• T233 Of a THORN springs not a rose
• T259 To stumble at the THRESHOLD
• T289 To wash a TILE (wall of loam)
• T290 He does not desire to die before his TIME
• T309 Love as in TIME to come you should hate and hate as you should in time to come love
• T322 TIME and thought tame the strongest grief
• T324 TIME brings the truth to light
• T325 TIME cures every disease
• T333 TIME reveals (discloses) all things
• T337 TIME tries friends as fire tries gold
• T436 From TOP (head) to toe (heel)
• T468 It is easy to fall into a TRAP (net) but hard to get out again
• T484 The TREASURE consisted of coals
• T491 Remove an old TREE and it will wither to death
• T497 The TREE (fruit) is known by the fruit (tree)
• T502 When the TREE is fallen every man goes to it with his hatchet
• T529 We were TROJANS
• T562 As TRUTH gets hatred so flattery wins love (friends)
• T593 TRUTH's tale is simple (Truth is plain)
• U24 USE (Practice) makes mastery (perfectness)
• V36 Empty VESSELS sound most
• V38 Ill VESSELS seldom miscarry
• V62 The young VINE yields the most but the old one yields the best
• V68 To nourish a VIPER (snake) in one's bosom
• W20 We see not what is in the WALLET behind
• W28 Born in the WANE of the moon
• W43 In WAR it is not permitted twice to err
• W58 WARs are sweet to them who know them not
• W78 To anger a WASP
• W105 To beat WATER in a mortar
• W107 To fetch (wring) WATER (blood) out of a stone (flint)
• W111 To pour WATER into a sieve
• W114 To write in WATER (sand)
• W135 As pliable as WAX
• W241 WEEDS come forth on the fattest soil if it is untilled
• W260 Let WELL alone
• W416 He catches the WIND in a net
• W435 To live by the WIND
• W451 To plow the WINDS
• W462 Good WINE needs no bush (ivy bush, sign)
• W465 In WINE there is truth
• W466 No WINE without lees
• W467 Of WINE the middle, of oil the top, and of honey the bottom is best
• W468 Put not good WINE into an ill bottle (vessel)
• W481 WINE is the glass of the mind
• W499 To spread WINGS greater than the nest
• W532 He is not WISE that is not wise for himself
• W570 WIT, whither wilt thou?
• W602 Give not the WOLF (fox) the wether (sheep) to keep (Make not the wolf your shepherd)
• W603 He holds a WOLF by the ears
• W607 Speak of the WOLF and he will appear
• W616 A WOLF (fox) may change his hair but not his heart (nature, malice)
• W621 The WOLVES saw him first
• W703 WOMEN are necessary evils
• W748 To play the WOODCOCK
• W799 Few WORDS show men wise