Proverb Examples from around the world

Proverbs Starting with letter I - part 4
Full list:
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If you borrow some chaff from the rich man you have to repay him with wheat.
If you bow at all, bow low.
If you burn a house, can you conceal the smoke?.

If you buy cheap meat, you'll smell what you have saved when it boils.
If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
If you buy quality, you only cry once.
If you buy what you don't need, you steal from yourself.
If you call a lady a slave, she laughs, but if you call a slave a slave, he cries.
If you call one wolf, you invite the pack.
If you called yourself a milk-mushroom — get into the basket!.
If you can command yourself, you can command the world.
If you can give me no ointment for my wound, can you help me by not rubbing salt in?.
If you can kiss the mistress, never kiss the maid.
If you can steal, be able to be responsible for it.
If you can walk you can dance. If you can talk you can sing.
If you can't be good, be careful.
If you can't be good, be good at it.
If you can't beat em, join em.
If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten.
If you can't beat them, join them.
If you can't bite, better not show your teeth.
If you can't bite, don't show your teeth.
If you can't build a hut, build a lean-to. Note: 'kibanda' is the diminutive form of 'banda' and both have multiple meanings.
If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.
If you can't dance well, you'd better not get up.
If you can't feed a horse, how are you going to feed an elephant?.
If you can't get it in bushels, take it in spoonfuls.
If you can't get people to listen to you any other way, tell them it's confidential.
If you can't give any sugar then speak sweetly.
If you can't go over, you must go under.
If you can't hold on to the horse's mane then don't try to hang on to its tail.
If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
If you can't use your eyes, follow your nose.
If you cannot be chaste, be cautious.
If you cannot become rich, be the neighbor of a rich man.
If you cannot build a town, build a heart.
If you cannot catch a fish, do not blame the sea.
If you cannot contribute positivity, least do not contribute adversity.

If you cannot drive an ox, drive a donkey.
If you cannot get the bird, get one of its feathers.
If you cannot heal the wound, do not tear it open.
If you cannot say it, point to it with your finger.
If you cannot serve, you cannot rule.
If you cannot take things by the head, then take them by the tail.
If you care for the court, the court will bring cares for you.
If you carry treasure, don't travel at night.
If you cast an 'Aagh' on me, I'll cast an 'Oogh' on you.
If you catch a man, throw him back!.
If you climb up a tree, you must climb down the same tree.
If you close one eye, you will not hear everything.
If you come up in this world, be sure not to go down in the next.
If you commence a good action, leave it not incomplete.
If you cross your bridges before you come to them, you will have to pay the toll twice.
If you cut down the trees you will find the wolf.
If you deal in camels, make the doors high.
If you desire peace, be ever prepared for war.
If you destroy a bridge, be sure you can swim.
If you destroy the bridge you'd better know how to swim.
If you dip your arm into the picklepot let it be up to the elbow.
If you do good to the Devil, out of gratitude he will deliver you to hell.
If you do not have a head, you must have legs.
If you do not have patience you cannot make beer.
If you do not know how to fish, do not stir up the water.
If you do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn.
If you do not step on the dog's tail, he will not bite you.
If you do not travel, you will marry your own sister.
If you don't buy a ticket, you can't win the raffle.
If you don't crack the shell, you can't eat the nut.
If you don't eat you will die; overeating will shorten your life.
If you don't fill a crack, you will build a wall.
If you don't have a brain, join the army; if you don't have rice, use beans instead.
If you don't have a dog, you hunt with a cat.
If you don't have a hundred rubles, make sure you have a hundred friends.
If you don't have a plan for yourself, you'll be part of someone else's.
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
If you don't have what you love, you have to love what you have.
If you don't know where you are going, look back to where you've come from.
If you don't know where you're going, any train will get you there.
If you don't lift the skirt of a bride you don't know what she wears under it.
If you don't light fires, smoke won't get in your eyes.
If you don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen.
If you don't make mistakes you don't make anything.
If you don't scale the mountain, you can't view the plain.
If you don't see the bottom, don't wade.
If you don't speculate, you can't accumulate.
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for something.
If you don't take it, you don't have it.

