Proverbs & Idioms

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CHÀO CÁC BẠN , MÌNH ĐANG RẤT CẦN THU THẬP MỘT SỐ CÂU THÀNH NGỮ TIẾNG ANH , MONG CÁC BẠN CHỈ GIÚP.
XIN ............CẢM.................ƠN..............

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EASY COME EASY GO : của thiên trả địa
HAVE A GOOD TRIP : thượng lộ bình an

PIKACHU

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Winning isn't every thing, it's the only thing!​

A bad beginning makes a bad ending (OR: A good beginning makes a good ending)
Diem dau xau lam diem cuoi xau (HAY: Diem dau tot lam diem cuoi tot)
Dau xuoi, duoi lot
If head goes through, tail goes through

A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit
Su thoa thuan xau con hon mot vu kien tot
Di hoa vi quy
Peace is good

A bad workman quarrels with his tools
Nguoi tho kem tai cai nhau voi do nghe
Vung mua che dat lech
Clumsy dancer says ground is not level

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Mot con chim trong tay co gia tri hon hai con trong rung
Mot mat hon muoi goi
One face better than ten bags

A bird may be known by its song
Nghe tieng hot biet loai chim
Xem viec, biet nguoi
Look at work, know person

A bully is always a coward
Ke an hiep luon luon la ke ken nhat
Gia trai, non hot
Old fruit, young seed

A cat in gloves catches no mice
******o trong gang tay khong bat duoc chuot
Muon an ca, phai tha cau
Want to eat fish, must go fishing

A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast
Nhin an sach thi hon la an buoi an sang do ban
Doi cho sach, rach cho thom
Hungry but clean, ragged but not smelly

A clean hand wants no washing
Ban tay sach khong can rua
Cay ngay khong so chet dung
Straight tree not afraid of dying standing

A clear conscience laughs at false accusations
Luong tam trong sach khong so vu cao oan
Vang khong so lua
Gold unafraid of flame

A constant guest is never welcome
Khach den thuong khong bao gio duoc chao don
Ao nang may nang moi, nguoi nang toi nang thuong
Clothes often sewn is often new, person often coming is often ordinary

A flow will have an ebb
Co luc chay co luc ngung
Song co khuc, nguoi co luc
Rivers have bends, people have periods

A fool always rushes to the fore
Nguoi Nguyen luon luon chay den dang truoc
Diec khong so sung
The deaf is not scared of guns

A fool at forty is fool indeed
Nguoi ngu o tuoi 40 la nguoi ngu that
Khon ngoan tu thuo len ba, gia thi den gia van dai
The wise is wise since age of 3, the fool is foolish even at old age

A fool may sometimes give a wise man counsel
Thing thoang nguoi ngu co the khuyen nguoi khon
Da chac meo nao an miu nao
Not sure which cat eats which cat

A fool's tongue is long enough to cut his own throat
Luoi cua nguoi ngu du dai de cat co ho
Ech chet tai mieng
The frog dies because of his mouth

A fool's tongue runs before his wit
Luoi cua nguoi ngu chay truoc tri khon cua ho
Quan tu an hinh, tieu nhan lo tuong
The wise hides, the fool appears

A foul morn[ing] may turn to a fair day
Sang troi xau co the tro thanh ngay dep
Kho tan, cam lai
Difficult present, good future

A friend in need is a friend in deed
Nguoi ban luc can la nguoi ban that su
Biet ai la be ban khi ta chua gap nan
Who knows who is a friend when we have not got into trouble

A full purse makes the mouth speak
Tui tien day lam cho mieng noi
Co tien mua tien cung duoc
You can buy a fairy with money

A gentleman keeps his integrity even in poverty
Nguoi quan tu giu chi khi ngay ca su ngheo
Giay rach con giu lay le
Even a torn piece of paper must keep its edge

A gift in the hand is better than two promises
Mot mon qua trong tay thi tot hon hai loi hua
Mot mat hon muoi goi
One face is better than 10 bags

A good beginning is half the battle
Khoi diem tot la phan nua cua cuoc chien
Dau xuoi, duoi lot
If head goes, tail goes

A good conscience is a constant feast
Luong tam tot la bua an day vo tan
An com chay ngay o o, an com thit bo lo ngay ngay
Eat poor rice and you snore well, eat rice with steak and you worry a lot

A good husband makes a good wife (OR: A good wife makes a good husband)
Nguoi chong tot lam nguoi vo tot (HAY: Nguoi vo tot lam nguoi chong tot)
Trai khon vi vo, gai khon vi chong
Man is wise thanks to wife, wife is wise thanks to husband

A good lawyer must be a great liar
Mot nguoi luat su gioi phai la mot nguoi noi lao gioi
Ngo bien phai tong quyen
During time of danger must use power

A good marksman may miss
Mot nha thien xa cung co the ban hut
Nhan vo thap toan
No person is perfect

A good name is better than riches
Ten tot hon la giau co
Tot danh hon lanh ao
Good name is better than good clothes

A good name is sooner lost than won
Danh thom mau mat cham duoc
Mua danh ba van, ban danh ba dong
But good name for 30 thousand, sell it for 3 piastres


Bad news has wings
Tin du co canh
Tieng lanh don gan, tieng du don xa
Rumour of good news travels short, of bad news goes far

Barking dogs seldom bite
Cho xua it khi can
Hum hay keu nhung hum khong can, ran khong keu, ran can chet nguoi
Lion that roars does not byte, snake that does not roar bites and kills

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Sac dep o trong may nguoi xem
Yeu nen tot, ghet nen xau
Love so it is good, hate so it is bad

Beauty is only skin deep
Sac dep chi sau bang lan da
Dep nguoi khong bang dep net
Better beautiful character than beautiful body

Beggars cannot be choosers
Nguoi an may khong the chon lua
An may lai con con doi xoi gac
Begging but demanding good sticky rice

