English Proverbs

English Proverbs are simple and concrete sayings that are popularly known and repeated which expresses a truth. They are usually based on common sense and experience. People who speak fluent English often make the use of Proverbs in English. Most of them think that the use of proverbs in English conversation is Old school, but it adds style to your English communication and makes your sound fluent in English.

Following are a few proverbs:

In the midst of life we are in death

Into every life a little rain must fall

It is better to be alone than wish you were

It is better to give than to receive

it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all

It is easy to be wise after the event

It is not whether you win or lose, it is how you play the game

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye

It takes one to know one

It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else

It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

It's a small world

it's only a matter of time

Judge not, that ye be not judged

Keep your eyes wide open before marriage and half shut afterwards

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Know which side your bread is buttered on

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone

Lead by example

life goes on

life is a bitch; then you marry one

life is a bowl of cherries

life is a series of disappointments, followed by death

life is hard

life is just a bowl of cherries

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what to expect

life is not hard, it only needs some positive thinking

Life is short, death is long.

life is so short, I want to experience as much as possible

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone

life is tough and then you die

life is what happens while you're busy making other plans

life is what you make it

Life is what you need, love is what you want.

Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good

Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift

life stinks

life sucks, and then you die...

Life wasn't meant to be easy

life's a bitch (then you die; then you marry one)

Life's a bitch and then you die

Life's a long hard climb

life's not so bad, when you consider the alternative

life's too short

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Like father, like son

Little pitchers have big ears

Little strokes fell great oaks

Little things please little minds

Live for today for tomorrow never comes

Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly

Love conquers all

Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present

Man does not live by bread alone

Many a little makes a mickle

Many a mickle makes a muckle

Many a slip from the cup to the lip

Many hands make light work

Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water

Midnight is where the day begins

When you got it, flaunt it

When you lie down with dogs, you are going to get fleas

When you lie with dogs you get fleas.

When you play with fire, you're gonna get burned.

when you start picking out people you start leaving people out

Misery loves company.

Money doesn't grow on trees.

Money follows money.

Never mix business with pleasure

Never pet a burning dog

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Never say die

Never say never

Never speak ill of the dead

never take a shower with a cat duct taped to your chest

Nice guys finish last

No guts no glory

No man can lounge into success

No man can serve two masters

No man is an island

No man is an island

no matter how close you are ......you're always across the street

no matter how far you go, there you are

No matter how pretty she is , someone, somewhere is tired of her crap

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up

No matter where you go, there you are

No news is good news

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent

No one is in charge of your happiness but you

No one is so blind as those that don't want to see

No pain, no gain

No rest for the wicked

No use beating a dead horse

No victory without a battle.(Swedish)

Not the ill wind which blows no man to good

Nothing is certain but death and taxes

Nothing is impossible for those who don't have to do it themselves.(Swedish)

Nothing succeeds like success

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Oil and water don't mix

Old habits die hard

Old soldiers never die, they just fade away

Once a thief, always a thief

Once bitten twice shy

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the results to be different

One good beer deserves another

One good deed deserves another

One good turn deserves another

One hand washes the other

One law for the rich and another for the poor

One man's foul weather is another man's fair

One man's meat is another man's poison

One man's trash is another man's treasure

One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb

One swallow does not make a summer

One volunteer is worth ten pressed men

One year's seeding makes seven years weeding

Only fools and horses work

Only the good die young

Opinions are like assholes, everybody's got one

opportunity doesn't knock twice

opposites attract

Out of sight, out of mind

Out of the mouths of babes come all wise sayings

Over prepare, then go with the flow

Patience is a virtue

Pay off your credit cards every month.

Penny wise and pound (or dollar) foolish

People are dying today that have never died before

People in hell want ice water too

People in hell want ice water too

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Perfect love casteth out fear

Perseverence moves mountains or tunnels them

Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered

Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason.

Practice makes perfect

Practice what you preach

Prevention is better than cure

Pride goeth before a fall

Principles are useless, unless embodied in action

Procrastination is the thief of time

Put your best foot forward

Red skies at night, sailor's delight; red skies at morning, sailor's take warning

Revenge is a dish best served cold

Ring around the moon, storm coming soon

Seek and you shall find 

Shit Happens

Short pleasures are often long regretted.(Swedish)

Shrouds have no pockets

Silence is golden

Skill, not luck leads to fortune

Sloth is the key of poverty

slow and steady wins the race

smart cookies don't crumble

Snitches get stitches

Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Some pots you don't stir

Spare the rod and spoil the child

spare the rod, spoil the child

Speak of the devil and he will appear

Speak softly and carry a big stick

Still waters run deep.

Stitch in time saves nine

Strike while the iron is hot

Stupid is as stupid does

Success comes through a clear, strong purpose

success has a thousand fathers while failure is an orphan

Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves

Talk is cheap

talk is cheap

That which does not kill us makes us stronger

The apple never falls far from the tree

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, They must be felt by the heart

The best defence is a good offence

The best things come in small packages

The best things in life are free

The bigger the better

The bigger they are, the harder they fall

The boss is always right, even when he's wrong.