If you don't understand it with a wink, you certainly will with a blow.
If you don't want to be cheated, ask the price at three shops.
If you don't want to be deceived, then marry on February 30th.
If you don't want to be deceived, you must have as many eyes as hairs on the head.
If you don't want to be hung yourself, blame the dog for stealing the sausage.
If you don't want to do something, one excuse is as good as another.
If you don't work you shan't eat.
If you drink the water, follow the custom.
If you eat a live toad first thing in the morning, nothing worse will happen all day long.
If you eat it up at supper, you cannot have it for breakfast.
If you eat someone's cake, you must also eat his lentils.
If you eat your bagel, you'll have nothing in your pocket but the hole.
If you enjoy riding, you better enjoy pulling the sleigh.
If you enter the city of the blind, cover your eyes.
If you fail to practice your art, it will soon disappear.
If you fake it, you can't make it.
If you fall in a river hang on to a snake.
If you fall in love let her be a beauty; if you should steal, let it be a camel.
If you fall into a pit, Providence is under no obligation to come and look for you.
If you fall off a cliff, you might as well try to fly. After all, you got nothing to lose.
If you fear God, you won't fear humans.
If you feed the mouth, the eye becomes shy.
If you feel an urge to work, take a nap, and it will pass.
If you find 'Miss This Year' beautiful, then you'll find 'Miss Next Year' even more so.
If you find no fish, you have to eat bread.
If you find your friend on the sofa at home with your wife, you had better sell the sofa.
If you flatter the mother, you will embrace the daughter.
If you follow a fool, you're a fool yourself.
If you follow god, you won't find anything.
If you follow the lead of the roostererel, you'll be led to the poulterer.
If you forgive the fox for stealing your chickens, he will take your sheep.
If you get mixed with bran you'll soon be pecked by chickens.
If you get rich, be in a dark corner when you jump for joy.
If you get up one more time than you fall you will make it through.
If you give a gift to a rich man, the devil sniggers.
If you give a man nuts then give him something to crack them with.
If you give away what you have, you will not yearn for what you see.
If you give in to a fool, he will say, 'This is because they are afraid of me.'.
If you give orders and leave, the work won't get done.
If you give people nuts, you'll get shells thrown at you.
If you go for a day trip, take a week supply of bread.
If you go into a goat stable, bleat; if you go into a water buffalo stable, bellow.
If you go only once round the room, you are wiser than he who sits still.
If you go out a lot at night, you will probably meet ghosts.
If you go to bed hungry, you'll wake up without having slept.
If you go to sleep with the blind, you'll wake up squinting.
If you had kept your silence, you would have stayed a philosopher.' Can be used as a trap for those who don't know Latin, as was demonstrated in TV sitcom.
If you had teeth of steel, you could eat iron coconuts.
If you hate a man, let him live.

If you have a bulldozer, you don't need a snow shovel.
If you have a friend who is a doctor, then send him to your enemy's house.
If you have a good case, try to compromise; if you have a bad one, take it to court.
If you have a good cellar at home don't go drinking at the tavern.
If you have a good friend, you don't need a mirror.
If you have a mouth, you can go to Rome.
If you have a sore eye wipe it with your elbow.
If you have a tail of straw, then keep away from the fire.
If you have escaped the jaws of the crocodile while bathing in the river, you will surely meet a leopard on the way.
If you have figs in your knapsack, everyone will want to be your friend.
If you have five wives, then you have five tongues.
If you have given away much of your wealth, then you have given a little of your heart.
If you have learnt to wait, you may be Queen of Sweden.
If you have money and wine, your friends will be many.
If you have money, men think you are wise, handsome, and able to sing like a bird.
If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.
If you have never done anything evil, you should not be worrying about devils knocking at your door.
If you have never seen evil, look closely at yourself some time.
If you have no arrows in your quiver, go not with archers.
If you have no enemies think then that your own mother might have produced one.
If you have no money, be polite.
If you have no one else, then confer with your knee.
If you have nothing better to do, go to bed with your own wife.
If you have nothing else to offer me, offer me your smile.
If you have nothing to lose, you can try everything.
If you have one pair of good soles it is better than two pairs of good uppers.
If you have planted a tree you must water it too.
If you have run out of gunpowder, use your gun as a club.
If you have said a, you have to say b.
If you have the moon, ignore the stars.
If you have to swallow a frog, try not to think about it. If you have to swallow two frogs, don't swallow the smaller one first.
If you have two loaves of bread, sell one and buy a lily.
If you have worked hard and made wise choices, you will find contentment.).
If you have, give; if you lack, seek.
If you have, give; if you need, seek.
If you haven't been to two marketplaces, you don't know which is the best value.
If you hear hoof beats, look for horses, not zebras.
If you hear that a mountain has moved, believe; but if you hear that a man has changed his character, believe it not.
If you hear the mountain has moved, believe; but if you hear that a man has changed his character; believe it not.
If you heat an empty pot it bursts.
If you hold high office, the whole village will share your fame.
If you hunt with cats you'll catch mice.
If you imitate an elephant defecating you'll burst your anus.
If you keep your mouth shut, you won't put your foot in it.
If you kick a stone in anger, you'll hurt your own foot.
If you know his father and grandfather, don't worry about his son.
If you know how to lullaby, why can't you put yourself to sleep?.
If you know the beginning well, the end will not trouble you.
If you know what a dollar is worth, try to borrow it.

