“ La vanité n’a pas de plus grand ennemi que la vanité. Vanity has no greater foe than vanity.
L’avare et le cochon ne sont bons qu’après leur mort. The miser and the pig are of no use till dead.
L’avarice rompt le sac. Avarice bursts the bag.
La vérité est la massue qui chacun assomme et tue. Truth is the club that knocks down and kills everybody.
Lavez chien, peignez chien, toutefois n’est chien que chien. Wash a dog, comb a dog, still a dog remains a dog.
La vie est moitié usée avant qu’on ne sache ce qu’est la vie. Life is half spent before one knows what life is. ”

“ It is the old cow’s notion that she never was a calf.
Il est bien aisé d’aller à pied quand on tient son cheval par la bride. It is pleasant enough going afoot when you lead your horse by the bridle.
Il est bien fou qui s’oublie. He is a great fool who forgets himself.
Il est bon d’avoir des amis partout. It is good to have friends in all parts.
Il est comme le chien du jardinier, qui ne mange point de choux, et n’en laisse pas manger aux autres. He is like the gardener’s dog, who don’t eat cabbages and will let no one else eat them. ”

“ Nicht alle sind Diebe, die der Hund anbellt. All are not thieves whom the dog barks at.
Nicht jeder Glühwurm ist Feuer. Every glow-worm is not fire. (Every light is not the sun.)
Nicht jedes Land hat alles zur Hand. Not every land has all at hand.
Nicht zu wenig, nicht zu viel. Not too little, not too much.
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Nichts braucht keine Schlupfwinkel. Nought needs no hiding-place.
Nichts ist gut für die Augen, aber nicht für den Magen. Nought is good for the eyes, but not for the stomach.
Nichts ist so neu, als was längst vergessen ist. Nothing is so new as what has long been forgotten. ”

“ He who carries one burden will soon carry a hundred.
Qui pourrait vivre sans espoir? Who could live without hope?
Qui prend femme, prend maître. He who takes a wife takes a master.
Qui prend une femme pour sa dot, à la liberté tourne le dos. Who wives for a dower, resigns his own power.
Qui prête à l’ami, perd au double. Who lends to a friend loses doubly.
Qui prouve trop, ne prouve rien. Who proves too much proves nothing. ”

“ Who is born a fool is never cured.
Chi nel fango casca, quanto più si dimena, più s’imbratta. When a man has fallen into the mire, the more he flounders the more he fouls himself.
Chi niente dice, mai non mente. He who says nothing never lies.
Chi niente sa, di niente dubita. He who knows nothing never doubts.
Chi non arde, non accende. Who glows not burns not.
Chi non dà fine al pensare, non dà principio al fare. Who has never done thinking never begins doing.
Chi non fallisce, non arricchisce. He that never fails never grows rich.
Chi non fa quando può, non fa quando vuole. ”

“ Het eene kwaad brengt het andere mede. One misfortune brings on another.
Het einde kroont het werk. The end crowns all.
Het einde van de vrolijkheid is het begin van de treurigheid. The end of mirth is the beginning of sorrow.
Het eindje is de dood. The end of all things is death.
Het end goed, alles goed. All’s well that ends well.
Het geen gij schenken kunt, zoek daar geen voordeel in; den goeden goed doen, is te reek’nen voor gewin. Give at first asking what you safely can; ’tis certain gain to help an honest man. ”

“ Één penning in den spaarpot maakt meer geraas dan als hij vol is. One penny in the pot (money-box) makes more noise than when it is full.
Een ploeg die werkt, blinkt; maar ’t stille water stinkt. A plough that worketh, shines; but still water stinks.
Een rollende steen neemt geen mos mede. A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Één rotte appel in de mande, maakt al de gave fruit te schande. One rotten apple in the basket infects the whole.
Één schacht is beter in de hand dan zeven ganzen op het strand. One quill is better in the hand than seven geese upon the strand. ”

“ He who cannot pay with his purse, must pay with his hide.
Wer nicht liebt Wein, Weib und Gesang, der bleibt ein Narr sein Lebenlang. Who loves not women, wine, and song, remains a fool his whole life long.
Wer nicht malen kann, muß Farbe reiben. He who cannot paint must grind the colours.
Wer nicht mit mir ist, der ist wider mich. He who is not for me, is against me.
Wer nicht singen kann, mag pfeifen. Who cannot sing, may whistle.
Wer nicht vorwärts kommt, bleibt zurück. He who does not go forward, stays behind.
Wer nichts an die Angel steckt, fängt nichts. ”