Better a glorious death than a shameful life (OR: Better die on your feet than live on your knees)
Tha chet vinh hon song nhuc
Chet vinh hon song nhuc
Better to die clean than to live humiliated

Better be alone than in ill company
Tha mot minh con hon o canh nguoi xau
O chon noi, choi chon ban
Choose place for living, choose friend for mixing

Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion
Tha lam dau cho con hon duoi hum
Tha lam dau ga hon lam duoi cho
Better be a chook's head than a dog' tail


Call a spade a spade
Goi cai xeng la cai xeng
Noi gan noi xa chang qua noi that
Talking near talking far is not as good as talking truth

Cheapest is the dearest
Re nhat la mac nhat
Cua re cua oi
Cheap things are stale things

Choose a wife by your ear not your eye
Chon vo bang tai khong bang mat
Lay vo xem tong, lay chong xem giong
Choose a wife by her family, choose a husband by his genes

Cleanliness is next to godliness
Su sach se thi o gan su thanh thien
Nha sach thi mat, bat sach ngon com

Clothes do not make a man
Quan ao khong lam nen nguoi
Tot go hon tot nuoc son
Better good timber than good paint outside

Constant dropping wears away a stone
Rot deu deu lam mon cuc da
Nuoc chay da mon
Water flows, rock wears away

Courtesy costs nothing
Su lich su khong ton tien
Loi noi chang mat tien mua, Lua loi ma noi cho vua long nhau (Ca Dao)
Words do not cost money, choose words to please one another

Criminals often return to the scene of their crime
Ke pham phap thuong quay tro lai noi pham phap
Ngua quen duong cu
The horse is used to the old road

Custom rules the law
Thoi quen dieu khien luat le
Phep vua thua le lang
The king's order is beaten by the village's regulations


Death ends all things
Su chet cham dut tat ca
Chet la het
Death is the end

Debt is the worst poverty
No nan la su ngheo te hai nhat
Nhat toi, nhi no
Worst is crime, second worst is debt

Deep will call to deep
Sau se goi sau
Nguu tam nguu, ma tam ma
Ox looks for ox, horse looks for horse

Diligence is the mother of success
Can cu la me thanh cong
Co chi thi nen
Have diligence, will succeed

Do as I say, not as I do
Lam theo toi noi, khong phai theo toi lam
Noi mot dang, lam mot neo
Talk one way, do another

Dog does not eat dog
Cho khong an cho
Hum du khong an thit con
Even the lion does not eat his child

Don't bite more than you can chew
Dang can mieng lon hon ban co the nhai
Tham thuc, cuc than
Greedy eating, suffering body

Don't expect old heads on young shoulders
Dung trong mong co dau gia tren vai tre
Tre nguoi, non da
Young body, young mind
<:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~

A bad beginning makes a bad ending (OR: A good beginning makes a good ending)
Diem dau xau lam diem cuoi xau (HAY: Diem dau tot lam diem cuoi tot)
Dau xuoi, duoi lot
If head goes through, tail goes through

A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit
Su thoa thuan xau con hon mot vu kien tot
Di hoa vi quy
Peace is good

A bad workman quarrels with his tools
Nguoi tho kem tai cai nhau voi do nghe
Vung mua che dat lech
Clumsy dancer says ground is not level

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Mot con chim trong tay co gia tri hon hai con trong rung
Mot mat hon muoi goi
One face better than ten bags

A bird may be known by its song
Nghe tieng hot biet loai chim
Xem viec, biet nguoi
Look at work, know person

A bully is always a coward
Ke an hiep luon luon la ke ken nhat
Gia trai, non hot
Old fruit, young seed

A cat in gloves catches no mice
******o trong gang tay khong bat duoc chuot
Muon an ca, phai tha cau
Want to eat fish, must go fishing

A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast
Nhin an sach thi hon la an buoi an sang do ban
Doi cho sach, rach cho thom
Hungry but clean, ragged but not smelly

A clean hand wants no washing
Ban tay sach khong can rua
Cay ngay khong so chet dung
Straight tree not afraid of dying standing

A clear conscience laughs at false accusations
Luong tam trong sach khong so vu cao oan
Vang khong so lua
Gold unafraid of flame

A constant guest is never welcome
Khach den thuong khong bao gio duoc chao don
Ao nang may nang moi, nguoi nang toi nang thuong
Clothes often sewn is often new, person often coming is often ordinary

A flow will have an ebb
Co luc chay co luc ngung
Song co khuc, nguoi co luc
Rivers have bends, people have periods

A fool always rushes to the fore
Nguoi Nguyen luon luon chay den dang truoc
Diec khong so sung
The deaf is not scared of guns

A fool at forty is fool indeed
Nguoi ngu o tuoi 40 la nguoi ngu that
Khon ngoan tu thuo len ba, gia thi den gia van dai
The wise is wise since age of 3, the fool is foolish even at old age

A fool may sometimes give a wise man counsel
Thing thoang nguoi ngu co the khuyen nguoi khon
Da chac meo nao an miu nao
Not sure which cat eats which cat

A fool's tongue is long enough to cut his own throat
Luoi cua nguoi ngu du dai de cat co ho
Ech chet tai mieng
The frog dies because of his mouth

A fool's tongue runs before his wit
Luoi cua nguoi ngu chay truoc tri khon cua ho
Quan tu an hinh, tieu nhan lo tuong
The wise hides, the fool appears

A foul morn[ing] may turn to a fair day
Sang troi xau co the tro thanh ngay dep
Kho tan, cam lai
Difficult present, good future

A friend in need is a friend in deed
Nguoi ban luc can la nguoi ban that su
Biet ai la be ban khi ta chua gap nan
Who knows who is a friend when we have not got into trouble

A full purse makes the mouth speak
Tui tien day lam cho mieng noi
Co tien mua tien cung duoc
You can buy a fairy with money

A gentleman keeps his integrity even in poverty
Nguoi quan tu giu chi khi ngay ca su ngheo
Giay rach con giu lay le
Even a torn piece of paper must keep its edge