If you laugh to-day, you will cry to-morrow.
If you learn a lot, you'll age soon.
If you lend something you may lose it, but not if you give it.
If you let everyone walk over you, you become a carpet.
If you let the weeds grow for a year you will need seven to clear them.
If you lie and then tell the truth, the truth will be considered a lie.
If you lie down with a man, you may rise up as a woman.
If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.
If you lie upon roses when you're young, you'll lie upon thorns when you're old.
If you light one candle for God, then you must light two for the devil.
If you like to have things easy, you'll have difficulties; if you like problems, you will succeed.
If you live in Rome, don't quarrel with the Pope.
If you live in a glass house, don't throw stones.
If you live in the river you should make friends with the crocodile.
If you live on the river, befriend the crocodile.
If you live properly, don't worry about what the evil ones say.
If you live with wolves learn to howl.
If you look for a faultless woman, you will remain a bachelor.
If you lose one, there are a thousand more to choose from.
If you lose your wife and fifteen pennies -- oh ! what a pity about the money.
If you love me, John, your acts will tell me so.
If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were.
If you love your son, let him travel.
If you love your son, make him leave home.
If you love, love the moon; if you steal, steal a camel.
If you make a fool to pray to God, he will hurt (both his) forehead (and other people's toes).
If you make a habit of buying things you do not need, you will soon be selling things you do.
If you make love in the shade you get cold.
If you make yourself into a doormat, people will wipe their feet on you.
If you marry a young woman, make sure your friends stay outside.
If you marry money the devil lays an egg in your storeroom.
If you miss the official appointment try hard to get it!.
If you must be a servant, serve the rich; if you must be a dog, let it be a temple dog.
If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.
If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.
If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and when to stop.
If you must, you can do a lot.
If you offend, ask for pardon; if offended, forgive.
If you open the eyes of a blind man he wants to go back to the darkness.
If you owe a dog anything, call him 'sir.'.
If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
If you pay what you owe, what you're worth you'll know.
If you play with fire you get burned.
If you play with fire you get burnt.
If you play with the fool at home, he will play with you abroad.
If you praise the man who taps the palm tree, he'll put water in the palm wine.
If you praise the palm wine tapper he will water down the palm wine.
If you pray for another, you will be helped yourself.
If you pull one pig by the tail all the rest squeak.
If you put a razor in your mouth, you will spit blood.
If you put in the work to sharpen the steel, it will eventually turn into needles.
If you reach for something that is far too good for you, it is not going to end well.
If you really have to sin, then choose a sin that you enjoy.
If you receive a gift don't measure it.
If you refuse to be made straight when you are green, you will not be made straight when you are dry.
If you rely on God, you won't fail.
If you remember me in Si'ulepa, I will also remember you in Togamau.
If you reprove one error, you will correct a hundred.
If you respect your wife like a friend you won't have children with her.
If you rise too early, the dew will wet you.
If you run after two hares you will catch neither.

If you run after two hares, you will catch neither.
If you rush things, you'll just make others laugh.

These are Proverb Examples from around the world, some have been translated from their original language to english.


Full list:
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