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English Proverbs (801-900)

He begins to build too soon
that has not money to finish it.

Asses die and wolves bury them.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Two wrongs will not make one right.

Old love burns strong.

He that burns his house warms himself for once.

Blackberries don't grow on every bush.

When the devil preaches, the world's near an end.

To gain teaches how to spend.

Content is the philosopher's stone,
that turns all it touches into gold.

One friend watches for another.

Children and chicken must be always picking.

Woe to the kingdom whose king is a child.

Look not too high lest a chip fall in your eye.

A carpenter is known by his chips.

An evil suspicion has a worse condition.

The arrow often hits the shooter.

A man has choice to begin love, but not to end it.

Too much pudding will choke a dog.

A mote may choke a man.

The scholar teaches his master.

Beggars cannot be choosers.

When the child is christened
you may have godfathers enough.

Bells call others to church but go not themselves.

Fire is as hurtful as healthful.

There are no two spears of grass alike.

An ill plea should be well pleaded.

The chickens are the country's,
but the city eats them.

Give a civil answer to a civil question.

It is an ill sign to see a fox lick a lamb.

Quickly come, quickly go.

Opportunity knocks only once.

Better to be born lucky than rich.

The sluggard must be clad in rags.

The thunder has but its clap.

He who cannot bear the clapper,
should not pull the bell.

One hand will not clasp.

Dirty hands make clean money.

An ounce of motherwit is worth a pound of clergy.

The priest forgets that he was clerk.

Drive not a second nail till the first be clinched.

Little money, little law.

Hypocrisy can find out a cloak for every rain.

He that follows truth too closely must take care
that she does not strike out his teeth.

The closer the fire the hotter.

In a rich man's house the cloth is soon laid.

The selvage shows the cloth.

Vice is often clothed in virtue's habit.

No sun shines without some cloud.

There is always a light behind the clouds.

Wisdom sometimes walks in clouted shoes.

The low stake stands long.

Custom makes all things easy.

The worse the passage,
the more welcome the port.

Rashness is not valor.

Who nothing saves shall nothing have.

Glowing coals will be sparkling.

Lions are never caught with cobwebs.

A barleycorn is better than a diamond to a cock.

A servant and a cock should be kept but a year.

It is a very ill cock that will not crow before he be old.

Much coin much care.

Cold preachers make bold sinners.

Fair words and foul play cheat both young and old.

The greater idiot ever scolds the lesser.

Truth needs no colors.

He that lives overcomes.

Take time when time comes, for time will away.

A bean in liberty is better than a comfit in prison.

To promise and give nothing is a comfort for a fool.

The comforter's head never aches.

Counsel is no command.

Women commend a modest man, but like him not.

He that commits a fault thinks everyone speaks of it.

The purse strings are the most common ties of friendship.

Common fame is a common liar.

A common servant is no man's servant.

There's no companion like the penny.

Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl.

Nothing is good or ill but by comparison.

The sea complains for want of water.

Necessity has compulsion in it.

A good judge conceives quickly, judges slowly.

The second vice is lying, the first being that of owing money.

Custom is second nature.

Confine your tongue lest it confine you.

Too much consulting confounds.

Patience conquers.

He that has no shame has no conscience.

Silence gives consent.

Every dog considers himself a lion at home.

He who is content in his poverty is wonderfully rich.

A contented mind is a continual feast.

Dreams go by contraries.

He that goes the contrary way must go over it twice.

Education begins a gentleman, conversation completes him.

He is a good orator who convinces himself.

Like carver like cook.

A cool mouth and warm feet live long.

When the pot boils over, it cools itself.

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