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German Proverbs (701-804)

Truth may be suppressed, but not strangled.

He who tickles himself, laughs when he likes.

There are more old wine tipplers than old doctors.

Trust, but not too much.

Truth finds no asylum.

Bad tidings always come too soon.

Virtue subdues power.

He who is of no use to himself
is of no use to anyone else.

Virtue alone leads to nobility.

Virtue flourishes in misfortune.

Boldly ventured is half won.

Where two fall out, the third wins.

A woman's vengeance knows no bounds.

No tree falls at the first stroke.

Victory is not gained by idleness.

He who has victory has right.

Don't divide the spoil before the victory is won.

The empty wagon must make room for the full one.

One wedge drives another.

Water is the strongest drink; it drives mills.

War begun, hell unchained.

Singers, lovers, and poets lie a lot.

Where water has been, water will come again.

Stagnant water grows stinking.

The tree must be bent while it is young.

Suit yourself to the times.

War and sympathy do not exist at the same time.

Water in peace is better than wine in war.

A young wife is an old man's post-horse to the grave.

Weeds never die.

Woo the widow while she is in mourning.

The more the well is used, the more water it yields.

Constant dropping wears the stone.

As won, so spent.

No one can blow and swallow at the same time.

He who brings bad tidings comes soon enough.

Time is the best counsellor.

Time is the best preacher.

As the tree, so the pear; as the mistress, so the maid.

Trick against trick.

Time makes hay.

When a thing is done, make the best of it.

He who always thinks it is too soon is sure to come too late.

He who saves in little things can be liberal in great ones.

He who prizes little things is worthy of great ones.

What three know will soon be known to thirty.

To change and to better are two different things.

Who heeds not little things will be troubled about lesser ones.

Thousands drink themselves to
death before one dies of thirst.

Who threatens, warns.

Thoughts are toll free, but not hell free.

He who holds the ladder is as bad as the thief.

There's nothing new under the sun.

The sun will bring to light what lay under the snow.

The sun dial counts only the bright hours.

We hang little thieves and take off our hats to great ones.

A thief seldom grows rich by thieving.

Tell not all you know; believe not all you hear;
do not all you are able.

Let the guest go before the storm bursts.

Not every spring becomes a stream.

What is sport to the cat is death to the mouse.

What is said is said, and no sponge can wipe it out.

Many strokes will fell the oak.

There is no stripping a naked man.

Who throws a stone above himself
may have it fall on his own head.

The most disorderly students make the most pious preachers.

Who steals once always remains a thief.

At evening the sluggard is busy.

Sweet song has betrayed many.

A sparrow in the hand is better than a pigeon on the roof.

New songs are eagerly sung.

What smarts, teaches.

He who pitches too high, won't get through his song.

Away from the battle all are soldiers.

Truth gives a short answer, lies go around about.

All are not thieves whom the dog barks at.

The dogs bite the last.

Quiet dogs and still water are dangerous.

The dog does not get bread every time he wags his tail.

Dogs that bark much don’t bite.

Even the meanest dog wags its tail.

Better a living dog than a dead lion.

When the dog is awake, the shepherd may sleep.

When an old dog barks, look out.

Two dogs over one bone seldom agree.

The silent dog is the first to bite.

He that pelts every barking dog must
pick up a great many stones.

Two dogs fight for a bone and a third runs away with it.

A bashful dog never fattens.

What greater crime than loss of time?

Black cows give white milk.

Timid dogs bark most.

At a round table every seat is first.

Small cares make many words, great ones are mute.

The miller is honest who has hair on his teeth.

There’s no making apples of plums.

Sometimes one must let turnips be pears.

No sow is so dirty that she can’t find a boar to kiss her.

The cat who frightens the mice away
is as good as the at who eats them.

Learn, so that you may have something to forget.

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A vicious dog bites its own master.

Sweat makes good mortar.

Many shun the sword, and come to the gallows.

Tell no tales out of school.

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