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Actions speak louder than words
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Children usually learn more from the examples set by their elders than from what they are told ; a person's character is judged by the thing she does and not by what he says; actions give evidence or proof of. |
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Fortune knocks once at every man's door |
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Everyone gets at least one good opportunity in his lifetime; everyone has the opportunity to be successful in life. |
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Give the devil his due
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Be just and fair-minded , even to the one who does not deserve much or who is unfriendly or unfair; we should punish a person according to his wrongdoings. |
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God helps those who help themselves |
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God only helps those people who work hard and make an honest effort. |
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It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good |
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A bad or evil occurrence. |
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Great minds think alike |
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Wise people will normally think and behave alike in certain situations. |
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Habit is second nature |
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An act done repeatedly and often enough will sooner or later become a habit or second nature. |
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He laughs best who laughs last |
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A person who does his best is the one who will get the greatest satisfaction in the end. |
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Never do things by halves
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One should not do an incomplete or imperfect job - certain tasks must not be left half done; they must be done away with immediately. |
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Great haste makes great waste |
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If one does things hastily he will make a lot of mistakes - he will need to spend a lot of time correcting those mistakes later. |
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It's never too late to mend |
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It is never too late to correct one's mistakes or faults. |
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It's no use crying over spilt milk
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It is pointless to feel remorseful over a thing lost that can never be found or a mistake done that can never be corrected or rectified. |
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Still waters run deep |
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One who is usually silent and goes about his business quietly may be a very wise person. |
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Jack of all trades and master of none |
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Is a person who can do almost anything, but he rarely excels in any of them. |
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Let bygones by bygones |
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One should consider forgiving one's and forget all the bad deeds done by others. |
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Let not the pot call the kettle black
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A person who has a fault should not point out the same fault in another; do not criticize another person as you may have the same weakness. |
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Let sleeping dogs lie |
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One should preferably avoid discussing issues that are likely to create trouble. |
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No news is good news |
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When there is no news, it is likely that everything is all right. |
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Look before you leap |
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Avoid acting hastily, without considering the possible consequences. |
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Necessity is the mother of invention |
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When a person is in great need of something, he will find a way of getting it. |
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Honesty is the best policy |
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Being honest is believed to be the best route to take. |
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One man's meat is another man's poison |
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No two persons are alike - every one has his own preferences, likes and dislikes. |
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Once bitten twice shy |
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If a person has been tricked once he will more be careful and alert the next time. |
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Like father, like son, like mother, like daughter |
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( used to describe a child's behavior when he or she acts like the father or mother ) |
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Practice makes perfect |
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It is believed that if one practices a certain skill often, he will excel in it |
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Prevention is better than cure |
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It is better to be careful beforehand than to try to solve a problem after it has arisen. |
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Rome was not built in a day |
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Any great plan or big dream cannot be achieved overnight or easily. |
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Robbing Peter to pay Paul |
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( this is quoted when one takes another loan to pay off an earlier loan ) taking from one to give another. |
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Spare the rod and spoil the child |
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A child who is not punished and showed the error of his ways will become unruly. |
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Speech is silver, silence is golden |
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Talk may be beneficial, but sometimes acquiescence may be the best option to take. |
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It takes two to make a quarrel |
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Both parties in a quarrel should share the blame or take responsibility for it; no one can start a quarrel all by himself. |
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Strike while the iron is hot |
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Seize a good opportunity as quickly as possible. |
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There's no smoke without fire |
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Rumors do not spread unless there is some element of truth in them. |
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Time and tide wait for no one |
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Time is precious, once it is past no one can go back and claim it thus everyone should be mindful of how his time is spent. |
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To err is human, to forgive divine
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It is only normal for man to make mistakes and do wrong, but for one to forgive another for his wrong is indeed great and gracious act. |
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What's done can't be undone
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In life there are some things once done or decisions once made cannot be changed; malicious words once uttered or harmful actions once done cannot be taken back. |
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Two heads are better than one |
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It is always better to get the view of another than to rely entirely on one's own judgment. |
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When in Rome do as the Romans do |
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When one is in a new place, country or situation he must adapt himself to the new manners and customs. |
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When the cat is away the mice will play |
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When law enforcers are not present, certain public members will take the opportunity to break the law |
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| Absence makes the heart grow fonder |
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One usually desires another more when he or she is far away. |
