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French Proverbs (201-300)

The bagpipe never utters a word till its belly is full.

Good bargains are ruinous.

There was never a banquet so sumptuous
but someone dined ill at it.

Nothing is so liberally given as advice.

A little spark shines in the dark.

He is rich enough who owes nothing.

One may as well be well beaten as badly beaten.

On a fool's beard the barber learns to shave.

Trickery comes back to its master.

It is the tone that makes the music.

He asks advice in vain who will not follow it.

Avarice bursts the bag.

He sins as much who holds the bag as he who puts into it.

He who wants to travel far takes care of his beast.

Little by little the bird builds its nest.

Stolen bread stirs the appetite.

Pope He who wishes to live at Rome
must not quarrel with the Pope.

At Rome do as Rome does.

Misfortune comes on horseback and goes away on foot.

An ass does not stumble twice over the same stone.

Every tomorrow brings its bread.

Without bread and wine even love will pine.

Unstringing the bow does not cure the wound.

Everything in time comes to him who knows how to wait.

The only victory over love is flight.

Eat bread at pleasure, drink wine by measure.

It is only the first bottle that is dear.

Soft words don't scotch the tongue.

A word once out flies everywhere.

Set your sail according to the wind.

One has always strength enough to bear
the misfortunes of one's friends.

Dread the anger of the dove.

Better bend than break.

A woman's tongue is her sword, and she does not let it rust.

A cake and a bad custom ought to be broken.

Everything must have a beginning.

Light burdens borne far become heavy.

Other times, other manners.

From confessors, doctors, and lawyers
do not conceal the truth of your case.

Fat broth cannot be made of nothing.

The cask always smells of the herring.

To every saint his candle.

The sun shines for all the world.

To a good cat a good rat.

Little brooks make great rivers.

Nothing is so burdensome as a secret.

The biter is often bit.

Appetite comes with eating.

There are more foolish buyers than foolish sellers.

For overbuying there's no help but selling again.

All cats are not to be set down for witches.

What is true is not always probable.

Truth is the club that knocks down and kills everybody.

A coward often deals a mortal blow to the brave.

It is the old cow's notion that she never was a calf.

The most cunning are the first caught.

The greatest cunning is to have none at all.

Very good corn grows in little fields.

Not every one that dances is glad.

He who turns aside avoids danger.

In the fiddler's house every one is a dancer.

Weather, wind, women, and fortune change like the moon.

War makes robbers, peace hangs them.

A courtier should be without feeling and without honor.

Courtesy that is all on one side cannot last long.

A cow from afar gives plenty of milk.

Every one bears his cross.

A cow does not know what her tail is
worth until she has lost it.

After the daughter is married, then come sons-in-law in plenty.

The corn falls out of a shaken sheaf.

A brain is worth little without a tongue.

One barber shaves another.

Pulling the devil by the tail does not lead far young or old.

Death takes the poor man's cow and the rich man's child.

He pulls at a long rope who desires another's death.

Everyone draws the water to his own mill.

The people's voice, God's voice.

Bad ware is never cheap.

At the wars do as they do at the wars.

The days follow each other and are not alike.

The better day the better deed.

That often happens in a day which does not
happen in a hundred years.

Better a good dinner than a fine coat.

The devil often lurks behind the cross.

One deceit brings on another.

The devil is not always at a poor man's door.

Do not make two devils of one.

Who often changes, damages.

What the colt learns in youth
he continues in old age.

When the devil says his paternosters
he means to cheat you.

Everything may be bought except day and night.

Wedlock rides in the saddle and repentance on the crupper.

Good watching drives away ill luck.

It is a long day a day without bread.

When the devil grows old he turns hermit.

When one is dead, it is for a long while.

The dead are soon forgotten.

When the devil finds the door shut he goes away.

The devil was handsome when he was young.

You may as well give a good beating as a bad one.

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