Great Throughts Treasury

"Better an egg today than an ox tomorrow."

"Better an ounce of luck than a pound of gold."

"Better caution at first than tears afterwards."

"Better good and a little rather than bad and a lot of it."

"Better not to live than to become dependent on children"

"Better old wine than old strength."

"Better ask ten times than go astray once."

"Better barley soup at home than a roast at someone else?s home."

"Better one cow in the stable than ten in the field."

"Better one friend with a dish of food than a hundred with a sigh."

"Better one old friend than two new."

"Better pour out your troubles to a stone, but don?t carry them within yourself."

"Better the best of the worst than the worst of the best."

"Better that my enemy should see good in me than I should see evil in him."

"Better to break off an engagement than a marriage."

"Better to die upright than to live on your knees."

"Better to be a wise person in Hell than a fool in paradise."

"Better to have an ugly patch than a beautiful hole."

"Better to hear curses than to be pitied."

"Better to do nothing than to make something into nothing."

"Better to lose with a wise man than to win with a fool."

"Better to pray for yourself than to curse another."

"Beware of your friends, not your enemies."

"Big deal! (sarcastically) (lit., a piece of luck happened to you)."

"Black sorrow is all that his mother should see of him."

"Blood doesn?t turn into water."

"Borrow causes sorrow."

"Borrowed brains have no value."

"Blood is thicker than water."

"Break your own head! (lit., bang your head on the wall)."

"Bygone troubles are a pleasure to talk about."

"Boring, long-winded and annoying conversation; talking your ear off (lit., banging on the teapot)."

"Bygone troubles are good to tell."

"Charm is more than beauty."

"Charity is also a habit."

"Cheapest is dearest."

"Children bring good fortune, children bring misfortune."

"Clothes make the man."

"Chopped liver is better than miserable troubles."

"Clothes conceal the blemish."

"Children and money make a nice world."

"Death doesn?t knock on the door (i.e., doesn?t warn of its impending arrival)"

"Dignified silence is better than dignified speech."

"Do not make yourself so big, you are not so small."

"Doctors and gravediggers are partners."

"Conceit and an empty purse are no companions."

"Couldn?t care less about it (lit., have him in the bath)."

"Confidence is half of victory."

"Crabgrass grows overnight."

"Cut it short (lit., without long introductions)."