Great Throughts Treasury

"Death is a black camel that lies down at every door. Sooner or later you must ride the camel."

"Demand a kiss from a fat woman, and be ready to receive a sweet taste."

"Demand a task from a lazy person, and be ready to receive advise. (Used to point out that a lazy person will come out with many reasons why a task should or could not be done in order to avoid doing the task.)"

"Do good and throw it into the sea; if the fish know it not, the Lord will."

"Do not roll up your trousers before reaching the stream. (Used to make a point that one should not be overly eager and optimistic about an outcome.)"

"Do not search for a calf under an ox. (Meaning: When someone shows unnecessary amount of suspicion for an action.)"

"Do not leave to the morning the business of the evening."

"Do not speak of rope in a house of a hanged man."

"Do what your teacher says but not what he does."

"Do well the little things now; so shall great things come to thee by and by asking to be done."

"Dogs bark but caravan still moves on. (Meaning: Great achievements can't be prevented by insignificant people.)"

"Don't believe in foretellings but don't stay without them."

"Don't ask an innkeeper the way."

"Don't be fooled by how clean the turban is, the soap was probably bought on credit."

"Don't look at the shape -- look at the character."

"Don't say amen to an unacceptable prayer."

"Don't tell your secret to your friend, he will tell it to his friend."

"Don't lie down in low places, flood will take you, don't lie down in high places, wind will take you."

"Don't tread on the tail of a sleeping snake."

"Don't speak sweet words when your deeds are of stone."

"Don't sell the fish that is still swimming in the ocean."

"Drop by drop, it will make a pond. (Meaning: Small savings will lead to substantial wealth. Used to encourage people to save.)"

"Eat and drink with your friends but do not trade with them."

"Empty words will not fill an empty stomach. (Used to make a point that one is using empty promises without any real action.)"

"Even if the whole world conspired against you -- that would not inflict a quarter of the harm you inflict yourself."

"Entrust not your goats nor sheep to the unmarried Shepherd."

"Even if you know a thousand things, still consult him who knows something."

"Even the rich man's rooster lays eggs."

"Even though you know a thousand things, ask the man who knows one."

"Even the thinnest piece of meat will happily marry a piece of bread."

"Even too much praise is a burden."

"Every bad has its worse. (Used to make a point that things can always go even worse and one should make the best of current situation.)"

"Every man has his own style of eating yogurt. (Used to remind that others may have a different way of doing things and hence asking for tolerance.)"

"Even though the rabbit was troubled by the mountain, the mountain did not notice."

"Everyone admires his own character."

"Every rooster crows in its own pen."

"Everyone put up his mind for sale on the market, and liked his own mind."

"Every sheep is hung by his own leg. (Used to make a point that every one is responsible from his own actions.)"

"Everything is best when new, a friend and wine are best when old."

"Everything is worn out with usage -- except for experience."

"Explaining something to an ignorant person is harder than making a camel jump over a ditch."

"Feed a crow and it will pluck out your eyes."

"Fear does not empty tomorrow of its sadness; it empties today of its power."

"Flawless humans don't exist."

"For every wise man there is one still wiser."

"Fish only come to their senses after they are caught in the net."

"For those in love, Baghdad is near Istanbul."

"For the birds that cannot soar, God has provided low branches."

"Forced beauty won't do. (Meaning: You cannot force someone to get along with you.)"

"Free vinegar is sweeter than honey. (Used to make a point when someone goes after something just because it is free or very cheap even though they would not normally even want it.)"