Great Throughts Treasury

"A thousand friends are too few; one enemy is one too many."

"A stupid friend is a greater plague than a wise enemy."

"A thousand regrets do not cancel one debt."

"A thousand years hence the river will run as it did."

"A small key opens big doors."

"A son will learn from his father to make a living, a daughter will learn from her mother to cut clothes."

"A thread-bare coat is armor proof against highwaymen."

"A tongue has no bones but it can break."

"A tribulation is better than a hundred warnings. (Used to make a point that one learns better from their mistakes or misfortunes rather than the advice of others.)"

"A true word needs no oath."

"A weapon is an enemy even to its owner"

"A village that you can see in a distance do not require a guide. (Used to point out that the events are heading to an obvious conclusion and hence further discussion is not warranted.)"

"A well-fed man doesn't know what's hunger, a healthy man doesn't know what's disease."

"A woman has advice only for another woman."

"A white day sheds light, a black day sheds darkness."

"A wise man remembers his friends at all times; a fool, only when he has need of them."

"Ability has no school."

"Abundance is from activity."

"A worthy man is still worthy even penniless, a donkey is a donkey even if he is finely saddled."

"Abundance doesn't know contentment, but contentment is abundance."

"Activity breeds prosperity."

"All work is as seed sown; it grows and spreads, and sows itself anew."

"Allah gave hunger to one and hunger to another."

"An ass does not appreciate fruit compote."

"An ember burns where it falls. (Used when expressing an appreciation of pain for the people who are close to the injured or hurt person.)"

"An Englishman will burn his bed to catch a flea."

"An Englishman's home is his castle."

"An orphan cuts his own umbilical cord."

"An emmet may work its heart out, but can never make honey."

"An inexperienced duck dives tail first."

"An over-protected eye gets the speck. (Being overly careful or overprotective invites misfortunes.)"

"An over-protected eye gets the speck (Being overly careful invites misfortunes)."

"Anyone can make a spoon, but not everyone can make the handle."

"Bad neighbour forces one to have his own pots and pans. (Used to remind that not depending on others, makes one self-reliant.)"

"Barking dogs don't bite."

"As the crow tried to imitate the partridge, it forgot its own walking style."

"Be thine enemy an ant, see in him an elephant."

"Beauty passes, but perfection remains with us."

"Before you love, learn to run through snow without leaving footprints."

"Beauty passes, wisdom remains. (Used to make a point that wisdom matters more than physical beauty.)"

"Better your enemy who you recognize than a dark friend."

"Better to die on a full stomach than to live on an empty one."

"Both the hunted and the hunter rely on God."

"Burning a bedcover for a louse. (Used when an action taken does not match the unimportance of the situation.)"

"Call your husband cuckold in jest, an he'll never suspect you."

"Call the bear Uncle till you are safe across the bridge."

"Care for your horse as a friend; ride it as if it were an enemy."

"Cotton cannot play with fire."

"Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love."

"Cocks that crow too early will quickly find themselves in the pot."