A gift in the hand is better than two promises
Mot mon qua trong tay thi tot hon hai loi hua
Mot mat hon muoi goi
One face is better than 10 bags

A good beginning is half the battle
Khoi diem tot la phan nua cua cuoc chien
Dau xuoi, duoi lot
If head goes, tail goes

A good conscience is a constant feast
Luong tam tot la bua an day vo tan
An com chay ngay o o, an com thit bo lo ngay ngay
Eat poor rice and you snore well, eat rice with steak and you worry a lot

A good husband makes a good wife (OR: A good wife makes a good husband)
Nguoi chong tot lam nguoi vo tot (HAY: Nguoi vo tot lam nguoi chong tot)
Trai khon vi vo, gai khon vi chong
Man is wise thanks to wife, wife is wise thanks to husband

A good lawyer must be a great liar
Mot nguoi luat su gioi phai la mot nguoi noi lao gioi
Ngo bien phai tong quyen
During time of danger must use power

A good marksman may miss
Mot nha thien xa cung co the ban hut
Nhan vo thap toan
No person is perfect

A good name is better than riches
Ten tot hon la giau co
Tot danh hon lanh ao
Good name is better than good clothes

A good name is sooner lost than won
Danh thom mau mat cham duoc
Mua danh ba van, ban danh ba dong
But good name for 30 thousand, sell it for 3 piastres


Bad news has wings
Tin du co canh
Tieng lanh don gan, tieng du don xa
Rumour of good news travels short, of bad news goes far

Barking dogs seldom bite
Cho xua it khi can
Hum hay keu nhung hum khong can, ran khong keu, ran can chet nguoi
Lion that roars does not byte, snake that does not roar bites and kills

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Sac dep o trong may nguoi xem
Yeu nen tot, ghet nen xau
Love so it is good, hate so it is bad

Beauty is only skin deep
Sac dep chi sau bang lan da
Dep nguoi khong bang dep net
Better beautiful character than beautiful body

Beggars cannot be choosers
Nguoi an may khong the chon lua
An may lai con con doi xoi gac
Begging but demanding good sticky rice

Better a glorious death than a shameful life (OR: Better die on your feet than live on your knees)
Tha chet vinh hon song nhuc
Chet vinh hon song nhuc
Better to die clean than to live humiliated

Better be alone than in ill company
Tha mot minh con hon o canh nguoi xau
O chon noi, choi chon ban
Choose place for living, choose friend for mixing

Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion
Tha lam dau cho con hon duoi hum
Tha lam dau ga hon lam duoi cho
Better be a chook's head than a dog' tail


Call a spade a spade
Goi cai xeng la cai xeng
Noi gan noi xa chang qua noi that
Talking near talking far is not as good as talking truth

Cheapest is the dearest
Re nhat la mac nhat
Cua re cua oi
Cheap things are stale things

Choose a wife by your ear not your eye
Chon vo bang tai khong bang mat
Lay vo xem tong, lay chong xem giong
Choose a wife by her family, choose a husband by his genes

Cleanliness is next to godliness
Su sach se thi o gan su thanh thien
Nha sach thi mat, bat sach ngon com

Clothes do not make a man
Quan ao khong lam nen nguoi
Tot go hon tot nuoc son
Better good timber than good paint outside

Constant dropping wears away a stone
Rot deu deu lam mon cuc da
Nuoc chay da mon
Water flows, rock wears away

Courtesy costs nothing
Su lich su khong ton tien
Loi noi chang mat tien mua, Lua loi ma noi cho vua long nhau (Ca Dao)
Words do not cost money, choose words to please one another

Criminals often return to the scene of their crime
Ke pham phap thuong quay tro lai noi pham phap
Ngua quen duong cu
The horse is used to the old road

Custom rules the law
Thoi quen dieu khien luat le
Phep vua thua le lang
The king's order is beaten by the village's regulations


Death ends all things
Su chet cham dut tat ca
Chet la het
Death is the end

Debt is the worst poverty
No nan la su ngheo te hai nhat
Nhat toi, nhi no
Worst is crime, second worst is debt

Deep will call to deep
Sau se goi sau
Nguu tam nguu, ma tam ma
Ox looks for ox, horse looks for horse

Diligence is the mother of success
Can cu la me thanh cong
Co chi thi nen
Have diligence, will succeed

Do as I say, not as I do
Lam theo toi noi, khong phai theo toi lam
Noi mot dang, lam mot neo
Talk one way, do another

Dog does not eat dog
Cho khong an cho
Hum du khong an thit con
Even the lion does not eat his child

Don't bite more than you can chew
Dang can mieng lon hon ban co the nhai
Tham thuc, cuc than
Greedy eating, suffering body

Don't expect old heads on young shoulders
Dung trong mong co dau gia tren vai tre
Tre nguoi, non da
Young body, young mind
<:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~

Don't play with fire
Dung choi voi lua
Choi dao co ngay dut tay
If you play with the knife, one day your hand will be cut


Easily earned money is quickly spent
Tien kiem duoc de dang thi xai mau chong
Cua phu van khong chan ma chay
Wealth from clouds run away without needing legs

Easy come, easy go
De den, de di
Cua lam ra de tren gac, cua co bac de ngoai san
Wealth you earn is put upstairs, wealth from gambling is put outside

Eaten bread is soon forgotten
Banh mi an xong thi mau quen
An chao, da bat
Finished eating congee, kicking the bowl

Even a worm will turn
Ngay ca con giun cung phai quan
Con giun xeo lam cung quan
Even a worm will twist if twisted hard

Every bird loves its own nest
Chim nao cung yeu to nay
La rung ve coi
Leaves fall to tree roots

Every cloud has a silver lining
Mot cum may deu co vien bac
Hoa trung huu phuc
Middle of disaster is luck

Every dog has his day
Con cho nao cung co ngay cua no
Khong ai giau ba ho, khong ai kho ba doi
No-one is rich in all three extended families, no-one is unlucky in all three lives

