English proverbs

50 classic English proverbs

1. Waste not, want not. Be frugal to avoid scarcity.

2. From saving comes having. Wealth comes from frugality.

3. A penny saved is a penny gained. A penny saved is a penny gained.

4. Take care of the pence and the pound will take care of themselves.

5. Frugality is an estate alone. Frugality is an estate alone.

6. He that regards not a penny, will lavish a pound. If you don’t know how to save small money, you will spend big money indiscriminately.

7. Small gains bring great wealth. Accumulate small profits and become huge wealth.

8. Many a little makes a mickle.

9. As the touchstone tries gold, so gold tries man.

10. Courage and resolution are the spirit and soul of virtue. Courage and resolution are the spirit and soul of virtue.

11. The path to glory is always rugged.

12. Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.

13. The fire is the test of gold; adversity of strong man.

14. Great hopes make great man.

15. No way is impossible to courage.

16. A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.

17. The good seaman is known in bad weather.

18. The best hearts are always the bravest.

19. We must not lie down, and cry, God help us. It is better to ask God than to ask ourselves.

20. He that falls today may be up again tomorrow. He that falls today may be up again tomorrow.

21. Rome was not built in a day. Rome was not built in a day; perseverance will make it happen.

22. Success belongs to the persevering. Victory belongs to the persevering.

23. We must repeat a thousand and one times that perseverance is the only road to success.

24. Perseverance is failing nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth. Failure nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth time, this is called persistence.

25. Step by step the ladder is ascended. Step by step the ladder is ascended.

26. Adversity leads to prosperity. Adversity leads to prosperity.

27. Patience and application will carry us through. Patience and application will carry us through.

28. Fortune often rewards with interest those that have patience to wait for her. As long as you have patience to wait for her.

29. All things will come round to him who will but wait. As long as you are willing to wait, everything will come on time.

30. Constant dropping wears the stone. Constant dropping wears the stone.

31. Omelets are not made without breaking of eggs. If the eggs are not broken, the egg rolls cannot be made; if you are not willing to endure hardship, the expected effect will not be achieved.

32. The world is a ladder for some to go up and others to go down.

33. There needs a long apprenticeship to understand the mystery of the world's trade.

34. Life is sweet. Life is lovely; everyone hates life (hates death).

35. Where there is life, there is hope. Life never ends, but hope lasts.

36. Life is not all beer and skittles. Life is not all about eating, drinking and having fun.

37. Much water runs by the mill that the miller knows not of. Many things happen before our eyes, some of which we do not know.

38. Fortune knocks once at least at every man's door. Everyone has a lucky day.

39. If you are too fortunate, you will not know yourself; if you are too unfortunate, no one will know you.

40. Every man is the architect of his own fortune. Every man is the architect of his own fortune.

41. Happy is he who knows his follies in his youth. Happy is he who knows his follies in his youth.

42. Misfortunes never (seldom) come alone (single).

Misfortunes never come singly.

43. Misfortune is a good teacher. Misfortune is a good teacher.

44. Misfortunes come at night. Misfortunes often arise from unexpected events.

45. Misfortunes tell us what fortune is. Only after misfortune strikes us do we know how valuable luck is.

46. Adversity makes a man wise, not rich. Adversity makes a man wise, but not rich.

47. Live and learn. Live and learn.

48. It is never too old to learn. Don’t be afraid of getting older to learn.

49. A man becomes learned by asking questions. If you want to learn more, you have to ask more;

50. There is no royal road to learning. There is no smooth road to learning.