“ Wächst die Ehre spannenlang, wächst die Thorheit ellenlang. Where honour grows a span, folly grows an ell.
Wahn erheischt viel, Noth bedarf wenig. Fancy requires much, necessity but little.
Während das Gras wächst, ist der Hengst todt. While the grass grows, the steed starves.
Wahrheit findet keine Herberge. Truth finds no asylum.
Wahrheit giebt kurzen Bescheid, Lüge macht viel Redens. Truth gives a short answer, lies go round about.
Wahrheit ist der Zeit Tochter. Truth is the daughter of time.
Wahrheit kriecht in keine Mäuselöcher. Truth creeps not into comers.
Wahrheit thut der Zunge weh. ”

“ A chi ti dà un porco, tu gli puoi ben dar una carbonata. To him who gives you a pig you may well give a rasher.
A chi ti può torre ciò che hai, dagli ciò che ti chiede. To him who can take what thou hast, give what he asks.
A chi troppo ride gli duole il cuore. He who laughs overmuch may have an aching heart.
A chi veglia tutto si rivela. To him who watches, everything reveals itself.
A chi vuole, non è cosa difficile. Nothing is difficult to a willing mind.
A chi vuole, non mancano modi. Where there’s a will there’s a way.
A chi vuol fare, non manca che fare. ”

“ You surrender your freedom where you deposit your secret.
A quien Dios quiere bien, la perra le pare lechones. Whom God loves, his bitch litters pigs.
A quien hace casa, ó se casa, la bolsa le quede rasa. He who builds a house, or marries, is left with a lank purse.
A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. God helps the early riser.
A quien miedo le han, lo suyo le dan. He who is feared gets more than his own.
A quien no le basta espada y corazon, no le bastarán corazas y lanzon. For whom sword and courage are not enough, corslet and lance will not be enough.
A quien no le sobra pan, no crie can. ”

“ La faim chasse le loup hors du bois. Hunger drives the wolf out of the wood.
La faim regarde à la porte de l’homme laborieux, mais elle n’ose pas entrer. Hunger looks in at the industrious man’s door but dares not enter.
La farine du diable s’en va moitié en son. The devil’s meal turns half to bran. ”

“ On n’a jamais bon marché d’une mauvaise marchandise. Bad ware is never cheap.
On n’a jamais de marchandise que pour son argent. One never gets more than one’s money’s worth of anything.
On n’a jamais vu chèvre morte de faim. No one ever saw a goat dead of hunger.
On n’a rien pour rien. Nothing is had for nothing.
On ne connaît point le vin aux cercles. The wine is not known by the hoops.
On ne doit pas à gras pourceau le cul oindre. There’s no need to grease the fat pig’s rump.
On ne doit pas laisser bonne terre pour mauvais seigneur. Good land should not be quitted for a bad landlord. ”

“ Wer nichts aus sich macht, ist nichts. He who makes himself nothing, is nothing.
Wer nichts lieber übt als Tadel, hat im Herzen keinen Adel. Who lends his lips to nought but blame, has in his heart no love of fame.
Wer nichts verspricht, braucht nichts zu halten. Who makes no promises, has none to perform.
Wer oft schießt, trifft endlich. He who shoots often, hits at last.
Wer Ohren hat zu hören, der höre. He who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Wer Pech angreift, besudelt sich. He who handles pitch, besmears himself.
Wer Recht fordert, muß auch Recht pflegen. ”

“ Every rose has its thorn.
Ogni scusa è buona pur che vaglia. Any excuse is good if it hold good.
Ogni tua guisa non sappia la tua camicia. Let not your shirt know all your thoughts.
Ogni uomo ha buona moglie e cattiva arte. Every man has a good wife and a bad trade.
Ogni vento non scuote il noce. Every wind does not shake down the nut.
Ogni vero non è buono a dire. Every truth is not good to be told. ”

“ Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps. One swallow does not make a spring.
Une once de faveur vaut mieux qu’une livre de justice. An ounce of favour goes further, or is worth more, than a pound of justice.
Une poule aveugle peut quelquefois trouver son grain. A blind hen can sometimes find her corn.
Une science requiert tout son homme. An art requires a whole man.
Une tromperie en attire une autre. One deceit brings on another.
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Un fou avise bien un sage. A wise man may learn of a fool.
Un fou fait toujours commencement. A fool is always beginning. ”

“ No digo quien eres, que tu te lo dirás. I do not tell thee what thou art, thou wilt tell it thyself.
No entra en misa la campana, y á todos llama. The bell does not go to mass, yet calls every one to it.
No es aquella gallina buena, que come en tu casa y pone en la agena. It is a bad hen that eats at your house and lays at another’s.
No es de vero lágrimas en la muger, ni coxuear en el perro. A woman’s tears and a dog’s limping are not real.
No es en mano del piloto que dexe el viento su soplo. It is not in the pilot’s power to prevent the wind from blowing. ”

“ Un homme riche n’est jamais laid pour une fille. A rich man is never ugly in the eyes of a girl.
Un jour en vaut deux pour qui fait chaque chose en son lieu. One day is as good as two for him who does everything in its place.
Un malheur ne vient jamais seul. Misfortunes never come single.
Un marteau d’argent rompt une porte de fer. A silver hammer breaks an iron door.
Un mauvais accommodement vaut mieux qu’un bon procès. A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit.
Un moineau dans la main vaut mieux qu’une grue qui vole. A sparrow in the hand is better than a crane on the wing. ”

“ Never sell the bearskin till you have killed the bear.
Il ne faut point parler de corde dans la maison d’un pendu. Never speak of a rope in the house of one who was hanged.
Il ne faut point se dépouiller avant de se coucher. Do not strip before bedtime.
Il ne faut que tourner le dos à Dieu pour devenir riche. To grow rich one has only to turn his back on God.
Il ne faut qu’une brebis galeuse pour gâter tout le troupeau. One scabby sheep is enough to spoil the whole flock.
Il ne faut rien dérober que la bourse d’un avocat. One may steal nothing save a lawyer’s purse. ”

“ Het moet een wijze hand zijn, die een zotte kop wel scheeren zal. It needs a cunning hand to shave a fool’s head.
Het moet wel een goed meester zijn, die nimmer fouten maakt. He must indeed be a good master who never errs.
Het oog van den meester maakt de paarden vet, en dat van het vrouwtje de kamers net. The eye of the master makes the horse fat, and that of the mistress the chambers neat.
Het slechtste rad maakt het meeste geraas. The worst wheel makes most noise.
Het verdriet brengt geen duit voordeel aan. To-day’s sorrow brings nought to-morrow. ”

“ Choose a Brabant sheep, a Guelder ox, a Flemish capon, and a Friezeland cow.
Neemt nooit bij de hand dat u hier na mocht rouwen. Take nothing in hand that may bring repentance.
Niemand gelukkig voor zijnen dood. No man knoweth fortune till he dies.
Niemand is wijs in zijn eigen zaak. No one is wise in his own affairs.
Niemand kan langer vrede hebben dan zijn buurman wil. No one can have peace longer than his neighbour pleases.
Niemand leert als met schade of schande. No man learneth but by pain or shame.
Niemand’s lief is lelijk. Nobody’s sweetheart is ugly. ”

“ Ogni vite vuole il suo palo. Every vine must have its stake.
Ogni volpe abbia cura della sua coda. Let every fox take care of his own tail.
Ognun biasima il suo mestiere. Every one finds fault with his own trade.
Ognun crede di aver più cervello che non ha, e meno quattrini. Every one gives himself credit for more brains than he has, and less money.
Ognuno all’arte sua, e il bue all’aratro. Every one to his own calling, and the ox to the plough.
Ognuno ama la giustizia a casa altrui: a nessun piace a casa sua. Every one likes justice in another’s house, none in his own. ”

“ Qui mouche trop son nez, en tire du sang. Who blows his nose too hard makes it bleed.
Qui naît le dimanche, jamais ne meurt de peste. A Sunday’s child never dies of the plague.
Qui n’amorce pas son haim, pèche en vain. He who does not bait his hook fishes in vain. ”