Proverb Examples from around the world

Proverbs Starting with letter I - part 5
Full list:
A  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  B  2  3  4  C  2  D  2  3  E  2  3  4  F  2  3  G  2  H  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  I  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  J  K  L  2  M  2  3  N  2  3  4  O  2  3  4  P  2  Q  R  S  2  3  T  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  U  V  W  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  Y  2  Z 
If you say A, you have to say B as well.
If you scatter thorns, don't go barefoot.
If you see a frog squatting on his house, don't ask him for a chair.

If you see him riding on a bamboo-cane, say to him, 'Good health to your horse!'.
If you see in your wine the reflection of a person not in your range of vision, don't drink it.
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.
If you see that a town worships a calf, then cut the grass and feed it.
If you see what the ducks eat then you eat no more duck.
If you see your neighbor's beard burning then wet your own.
If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you' (the motto of the U.S. state of ).
If you share a man's wealth, try to lessen his misfortune.
If you shoot your arrows at stones, you will damage them.
If you sing before breakfast, you'll cry before night.
If you sit at a crossroads, you will get sick.
If you sit with us, you will become like us. If you sit beside a cooking pot, you will become black.
If you snooze you lose.
If you snooze, you loose.
If you sow arrows, you will reap sorrows.
If you speak the truth, keep a foot in the stirrup.
If you speak up, you will go farther in life.
If you spit against the wind, you spit in your own face.
If you spit downwards, it hits the beard, if you spit upwards, the mustache.
If you spit in the face of a coward he'll tell you that it's raining.
If you stand straight, do not fear a crooked shadow.
If you start chasing two hares, you will catch none.
If you start thinking of death, you are no longer sure of life.
If you starve for three days, there is no thought that does not invade your imagination.
If you stay at home you won't wear out your shoes.
If you stay long enough in one place the whole world passes you by.
If you steal something small you are a petty thief, but if you steal millions you are a gentleman of society.
If you step on a dead hen, it'll also squeak.
If you stop every time a dog barks, your road will never end.
If you strike a goad with your fist, your hand will suffer most.
If you strip off your clothes by the water you have no choice but to bathe.
If you suspect a man, don't employ him, and if you employ him, don't suspect him.
If you swear you will catch no fish.
If you take big paces you leave big spaces.
If you take from the hill, it'll shake.
If you take too long to choose, you will end up with the leftovers.
If you take your tongue to the pawnshop, you can't redeem it later.

If you talk 'Ali' to him, don't mention 'Omar.
If you talk to an official you must talk rubles.
If you talk to the blacksmith you'll get hit by sparks.
If you tell people to live together, you tell them to quarrel.
If you tell the truth too early, you are laughed at -- too late and you are stoned.
If you think about things too long, good thoughts will disappear.
If you think your bundle of dirty clothes is too heavy, try picking up your neighbor's.
If you throw a handful of stones, one at least will hit.
If you throw money away with your hands, you will seek it later with your feet.
If you throw money away with your hands, you'll look for it later with your feet.
If you throw nettles into your neighbors garden you will find them growing in your own.
If you took the tug, don't say you're not strong enough.
If you trust before you try, you may repent before you die.
If you trust before you try, you may repent before you die. - 'Divers Proverbs', Nathan Bailey, 1721 https://www.fromoldbooks.org/proverbs/pages/pp72-73/].
If you try to cleanse others - like soap, you will waste away in the process!.
If you try to cleanse others -- just like soap, you will waste away in the process!.
If you turn into a dog, be sure to choose a rich family.
If you understand everything, you must be misinformed.
If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are.
If you wait long enough, it will be good weather.
If you wake up in the morning and feel no pain it is to be feared that you died in the night.
If you walk on snow you cannot hide your footprints.
If you want a cricket go give birth to it.
If you want a place in the sun, you must leave the shade of the family tree.
If you want a thing done right, do it yourself.
If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.
If you want a thing done, go. If not, send. The shortest answer is doing.
If you want a thing well done, do it yourself.
If you want a well, only dig in one place.
If you want advice, ask it to the old man.
If you want an audience start a fight.
If you want an audience, start a fight.
If you want apples, you have to shake the trees.
If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen.
If you want clear water, draw it from the spring.
If you want dinner, don't insult the cook.
If you want equality, then go to the graveyard.
If you want fire, look for it in the ashes.
If you want good advice, consult an old man.
If you want good service, serve yourself.
If you want heaven to know, tell it to the wind.
If you want peace prepare for war' (, ).
If you want peace, prepare for war.
If you want peace, prepare justice.
If you want peace, you must prepare for war.
If you want some lies to be believed wrap them up in truths.
If you want something done right, do it yourself.
If you want something done, do it yourself.
If you want the daughter, you must kiss the mother.