Experience is the best teacher
Kinh nghiem la thay gioi nhat
Tram hay khong bang tay quen
Hundred good is less than fluent hand


Failure is the mother of success
That bai la me thanh cong
That bai la me thanh cong (Literal Equivalent)
Failure is the mother of success

Far from eye, far from heart
Xa mat, xa tim
Xa mat, cach long
Faces far, minds separated

Far from the eyes, near to the heart
Xa mat, gan tim
Vo chong moi cuoi khong bang vang lau
Long separation is more than newly-weds

First come, first served
Den dau tin, an dau tien
Trau cham uong nuoc duc
Slow ox drinks dirty water

First the bitter then the sweet
Dang truoc roi ngot
Mat long truoc, duoc long sau

First think then speak
Truoc het hay nghi roi hay noi
Uon luoi bay lan truoc khi noi
Roll your tongue seven times before talking

Flies are easier caught with honey than with vinegar
Bat ruoi bang mat ong de hon bang nuoc dam
Mat ngot chet ruoi
Sweet honey kills flies


Give a clown a finger and he will take your hand
Cho nguoi he mot ngon tay va ho se lay ban tay cua ban
Duoc voi, doi tien
Got elephant, want fairy

Give a man enough rope and he will hang himself
Cho mot nguoi du giay thung, ho se treo co ho
Suong qua hoa ro
Too much pleasure causes craze

God helps those who help themselves
Thuong de giup nguoi nao tu giup minh
Co chi lam quan, co gan lam giau
The diligent becomes officer, the brave becomes rich


Habit is the second nature
Thoi quen la thien nhien thu nhi
Cai net danh chet khong chua
Habits continue even if beaten to death

Haste makes waste
Voi va gay phi
Duc tat bat dat
Hurrying causes failure

He is lifeless who is faultless
Nguoi khong co loi la nguoi khong co hon
Nhan vo thap toan
No person is perfect

He who laughs today may weep tomorrow
Nguoi cuoi hom nay co the khoc ngay mai
Cuoi nguoi hom truoc, hom sau nguoi cuoi
Laugh at them the day before, they laugh at you the day after

Health is better than wealth
Suc khoe tot hon cua cai
Nguoi lam ra cua, cua khong lam ra nguoi
People make wealth, wealth does not make people

His eyes are bigger than his belly
Mat cua ong ta lon hon bung
No bung, doi con mat
The belly is full, the eye is empty


If at first you don't succeed, try, try again
If luc dau khong thanh cong, co gang, co gang nua
Thua keo nay, bay keo khac
Lose this game, set up another

In the end things will mend
Cuoi cung moi thu se sua
Gai co cong, chong chang phu
Woman who does good, husband does not reject

It is never too late to learn
Khong bao gio qua tre de hoc
Bay muoi con hoc bay muoi mot
At seventy learn from [the] seventy one year old

It is no use crying over spilt milk
Khoc khi sua da do thi vo ich
Con da moc rang, noi nang chi nua
Baby has grown teeth, too late to talk

It is one thing to promise and another to perform
Hua lam mot chuyen, lam la mot chuyen
Noi mot dang, lam mot neo
Talk one way, do another

It takes two to make a quarrel
Phai co hai nguoi moi cai nhau duoc
Tai anh, tai a, tai ca doi ben
The fault is yours, is hers, is both sides


Jack is no judge of Jill's beauty
Jack khong the phan xet ve sac dep cua Jill duoc
Yeu nen tot, ghet nen xau
Love therefore beautiful, hate therefore ugly

Jack of all trades is a master of none
Tho lam moi nghe thi khong ranh nghe nao ca
Mot nghe thi song, dong nghe thi chet
[person with] one trade will live, with many trades will die

Judge a man by his work
Phan set mot nguoi bang viec lam cua ho
Xem viec, biet nguoi
Look at deed, know the person


Keep your mouth shut and your ears open
Hay dong mieng va mo tai cua ban
Co mom thi cap, co nap thi day
If you have a mouth, close it, if you have a cover, use it

Kind words are the music of the world
Nhung loi tu te la nhac cua the gian
Loi noi, goi bac
A word is a bag of silver

Knowledge is power
Kien thuc la suc manh
Mot kho vang khong bang mot nang chu
A treasure of gold is less than a bag of words


Law makers should not be law breakers
Nguoi lam luat khong nen pha luat
Vua di truoc, lang nuoc theo sau
The king leads at the front, the villages follow

Let sleeping dogs lie
De con cho ngu nam
Sinh su, su sinh
Cause trouble, trouble causes

Like father, like son
Cha nao, con trai nay
Cha nao, con ay (Literal Equivalent)
Like father, like child

Like teacher, like pupil
Thay nao, tro nay
Thay nao, to ay
Like lord, like servant

Little things amuse little minds
Dau oc nho thi thich su viec nho mon
Meo lon bat chuot to, meo con bat chuot nho
Big cats catch big mice, small cats catch small mice

Live and let live
Song va hay song
Thuong nguoi nhu the thuong than
Love others as you love yourself

Look before you leap
Nhin truoc khi nhay
Can tac, vo uu
Be careful, be worry-free

Love cannot be forced
Tinh yeu khong the bi ep buoc
Ep dau, ep mo, ai no ep duyen
Squeeze oil, squeeze fat, who could squeeze love

Love conquers all
Tinh yeu thang het tat ca
Yeu nhau bon nui cung treo, Nam song cung loi, bay deo cung qua (Ca Dao)
Love each other and you can climb four mountains, swim five rivers, cross seven ridges

Lucky at cards, unlucky in love
May man khi choi bai, xui xeo trong tinh yeu
Do bac, den tinh
Red at gambling, black at love


Man or mare
Nguoi hay ngua cai
Duoc an ca, nga ve khong
Win and take all, fall and go home empty-handed