The boss isn't always right, but he's always the boss

The bread never falls but on its buttered side

The building that need props is sure to fall

The course of true love never runs smooth

the devil is always ready to rock the cradle of the saint who sleeps

the devil is in the details

The difference between men and boys is the size of their toys

The early bird gets the worm

The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

The empty can rattles the most

The end justifies the means

The first hen to cackle is the one that laid the egg

The good die young

The grass is always greener

the grass is always greener on the other side

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world

The hurrier I go the behinder I get

The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.

The leopard does not change his spots

The longest journey starts with a single step

the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away

the lord moves in mysterious ways

The more one knows, the less one believes.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

the more we learn, the less we know

the nail that sticks up gets hammered down (Japanese)

the nail that sticks up gets pounded down (Japanese)

the only difference between women and girls is the price of their pearls

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself

The only way to have a friend is to be one

The palest ink is stronger than the strongest memory

The path of darkness may not reach the light

The path of light is easiest found by looking up

The Pen is mightier than the sword.

The perfect age is somewhere between old enough to know better and young enough not to care

The preachers kids are always the meanest

The price of liberty is eternal vigilance

The proof is in the pudding

The proof of the pudding is in the eating

The road to hell (or ruin) is paved with good intentions

The secret of success is constancy of purpose

The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot

the squeaky wheel gets the grease

The strongest winds blow on the highest mountains.(Swedish)

The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

There are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream

There are none so blind as those, that will not see

There but for the grace of God, go I

There is no failure for the good and the wise

There is no place like home

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved

there's a first time for everything

there's a sucker born every minute

There's a time and a place for everything

There's always more fish in the sea

There's an exception to every rule

There's honour among thieves

There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle

There's more than one way to skin a cat

There's no fool like an old fool

There's no smoke without fire

There's no such thing as a free lunch

There's no time like the present

There's none so blind as those who will not see

There's none so deaf as those who will not hear

there's one in every crowd

They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind

Things started on Friday are never finished

Those we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it

Those who laugh a lot live longer

Those who live in glass houses have to answer the door

Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

Those who sleep with dogs, will rise with fleas

Thought is the oil of the mind - worry is the acid that destroys it

Time and tide wait for no man

time flies when you're having fun

time heals all wounds

Time heals all wounds and wounds all heels

Time is money

Time is the enemy of men

time waits for no man

Time wounds all heels.

to assume makes an ASS out of U and ME

To err is human, to forgive divine

To everything there is a season

To get over a man get under another

To live without loving is not really to live

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

To the victor go the spoils

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Truth is not hard to kill but a lie well told is immortal

Truth is stranger than fiction

Turn away the weary trader and your heart will turn to stone

Two heads are better then one

Two wrongs don't make a right

two's company, three's a crowd

U is part of US

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown

Unless you’re the lead dog, the view stays the same

unlucky at cards, lucky in love

Variety is the spice of life

Virginity is like a soapbubble, one prick and it is gone.

Virtue is its own reward

Walk the shadows is to leave the light

Walk the walk and talk the talk

Walls have ears

Walnuts and pears you plant for your heirs

Want what you have and you will have what you want

War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Waste not want not

waste not, want not

Watch the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves

We are all in the same boat

We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control.

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope

We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

Wear your heart on your sleeve

What a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive

What can't be cured must be endured

What goes around comes around

What goes up must come down

What will be, will be

What you don't know can't hurt you

what you see is what you get

Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger

What's good for the goose is good for the gander

when all else fails read the directions

When all else fails....have another beer.

When in doubt, just take the next small step

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

when in Rome, do as the Romans do

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

When it rains it pours

when it rains, it pours

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions

When the cat is away the mice will play

When the fox preaches watch your geese

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

When the lion is dead, the hares jump on his back.(Swedish)

when you ASSUME, it makes an ASS out of U and ME.

When you chase a shadow you run from the light

When your on your death bed you'd give anything for one more tick of the clock.

Where there is no vision, the people perish

Where there is smoke, there is fire

Where there's a will there's a way

Where there's muck there's brass

Whether you think you can or think you can't - You are right

While the tailor rests, the needle rusts

While there's life there's hope

While you live, tell truth and shame the devil

Whistling children and cackling hen leave no room for gentlemen

Whistling woman and crowing hen never come to a good end

Whoever dies with the most toys wins

Whom the Gods love die young

why do today what you can put off 'til tomorrow

WHY FART AND WASTE IT WHEN YOU CAN BURP AND TASTE IT?

Winners never quit and quitters never win

winning isn't everything

Wish in one hand, shit in the other and see which fills up faster

Wishing and hoping don't get you any toys on Christmas.

With age comes wisdom