THE FACTS ON FILE DICTIONARY OF Pr o v e r b s Second Edition MARTIN H. MANSER Associate Editors: Rosalind Fergusson David Pickering i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd i 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM The Facts On File Dictionary of Proverbs Copyright © 2002, 2007 by Martin H. Manser All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 ISBN-10: 0-8160-6673-6 ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-6673-5 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Manser, Martin H. The Facts On File dictionary of proverbs/Martin Manser; associate editor, Rosalind Fergusson. David Pickering. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0-8160-6673-6 1. Proverbs, English. I. Title: Dictionary of proverbs. II. Fergusson, Rosalind. III. Title. PN6421 .M36 2002 082—dc21 2002067832 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can fi nd Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfi le.com Visit the author’s Web site at http://www.martinmanser.com Text design by Sandy Watanabe Cover design by Cathy Rincon Printed in the United States of America MP Hermitage 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper. i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd ii 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM To Hannah and Ben i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd iii 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd iv 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM Contents Preface to the New Edition vii Introduction ix Entries A–Z 1 Boxes African proverbs 3 Arabian proverbs 11 Biblical proverbs 27 Chinese proverbs 41 Dutch proverbs 69 French proverbs 95 German proverbs 100 Greek proverbs 111 Indian proverbs 142 Irish proverbs 144 Italian proverbs 145 Japanese proverbs 157 Literary proverbs 171 i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd v 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM Russian proverbs 235 Scandinavian proverbs 238 Scottish proverbs 239 South American proverbs 249 Spanish proverbs 250 Turkish proverbs 281 Yiddish proverbs 308 Index by Key Word 320 Index by Theme 444 Bibliography 499 i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd vi 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM Pr e fa c e t o t h e Ne w E d i t i o n The text of this second edition of the dictionary has been expanded to include more familiar, long-established proverbs (e.g., it takes one to know one; worse things happen at sea) as well as a selection of more modern proverbial sayings (e.g., you snooze, you lose; men are from Mars, women are from Venus). As in the fi rst edition, care has been taken not to confuse idiomatic sayings with true proverbs and to include details of variant forms by which proverbs might be known to different readers. Existing entries have also been updated to include modern variants, e.g., the email of the species is more deadly than the mail, as a variant of the female of the species is deadlier than the male; and the geek shall inherit the earth, as a variant of the meek shall inherit the earth. The indexes have been similarly expanded. Boxes In addition, this text of this new edition has been embellished with boxes containing selections of interesting proverbs from a number of other languages and cultures. The aim of these is to provide a glimpse of other proverbial traditions. Many of these examples are foreign-language equivalents of familiar English sayings, while others are unique to their particular cultural background. Further boxes group proverbs that are related through their biblical or literary origins. Most of the prov- erbs included in the boxes are not covered elsewhere in the main text. vii i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd vii 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd viii 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM In t r o d u c ti o n A proverb is a saying, usually short, that expresses a general truth about life. Proverbs give advice, make an observation, or present a teaching in a succinct and memorable way. This dictionary covers the main English-language proverbs that are widely recognized today. We use proverbs or allude to them quite often in everyday speech: Better safe than sorry; The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence; If at fi rst you don’t suc- ceed, try, try again; Let sleeping dogs lie; A trouble shared is a trouble halved. Arrangement of proverbs In this dictionary the proverbs are listed by strict letter-by-letter alphabetical order of the proverb, excluding only at the beginning of a proverb, A, An, and The: big fi sh eat little fi sh the bigger they are, the harder they fall a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush a bird never fl ew on one wing too much of a good thing is worse than none at all toot your own horn lest the same be never tooted to the pure all things are pure Proverbs can also be found using the keyword index, which lists all the main nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Defi nitions After the proverb itself comes an explanation of the meaning of the proverb: pride goes before a fall ix i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd ix 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM Introduction Arrogance and overconfi dence often lead to humiliation or disaster; often used as a warning . uneasy lies the head that wears a crown Those in power are weighed down by responsibilities, feelings of insecurity, or fears of losing their position and can never rest easy . Examples Examples have been chosen to demonstrate the use of a proverb. They come from English literature or have been specially compiled for this text: boys will be boys Boys must be forgiven for their bad or boisterous behavior; also used ironically when grown men behave in an irresponsible or childish manner: “Aunt Sally was a good deal uneasy; but Uncle Silas he said there warn’t no occasion to be—boys will be boys, he said, and you’ll see this one turn up in the morning all sound and right” (Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn, 1884). a good name is sooner lost than won It takes a lot of time and effort to earn a good name for yourself, but you can lose it in an instant with a single foolish act: Think carefully before you get involved in anything that is not strictly legal—remember that a good name is sooner lost than won. Origins Many proverbs have been in use for many years: every man is his own worst enemy . The proverb was fi rst recorded in Thomas Browne’s Religio Medici (1643). every man is the architect of his own fortune . The proverb is attributed to the Roman politician Appius Claudius Caecus, who held the post of censor from 312 b.c. to 308 b.c. Sometimes, proverbs are quotations: the leopard can’t change its spots . The proverb is of biblical origin: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?” (Jeremiah 13:23). x i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd x 1/29/07 3:23:27 PM Introduction a rose by any other name would smell as sweet . The proverb comes from Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet (2:2): “What’s in a name? that which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet.” Some proverbs have come into use in contemporary times. These include: garbage in, garbage out . First recorded in 1964, the proverb originally referred to computer input and output, and is still used in that context, often in the form of the acronym GIGO. if it ain’t broke, don’t fi x it . The proverb was fi rst recorded in 1977, popularized by Bert Lance, director of the Offi ce of Management and Budget in President Jimmy Carter’s administration. it takes a village to raise a child . Of African origin, the proverb was popularized by Hillary Clinton, wife of President Bill Clinton, in the mid-1990s. The “fi rst recorded” date given is not the date of origin—most proverbs origi- nated in spoken language, and this is simply the fi rst known written record of the proverb: fi rst impressions are the most lasting . The proverb was fi rst recorded in William Congreve’s play The Way of the World (1700) in the form “There is a great deal in the fi rst impression.” Where an early form of a proverb or other quotation is taken from a named source, the spellings of the original have been retained; in other cases spellings have been modernized for the convenience of the user: nature abhors a vacuum . Of ancient origin, the proverb was fi rst recorded in English in 1551, in Thomas Cranmer’s Answer to Gardiner: “Naturall reason abhorreth vacuum.” a cat has nine lives . The proverb was fi rst recorded in 1546 in the form “A woman has nine lives like a cat.” Variants and use of proverbs Variants on the proverb are given after the main entry: a word to the wise is suffi cient xi i-xii_DictProverbsFM_(FOF).indd xi 1/29/07 3:23:28 PM Introduction Variant of this proverb: a word is enough to the wise.