Many commanders sink the ship
Co nhieu nguoi thuyen truong qua se lam thuyen chim
Lam thay thoi ma, nhieu cha con kho lay chong
Too many lords and the ghost is stale, too many fathers and daughter finds it difficult to marry

Men are blind in their own cause
Nguoi ta mu quang trong van de cua chinh ho
Viec nguoi thi sang, viec minh thi quang
Smart about other's affairs, silly about own affairs

Misfortune come on horseback and go away on foot
Cai xui xeo den tren lung ngua va di bang chan
Phuc bat trung lai, hoa vo don chi
Luck does not repeat, disaster does not come singly

Misfortune has its uses
Su xui xeo cung huu dung
Hoa trung huu phuc
Middle of disaster is luck


Necessity is the mother of invention
Cai can la me cai phat minh
Tung thi phai tinh
Shortage forces one to find solutions

Never buy a pig in a poke
Dung bao gio mua mot con heo trong cai tui
Cho nen tha moi bat bong
Don't drop the bait to catch the shadow
<:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~

Don't play with fire
Dung choi voi lua
Choi dao co ngay dut tay
If you play with the knife, one day your hand will be cut


Easily earned money is quickly spent
Tien kiem duoc de dang thi xai mau chong
Cua phu van khong chan ma chay
Wealth from clouds run away without needing legs

Easy come, easy go
De den, de di
Cua lam ra de tren gac, cua co bac de ngoai san
Wealth you earn is put upstairs, wealth from gambling is put outside

Eaten bread is soon forgotten
Banh mi an xong thi mau quen
An chao, da bat
Finished eating congee, kicking the bowl

Even a worm will turn
Ngay ca con giun cung phai quan
Con giun xeo lam cung quan
Even a worm will twist if twisted hard

Every bird loves its own nest
Chim nao cung yeu to nay
La rung ve coi
Leaves fall to tree roots

Every cloud has a silver lining
Mot cum may deu co vien bac
Hoa trung huu phuc
Middle of disaster is luck

Every dog has his day
Con cho nao cung co ngay cua no
Khong ai giau ba ho, khong ai kho ba doi
No-one is rich in all three extended families, no-one is unlucky in all three lives

Experience is the best teacher
Kinh nghiem la thay gioi nhat
Tram hay khong bang tay quen
Hundred good is less than fluent hand


Failure is the mother of success
That bai la me thanh cong
That bai la me thanh cong (Literal Equivalent)
Failure is the mother of success

Far from eye, far from heart
Xa mat, xa tim
Xa mat, cach long
Faces far, minds separated

Far from the eyes, near to the heart
Xa mat, gan tim
Vo chong moi cuoi khong bang vang lau
Long separation is more than newly-weds

First come, first served
Den dau tin, an dau tien
Trau cham uong nuoc duc
Slow ox drinks dirty water

First the bitter then the sweet
Dang truoc roi ngot
Mat long truoc, duoc long sau

First think then speak
Truoc het hay nghi roi hay noi
Uon luoi bay lan truoc khi noi
Roll your tongue seven times before talking

Flies are easier caught with honey than with vinegar
Bat ruoi bang mat ong de hon bang nuoc dam
Mat ngot chet ruoi
Sweet honey kills flies


Give a clown a finger and he will take your hand
Cho nguoi he mot ngon tay va ho se lay ban tay cua ban
Duoc voi, doi tien
Got elephant, want fairy

Give a man enough rope and he will hang himself
Cho mot nguoi du giay thung, ho se treo co ho
Suong qua hoa ro
Too much pleasure causes craze

God helps those who help themselves
Thuong de giup nguoi nao tu giup minh
Co chi lam quan, co gan lam giau
The diligent becomes officer, the brave becomes rich


Habit is the second nature
Thoi quen la thien nhien thu nhi
Cai net danh chet khong chua
Habits continue even if beaten to death

Haste makes waste
Voi va gay phi
Duc tat bat dat
Hurrying causes failure

He is lifeless who is faultless
Nguoi khong co loi la nguoi khong co hon
Nhan vo thap toan
No person is perfect

He who laughs today may weep tomorrow
Nguoi cuoi hom nay co the khoc ngay mai
Cuoi nguoi hom truoc, hom sau nguoi cuoi
Laugh at them the day before, they laugh at you the day after

Health is better than wealth
Suc khoe tot hon cua cai
Nguoi lam ra cua, cua khong lam ra nguoi
People make wealth, wealth does not make people

His eyes are bigger than his belly
Mat cua ong ta lon hon bung
No bung, doi con mat
The belly is full, the eye is empty


If at first you don't succeed, try, try again
If luc dau khong thanh cong, co gang, co gang nua
Thua keo nay, bay keo khac
Lose this game, set up another

In the end things will mend
Cuoi cung moi thu se sua
Gai co cong, chong chang phu
Woman who does good, husband does not reject

It is never too late to learn
Khong bao gio qua tre de hoc
Bay muoi con hoc bay muoi mot
At seventy learn from [the] seventy one year old

It is no use crying over spilt milk
Khoc khi sua da do thi vo ich
Con da moc rang, noi nang chi nua
Baby has grown teeth, too late to talk

It is one thing to promise and another to perform
Hua lam mot chuyen, lam la mot chuyen
Noi mot dang, lam mot neo
Talk one way, do another

It takes two to make a quarrel
Phai co hai nguoi moi cai nhau duoc
Tai anh, tai a, tai ca doi ben
The fault is yours, is hers, is both sides


Jack is no judge of Jill's beauty
Jack khong the phan xet ve sac dep cua Jill duoc
Yeu nen tot, ghet nen xau
Love therefore beautiful, hate therefore ugly

Jack of all trades is a master of none
Tho lam moi nghe thi khong ranh nghe nao ca
Mot nghe thi song, dong nghe thi chet
[person with] one trade will live, with many trades will die

Judge a man by his work
Phan set mot nguoi bang viec lam cua ho
Xem viec, biet nguoi
Look at deed, know the person