If you want to annoy the devil stay silent.
If you want to be a hundred you must start young.
If you want to be a leader, be a bridge.
If you want to be criticized, marry.
If you want to be dead, wash your head and go to bed.
If you want to be happy for a year, plant a garden; If you want to be happy for life, plant a tree.
If you want to be loved, love.
If you want to be old, hang yourself when you are young.
If you want to be respected, respect yourself.
If you want to be respected, you must respect yourself.
If you want to be revenged, hold your tongue.
If you want to be served, serve yourself.
If you want to beat a dog, say he eat your iron.
If you want to buy love, love itself is the price you'll have to pay.
If you want to drown yourself, don't torture yourself with shallow water.
If you want to eat pickled herring, think about the thirst you will have.
If you want to gather a lot of knowledge, act as if you are ignorant.
If you want to give a sick man medicine, let him first be really ill -- so that he can see how well the medicine works.
If you want to go up in the world, veil ambition with the forms of humanity.
If you want to hear the truth about yourself -- offend your neighbor.
If you want to hit your mother-in-law, be sure to split her head.
If you want to judge a man's character, give him power.
If you want to keep camels, have a big enough door.
If you want to keep something secret from black folks, put it between the covers of a book.
If you want to keep your credit you must use it as little as possible.
If you want to kill a snake, chop off its head.
If you want to know how the true story goes, wait till the arguments start.
If you want to know the value of money, go and borrow some.
If you want to know villain, give him a stick.
If you want to know what God thinks of money, look at the people he gives it to.
If you want to know what a ducat is worth, try to borrow one.
If you want to know what a man is really like, notice how he acts when he loses money.
If you want to know who your friends are, lie by the roadside and pretend to be drunk.
If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive.
If you want to live long, be healthy and fat, drink like a dog and eat like a cat.
If you want to look good, you have to suffer.
If you want to love your household as much as your bread then you will have to knead your wife like dough.
If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.
If you want to marry wisely, marry your equal.
If you want to score, you have to know how to smile.
If you want to sleep well, buy the bed of a bankrupt.
If you want to sweep the steps clean, start at the top.
If you want to take revenge on a man, send him a really beautiful woman.
If you want to travel fast use the old roads.
If you want to understand men, study women.
If you want world peace then hold your tongue.
If you want your children to enjoy a quiet life let them suffer a little hunger and a little cold.
If you want your dreams to come true, don't over sleep.
If you want your dreams to come true, don't sleep.

If you want your eggs hatched, sit on them yourself.
If you watch your pot, your food will not burn.
If you weep for all the sorrows in this world, in the end you will have no eyes.
If you were born lucky, even your rooster will lay eggs.
If you were born to be shot, you'll never be hanged.
If you will not hear reason, she will surely rap your knuckles.
If you will stir up the mire, you must bear the smell.
If you wish a thing done, go; if not, send.
If you wish for peace be ready for war.
If you wish good advice, consult an old man.
If you wish to be good, first believe that you are bad.
If you wish to be well served, serve yourself.
If you wish to drown, do not torture yourself with shallow water.
If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.
If you wish to know what a man is, place him in authority.
If you wish to know what a man is, put him in authority.
If you wish to know what most occupies a man's thoughts, you have only to listen to his conversation.
If you wish to learn the highest truth, begin with the alphabet.
If you wish your merit to be known, acknowledge that of other people.
If you would acquire fame, let not the sun shine on you in bed.
If you would be a good judge, hear what every one says.
If you would be happy for a week, take a wife; if you would be happy for a month, kill a pig; but if you would be happy all your life, plant a garden.
If you would be healthy, be sage betimes.
If you would be in good repute, let not the sun find you in bed.
If you would be pope, you must think of nothing else.
If you would be praised, die.
If you would be rich in a year, you may be hanged in six months.
If you would be well served, serve yourself.
If you would catch a fox you must hunt with geese.
If you would get ahead, be a bridge.
If you would have the dog follow you, give him bread.
If you would have the lamp burn, you must pour oil into it.
If you would have your work ill done, pay beforehand.
If you would live healthy, be old early.
If you would live in health, grow old early.
If you would live long, open your heart.
If you would make a thief honest, trust him.
If you would make an enemy, lend a man money, and ask for it back again.
If you would shoot a general, shoot his horse first.
If you would succeed, you must not be too good.
If you would understand men, study women.
If you wrestle with a collier you will get a blotch.
If you're afraid of wolves, don't go to the woods.
If you're an able hoer, hoe your own garden first.
If you're born to be hanged then you'll never be drowned.
If you're fated to drown, you may die in a teaspoon of water.
If you're going home, you don't get wet.
If you're in a hole, stop digging.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

