50 wise and wonderful proverbs from around the world

Today I thought it would be interesting to look at some proverbs from around the world.

If you enjoy pithy sayings that express a general truth, then here are some wise and wonderful proverbs from around the world to inspire you, dear reader.

I love proverbs. The more memorable they are, the more inspired I feel by them. I think they’re great to use when you’re finishing off a presentation and you want to reinforce an underlying message.

Now people will often say that proverbs are little more than clichés, but I disagree. Proverbs are the wisdom of the ancients, and they do express general truths, regardless of how clichéd they seem to have become.

So take a few moments to review these proverbs and see whether there are any you can put to good use in your daily life.

Proverbs from around the world: 1 – 20

All beginnings are hard. ~German Proverb

Well begun is half done. ~Italian Proverb

Deceit sleeps with greed. ~Norse Proverb

Be contrary and be known. ~Arab Proverb

A tree is known by its fruit. ~Zulu Proverb

A parasite cannot live alone. ~African Proverb

The pillar of the world is hope. ~Nigerian Proverb

The bitter heart eats its owner. ~Bantu Proverb

A beautiful thing is never perfect. Egyptian Proverb

Do not draw your sword to kill a fly. ~Korean Proverb

Nothing seems expensive on credit. ~Czech Proverb

Better to ask the way than go astray. ~Korean Proverb

Sunshine all the time makes a desert. ~Arab Proverb

Beware the person with nothing to lose. ~Italian Proverb

Patience is bitter, but it bears sweet fruit. ~Turkish Proverb

He who begins many things finishes few. ~German Proverb

Sharp acids corrode their own containers. ~Albanian Proverb

While the grass grows, the steed starves. ~Romanian Proverb

Fire and gunpowder do not sleep together. ~Ghanaian Proverb

Peace is costly, but it’s worth the expense. ~Kenyan Proverb

Proverbs from around the world: 21 – 40

It is difficult to steal when the boss is a thief. ~Icelandic Proverb

If you want to build high, you must dig deep. ~Mongolian Proverb

He who wants a rose must respect the thorn. ~Persian Proverb

A hungry wolf is stronger than a satisfied dog. ~Ukranian Proverb

Do not scare the birds you are going to shoot. ~Malagasy Proverb

If you speak too much, you will learn too little. ~Armenian Proverb

Don’t bargain for fish that are still in the water. ~Indian Proverb

There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience. ~French Proverb

If you don’t want anyone to find out, don’t do it. ~Chinese Proverb

The goat’s business is not the sheep’s business. ~Haitian Proverb

Better to light a candle than curse the darkness. ~Chinese Proverb

A joke is often a hole through which truth whistles. ~Japanese Proverb

A pretty face and fine clothes do not make character. ~Congolese Proverb

Do not stand in a place of danger trusting in miracles. ~African Proverb

He that is unkind to his own will not be kind to others. ~Galician Proverb

A donkey carrying a pile of holy books is still a donkey. ~Zen Proverb

A dog will always be a dog, even if he is raised by lions. ~Lebanese Proverb

He who buys what he does not need steals from himself. ~Swedish Proverb

When poverty comes in the door, love goes out the window. ~English Proverb

Never wrestle with a strong man nor bring a rich man to court. ~Latvian Proverb

Proverbs from around the world: 41 – 50

The coroner and the lawyer grow fat on the quarrels of fools. ~Gaelic Proverb

A man in this world without learning is as the beast of the field. ~Hindu Proverb

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures for anything. ~Irish Proverb

A fool says what he knows, and a wise man knows what he says. ~Yiddish Proverb

When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends. ~Japanese Proverb

There is no shame in not knowing; the shame lies in not finding out. ~Russian Proverb

Do not judge by appearances; a rich heart may be under a poor coat. ~Scottish Proverb

What an old man can see while seated, a young man cannot see standing. ~Eritrean Proverb

To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world. ~Chinese Proverb

If you want to know who your friends are, lie by the roadside and pretend to be drunk. ~Jamaican Proverb

Please share this post with your friends:

Did you find these proverbs from around the world as interesting and inspirational as you’d hoped, dear reader?

You did? Well, I hope so anyway.

If that’s the case, then please share this post with your friends, because when you share, everyone wins.

So go on, please share this post now on social media. If you can do that for me, I’ll be truly grateful.

Thank you.

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