Keep your mouth shut and your ears open
Hay dong mieng va mo tai cua ban
Co mom thi cap, co nap thi day
If you have a mouth, close it, if you have a cover, use it

Kind words are the music of the world
Nhung loi tu te la nhac cua the gian
Loi noi, goi bac
A word is a bag of silver

Knowledge is power
Kien thuc la suc manh
Mot kho vang khong bang mot nang chu
A treasure of gold is less than a bag of words


Law makers should not be law breakers
Nguoi lam luat khong nen pha luat
Vua di truoc, lang nuoc theo sau
The king leads at the front, the villages follow

Let sleeping dogs lie
De con cho ngu nam
Sinh su, su sinh
Cause trouble, trouble causes

Like father, like son
Cha nao, con trai nay
Cha nao, con ay (Literal Equivalent)
Like father, like child

Like teacher, like pupil
Thay nao, tro nay
Thay nao, to ay
Like lord, like servant

Little things amuse little minds
Dau oc nho thi thich su viec nho mon
Meo lon bat chuot to, meo con bat chuot nho
Big cats catch big mice, small cats catch small mice

Live and let live
Song va hay song
Thuong nguoi nhu the thuong than
Love others as you love yourself

Look before you leap
Nhin truoc khi nhay
Can tac, vo uu
Be careful, be worry-free

Love cannot be forced
Tinh yeu khong the bi ep buoc
Ep dau, ep mo, ai no ep duyen
Squeeze oil, squeeze fat, who could squeeze love

Love conquers all
Tinh yeu thang het tat ca
Yeu nhau bon nui cung treo, Nam song cung loi, bay deo cung qua (Ca Dao)
Love each other and you can climb four mountains, swim five rivers, cross seven ridges

Lucky at cards, unlucky in love
May man khi choi bai, xui xeo trong tinh yeu
Do bac, den tinh
Red at gambling, black at love


Man or mare
Nguoi hay ngua cai
Duoc an ca, nga ve khong
Win and take all, fall and go home empty-handed

Many commanders sink the ship
Co nhieu nguoi thuyen truong qua se lam thuyen chim
Lam thay thoi ma, nhieu cha con kho lay chong
Too many lords and the ghost is stale, too many fathers and daughter finds it difficult to marry

Men are blind in their own cause
Nguoi ta mu quang trong van de cua chinh ho
Viec nguoi thi sang, viec minh thi quang
Smart about other's affairs, silly about own affairs

Misfortune come on horseback and go away on foot
Cai xui xeo den tren lung ngua va di bang chan
Phuc bat trung lai, hoa vo don chi
Luck does not repeat, disaster does not come singly

Misfortune has its uses
Su xui xeo cung huu dung
Hoa trung huu phuc
Middle of disaster is luck


Necessity is the mother of invention
Cai can la me cai phat minh
Tung thi phai tinh
Shortage forces one to find solutions

Never buy a pig in a poke
Dung bao gio mua mot con heo trong cai tui
Cho nen tha moi bat bong
Don't drop the bait to catch the shadow
<:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~ <:3~~

Never say die
Dung bao gio noi chet
Cho thay song ca ma nga tay cheo
Donâ?Tt slacken your rowing because you see big waves

Never write what you dare not sign
Dung bao gio viet cai gi ma ban khong dam ky
But sa, ga chet
The pen falls, the chicken dies

No bees no honey, no work no money
Khong ong khong mat, khong lam khong tien
Tay lam ham nhai, tay quai mieng tre
Hands work then mouth eats, hands slack then mouth slack

No pain, no gain
Khong dau, khong lay duoc
Hong nao ma chang co gai
No roses are free from thorns


Observation is the best teacher
Su quan sat la nguoi thay tot nhat
Tram nghe khong bang mot thay
Hundred hearings is not as good as one seeing

Once a thief, always a thief
Mot lan la ke trom, luon luon la ke trom
Ngua quen duong cu
The horse is used to the old road

One cannot be too careful
Nguoi ta khong the nao can than qua muc duoc
Can tac, vo uu
Be careful, be worry-free

One cloud is enough to eclipse the sun
Mot dam may co the che duoc ca mat troi
Con sau lam rau noi canh
The worm damages the soup

One false step leads to another
Mot buoc sai dua den buoc lam khac
Sai mot ly di mot dam
Wrong by one millimetre, go wrong by one mile

One law for the rich and another for the poor
Mot luat cho nguoi giau va mot luat khac cho nguoi ngheo
Nen bac dam toac to giay
A piece of silver can rupture a piece of paper

One man does not make a team
Mot nguoi khong lam nen mot doi
Mot cay lam chang nen non, Ba cay chum lai nen hon nui cao (Ca Dao)
One tree makes not a hill, three trees make a mountain

Out of sight, out of mind
Ra khoi tam nhin, ra khoi coi long
Xa mat, cach long
Faces far, minds separated

Out of the frying pan, into the fire
Ra khoi chao, vao lua
Tranh vo dua, gap vo dua
Avoid the melon shell, caught by the coconut shell


Pay a man back in the same coin
Tra cho nguoi ta bang dong tien giong nhu vay
Di voi but mac ao ca sa, di voi ma mac ao giay
Wear robe when with Buddha, wear paper clothes when with ghosts

Practice what you preach
Thuc hanh cai ma ban day
Vua di truoc, lang nuoc theo sau
The king leads at the front, the villages follow

Pigs might fly
Heo co the bay
Nao ai hoc duoc chu ngo
No-one can learn the word foresight

Prevention is better than cure
Phong ngua hon chua benh
Phong benh hon chua benh (Literal Equivalent)
Prevention is better than cure


Rats desert a sinking ship
Khi tau chim, chuot bo tron
Chay nha ra mat chuot
When the house is on fire, the mouse appears

Repetition is the mother of learning
Su lap lai la me cua su hoc
Dao nang liec nang sac
A knife more frequently sharpened is sharper