If you're out to beat a dog, you're sure to find a stick.
If you've enjoyed the dance, pay the musicians.
If you've kneeled, you've got to pray.
If you've money, take a seat; it you've none, take to your feet.
If you've nothing to do, dig a spinster's grave.
If youhave the moon, ignore the stars.
If your beard's on fire, others will light their pipes on it.
If your books are not read, your descendants will be ignorant.
If your buttocks burn, you know you have done wrong.
If your conduct be noble, you will be a king.
If your enemy is up to his waist in water, give him your hand; if the water reaches his shoulders, stand on his head.
If your face looks skewed, don't blame the mirror.
If your friend becomes your enemy, he will be your enemy for life.
If your friend is honey, don't lick him thoroughly.
If your friend is like honey, then don't lick all of it!.
If your guest becomes a cook, your larder will soon be empty.
If your head is made of butter, don't be a baker.
If your heart is a rose, then your mouth will speak perfumed words.
If your house is burning, there is not time to go hunting. (Priorities are important in planning activities.).
If your mouth turns into a knife, it will cut off your lips.
If your mouth were a knife, it would cut off your lips.
If your neighbor is an early riser, you too will become one.
If your neighbor visits Mecca once, watch out for him. If he makes a second visit, you had better avoid him. After the third visit you had better move to another street.
If your pocket gets empty, your faults will be many.
If your roof is made of glass, don't throw stones at your neighbor's house.
If your strength is small, don't carry heavy burdens. If your words are worthless, don't give advice.
If your time ain't come not even a doctor can kill you.
If your wife tells you to throw yourself off a cliff, pray to God that it is a low one.
If your words are worthless, don't give advice.
If youth but had the knowledge and old age the strength.
If youth knew! if age could!.
If youth knew! If age could!.
Ignorance doesn't kill you, but it does make you sweat a lot.
Ignorance doesn't necessarily kill you but it makes you sweat a lot.
Ignorance is a form of environmental pollution.
Ignorance is bliss.
Ignorance is not privileged by titular degrees.
Ignorance is the peace of life.
Ignorance of law is harmful.
Ignorance of one's misfortunes is clear gain.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.
Ill beef ne'er made gude broo.
Ill befal the belly that forgets eaten bread.
Ill begun, ill done.
Ill fares the young bird in the urchin's hand.
Ill got, ill spent.
Ill gotten gains are like snow that is sprinkled with hot water.
Ill gotten goods never thrive.
Ill gotten goods seldom prosper.
Ill in kine and worse in beeves.
Ill luck comes by pounds and goes away by ounces.
Ill luck enters by fathoms and departs by inches.
Ill news comes apace.
Ill news travels fast.
Ill tidings come soon enough.
Ill vessels seldom miscarry.
Ill weed grows fast.
Ill weeds are not hurt by frost.
Ill weeds grow apace.
Ill weeds grow the fastest and last the longest.

Ill weeds grows apace.
Ill words are bellows to a slackening fire.

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


Full list:
A  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  B  2  3  4  C  2  D  2  3  E  2  3  4  F  2  3  G  2  H  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  I  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  J  K  L  2  M  2  3  N  2  3  4  O  2  3  4  P  2  Q  R  S  2  3  T  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  U  V  W  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  Y  2  Z