Rumour is a lying jade
Tieng don la hon goc xanh noi lao
Mot don muoi, muoi don tram
One becomes ten after rumours, ten becomes hundred after rumours


Saying and doing are two things
Noi va lam la hai dieu
Noi mot dang, lam mot neo
Talk one way, do another

Seeing is believing
Thay la tin
Tram nghe khong bang mot thay
Hundred hearings is not as good as one seeing

Silence is golden
Yen lang la vang
An bot bat noi bot loi
Eat less bowls talk less words

Sink or swim
Boi khong thi chim
Duoc an ca, nga ve khong
Win and take all, fall and go home empty-handed

So much to do, so little done
Can phai lamthat nhieu, nhung chi lam duoc it
Luc bat tong tam
Strength does not follow mind's orders

Sow the wind and reap the whirl wind
Gieo gio gat bao
Gieo gio, gat bao (Literal Equivalent)
Sow wind, reap storm

Still water runs deep
Nuoc nam yen chay sau
Tam ngam tam ngam ma dam chet voi
Quiet but kills the elephant

Success is never blamed
Khong ai trach su thanh cong
Duoc lam vua, thua lam giac
Succeed and become king, fail and become rebel


The darkest place is under the candlestick
Cho toi nhat la duoi cay den cay
Viec nha thi nhac, viec chu bac thi sieng (HAY: An com nha, gac nga voi)
Lazy at own family's affairs, keen at uncles (OR: Eat at home, carry elephant tusk)

The die is cast
Khuon da do
So phan da an bai
Fate has been laid down

The early bird catches the worm
Chim den som bat duoc xau
Trau cham uong nuoc duc
Slow ox drinks dirty water

The grass always seems greener across the fence
Co ben kia hang rao luon luon xanh hon
Dung nui nay, trong nui no
Stand on this mountain, long for that mountain

The highest tree has the greatest fall
Cay cao nhat thi do nhieu nhat
Treo cao, te dau
Climb high, fall badly

The race is to the swift
Cuoc dua la cua cua ke mau le
Manh duoc, yeu thua
The strong wins, the weak loses

There is no smoke without fire
Khong co khoi neu khong co lua
Khong co lua lam sao co khoi
Without fire how can there be smoke

Time is money
Thi gioi la tien
Thi gio qui hon vang bac
Time is more valuable than gold and silver

To know the disease is half the cure
Bien benh gi la chua duoc nua benh roi
Biet nguoi biet ta, tram tran tram thang
Know them know us, hundred battles hundred wins


We can live without our friends but not without our neighbours
Chung ta co the song khong co ban nhung khong the song khong co hang xom
Anh em xa khong bang lang gieng gan
Siblings far away less [useful] than neighbours nearby

When in Rome, do as Romans do
Khi o La Ma, lam theo nguoi La Ma
Nhap gia tuy tuc
Entering a house must follow its customs

When wine is in, wit is out
Ruou nho vao, su khon ngoan ra
Ruou vao, loi ra
The drink goes in, the words go out

Where there is a will, there is a way
Noi nao co y muon, noi do co con duong
Co chi thi nen
Have diligence, will succeed


You have made your bed, and you must lie on it
Ban da lam giuong, ban phai nam tren no
Co gan lam, co gan chiu
Brave enough to do, brave enough to bear [consequences]
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Never say die
Dung bao gio noi chet
Cho thay song ca ma nga tay cheo
Donâ?Tt slacken your rowing because you see big waves

Never write what you dare not sign
Dung bao gio viet cai gi ma ban khong dam ky
But sa, ga chet
The pen falls, the chicken dies

No bees no honey, no work no money
Khong ong khong mat, khong lam khong tien
Tay lam ham nhai, tay quai mieng tre
Hands work then mouth eats, hands slack then mouth slack

No pain, no gain
Khong dau, khong lay duoc
Hong nao ma chang co gai
No roses are free from thorns


Observation is the best teacher
Su quan sat la nguoi thay tot nhat
Tram nghe khong bang mot thay
Hundred hearings is not as good as one seeing

Once a thief, always a thief
Mot lan la ke trom, luon luon la ke trom
Ngua quen duong cu
The horse is used to the old road

One cannot be too careful
Nguoi ta khong the nao can than qua muc duoc
Can tac, vo uu
Be careful, be worry-free

One cloud is enough to eclipse the sun
Mot dam may co the che duoc ca mat troi
Con sau lam rau noi canh
The worm damages the soup

One false step leads to another
Mot buoc sai dua den buoc lam khac
Sai mot ly di mot dam
Wrong by one millimetre, go wrong by one mile

One law for the rich and another for the poor
Mot luat cho nguoi giau va mot luat khac cho nguoi ngheo
Nen bac dam toac to giay
A piece of silver can rupture a piece of paper

One man does not make a team
Mot nguoi khong lam nen mot doi
Mot cay lam chang nen non, Ba cay chum lai nen hon nui cao (Ca Dao)
One tree makes not a hill, three trees make a mountain

Out of sight, out of mind
Ra khoi tam nhin, ra khoi coi long
Xa mat, cach long
Faces far, minds separated

Out of the frying pan, into the fire
Ra khoi chao, vao lua
Tranh vo dua, gap vo dua
Avoid the melon shell, caught by the coconut shell


Pay a man back in the same coin
Tra cho nguoi ta bang dong tien giong nhu vay
Di voi but mac ao ca sa, di voi ma mac ao giay
Wear robe when with Buddha, wear paper clothes when with ghosts

Practice what you preach
Thuc hanh cai ma ban day
Vua di truoc, lang nuoc theo sau
The king leads at the front, the villages follow

Pigs might fly
Heo co the bay
Nao ai hoc duoc chu ngo
No-one can learn the word foresight

Prevention is better than cure
Phong ngua hon chua benh
Phong benh hon chua benh (Literal Equivalent)
Prevention is better than cure


Rats desert a sinking ship
Khi tau chim, chuot bo tron
Chay nha ra mat chuot
When the house is on fire, the mouse appears

Repetition is the mother of learning
Su lap lai la me cua su hoc
Dao nang liec nang sac
A knife more frequently sharpened is sharper

Rumour is a lying jade
Tieng don la hon goc xanh noi lao
Mot don muoi, muoi don tram
One becomes ten after rumours, ten becomes hundred after rumours


Saying and doing are two things
Noi va lam la hai dieu
Noi mot dang, lam mot neo
Talk one way, do another

Seeing is believing
Thay la tin
Tram nghe khong bang mot thay
Hundred hearings is not as good as one seeing

Silence is golden
Yen lang la vang
An bot bat noi bot loi
Eat less bowls talk less words

Sink or swim
Boi khong thi chim
Duoc an ca, nga ve khong
Win and take all, fall and go home empty-handed

So much to do, so little done
Can phai lamthat nhieu, nhung chi lam duoc it
Luc bat tong tam
Strength does not follow mind's orders

Sow the wind and reap the whirl wind
Gieo gio gat bao
Gieo gio, gat bao (Literal Equivalent)
Sow wind, reap storm

Still water runs deep
Nuoc nam yen chay sau
Tam ngam tam ngam ma dam chet voi
Quiet but kills the elephant

Success is never blamed
Khong ai trach su thanh cong
Duoc lam vua, thua lam giac
Succeed and become king, fail and become rebel


The darkest place is under the candlestick
Cho toi nhat la duoi cay den cay
Viec nha thi nhac, viec chu bac thi sieng (HAY: An com nha, gac nga voi)
Lazy at own family's affairs, keen at uncles (OR: Eat at home, carry elephant tusk)

The die is cast
Khuon da do
So phan da an bai
Fate has been laid down

The early bird catches the worm
Chim den som bat duoc xau
Trau cham uong nuoc duc
Slow ox drinks dirty water

The grass always seems greener across the fence
Co ben kia hang rao luon luon xanh hon
Dung nui nay, trong nui no
Stand on this mountain, long for that mountain

The highest tree has the greatest fall
Cay cao nhat thi do nhieu nhat
Treo cao, te dau
Climb high, fall badly

The race is to the swift
Cuoc dua la cua cua ke mau le
Manh duoc, yeu thua
The strong wins, the weak loses

There is no smoke without fire
Khong co khoi neu khong co lua
Khong co lua lam sao co khoi
Without fire how can there be smoke

Time is money
Thi gioi la tien
Thi gio qui hon vang bac
Time is more valuable than gold and silver

To know the disease is half the cure
Bien benh gi la chua duoc nua benh roi
Biet nguoi biet ta, tram tran tram thang
Know them know us, hundred battles hundred wins


We can live without our friends but not without our neighbours
Chung ta co the song khong co ban nhung khong the song khong co hang xom
Anh em xa khong bang lang gieng gan
Siblings far away less [useful] than neighbours nearby

When in Rome, do as Romans do
Khi o La Ma, lam theo nguoi La Ma
Nhap gia tuy tuc
Entering a house must follow its customs

When wine is in, wit is out
Ruou nho vao, su khon ngoan ra
Ruou vao, loi ra
The drink goes in, the words go out

Where there is a will, there is a way
Noi nao co y muon, noi do co con duong
Co chi thi nen
Have diligence, will succeed


You have made your bed, and you must lie on it
Ban da lam giuong, ban phai nam tren no
Co gan lam, co gan chiu
Brave enough to do, brave enough to bear [consequences]
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How Wise is Proverbial Wisdom?
October 12, 2001
â Richard Lederer
A proverb is a well-known, venerable saying rooted in philosophical or religious wisdom. Just about everybody knows some proverbs, and we often base decisions on these instructive maxims.
But when you line up proverbs that spout conflicting advice, you have to wonder if these beloved aphorisms arenõ?Tt simply personal observations masquerading as universal truths:
We often proclaim that actions speak louder than words, but at the same time we contend that the pen is mightier than the sword.
How can it be true that you should look before you leap but make hay while the sun shines?
Itõ?Ts better to be safe than sorry, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Haste makes waste, but he who hesitates is lost.
Patience is a virtue, but opportunity knocks but once.
Slow and steady wins the race, but gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread, but faint heart never won fair maiden.
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, but don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Thereõ?Ts no place like home and home is where the heart is, but the grass is always greener on the other side and a rolling stone gathers no moss.
Where ignorance is bliss, õ?~tis folly to be wise because what you donõ?Tt know canõ?Tt hurt you, but it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness because the unexamined life is not worth living.
Too many cooks spoil the broth, but many hands make light work.
Twoõ?Ts company and threeõ?Ts a crowd, but the more the merrier because two heads are better than one.
If at first you donõ?Tt succeed, try try again, but donõ?Tt beat a dead horse.
Silence is golden, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Clothes make the man, but beauty is only skin deep because you can't judge a book by its cover and all that glitters is not gold.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
A stitch in time saves nine, but better late than never.
The bigger, the better, but the best things come in small packages.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but out of sight, out of mind.
What will be will be, but life is what you make it.
Donõ?Tt cross your bridges before you come to them and donõ?Tt count your chickens before theyõ?Tre hatched, but forewarned is forearmed and well begun is half done.
What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, but one man's meat is another man's poison.
With age comes wisdom but out of the mouths of babes and sucklings come wisdom.
Turn the other cheek and forgive and forget, but an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth because turnabout is fair play.
Itõ?Ts not whether you win or lose but how you play the game, but allõ?Ts fair in love and war and the ends justify the means.
Quite apparently, whichever side of an argument one takes, one can usually find a proverb *****pport it. Thatõ?Ts why Miguel Cervantes wrote, õ?oThere is no proverb that is not true,õ? while Lady Montagu proclaimed that õ?ogeneral notions are generally wrong.õ?
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ĐặỏằÊc Milou sỏằưa chỏằa / chuyỏằfn vào 09:51 ngày 08/09/2002