Austria — quotes, proverbs & wisdom

Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen.

“No master has ever fallen from the sky.”

Mastery of any skill comes only through practice and effort, not by chance.

Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.

“The morning hour has gold in its mouth.”

Those who rise and work early accomplish the most and prosper.

Wer rastet, der rostet.

“He who rests, rusts.”

Staying idle causes skills and body to decline; keep active to stay sharp.

Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold.

“Speech is silver, silence is gold.”

Knowing when to stay silent is often more valuable than speaking.

Der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm.

“The apple does not fall far from the tree.”

Children tend to resemble their parents in character and behavior.

Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei.

“Everything has an end, only the sausage has two.”

All things must eventually come to a close, expressed with humor.

Übung macht den Meister.

“Practice makes the master.”

Repeated practice is the path to excellence in any endeavor.

Es wird nichts so heiß gegessen, wie es gekocht wird.

“Nothing is eaten as hot as it is cooked.”

Things are rarely as bad as they first appear or are threatened to be.

Lügen haben kurze Beine.

“Lies have short legs.”

Lies are soon found out and do not carry a person very far.

In der Not frisst der Teufel Fliegen.

“In times of need, the devil eats flies.”

When desperate, people make do with whatever little is available.

Der Ton macht die Musik.

“The tone makes the music.”

How something is said matters as much as what is said.

Aller Anfang ist schwer.

“Every beginning is hard.”

Starting something new is always the most difficult part.

Wer nicht wagt, der nicht gewinnt.

“He who does not dare, does not win.”

Taking risks is necessary to achieve success.

Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen.

“What you can do today, do not put off until tomorrow.”

Do not delay tasks that can be finished right away.

Kleider machen Leute.

“Clothes make the person.”

Outward appearance strongly shapes how others judge and treat you.

Viele Köche verderben den Brei.

“Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

Too many people trying to direct one task leads to a poor result.

Andere Länder, andere Sitten.

“Other countries, other customs.”

Different places have different traditions, so travelers should be respectful and open-minded.

Wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten.

“He who laughs last, laughs best.”

A final victory is sweeter than any earlier taunts or setbacks.

Ende gut, alles gut.

“All's well that ends well.”

A good outcome makes up for the difficulties encountered along the way.

Übermut tut selten gut.

“Arrogance rarely does any good.”

Excessive pride or recklessness usually leads to trouble.

Ein Unglück kommt selten allein.

“Misfortune rarely comes alone.”

Bad events often seem to arrive together rather than one at a time.

Der Krug geht so lange zum Brunnen, bis er bricht.

“The jug goes to the well until it finally breaks.”

Repeated risky behavior will eventually catch up with a person.

Was sich liebt, das neckt sich.

“Those who love each other, tease each other.”

Playful teasing between close people is a sign of affection.

Liebe geht durch den Magen.

“Love goes through the stomach.”

Good food and care are a meaningful way to win someone's affection.

Wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg.

“Where there is a will, there is also a way.”

Strong determination will eventually find a path to success.

Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben.

“One should not praise the day before evening.”

Do not celebrate success too early, since things can still go wrong.

Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein.

“Constant dripping hollows the stone.”

Persistent, steady effort can overcome even the hardest obstacles.

Eile mit Weile.

“Make haste slowly.”

Even urgent tasks are best done carefully and without rash haste.

Wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen.

“Whoever says A must also say B.”

Once committed to the first step, one must follow through with the rest.

Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus.

“As you call into the forest, so it echoes back.”

How you treat others determines how you will be treated in return.

Was ich nicht weiß, macht mich nicht heiß.

“What I don't know doesn't make me hot.”

A person is not troubled by problems they are unaware of; ignorance is bliss.

Kommt Zeit, kommt Rat.

“When the time comes, the advice will come too.”

A solution will present itself in due time, so there is no need to rush a decision.

Man lernt nie aus.

“One never finishes learning.”

Learning continues throughout a person's entire life.

Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht.

“Caution is better than regret.”

It is wiser to act carefully in advance than to need forgiveness afterward.

Not macht erfinderisch.

“Necessity makes one inventive.”

Difficult circumstances push people to find creative solutions.

Aus den Augen, aus dem Sinn.

“Out of sight, out of mind.”

People and things not seen regularly are gradually forgotten.

Geteiltes Leid ist halbes Leid.

“Shared sorrow is half sorrow.”

Sharing hardship with others makes the burden easier to bear.

Geteilte Freude ist doppelte Freude.

“Shared joy is double joy.”

Happiness grows larger when it is shared with others.

Wer im Glashaus sitzt, soll nicht mit Steinen werfen.

“He who sits in a glass house should not throw stones.”

Do not criticize others for faults you share yourself.

Eigenlob stinkt.

“Self-praise stinks.”

Boasting about oneself is unattractive and off-putting to others.

Kleinvieh macht auch Mist.

“Small livestock also makes manure.”

Small contributions add up to something significant over time.

Man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verteilen, bevor man ihn erlegt hat.

“One should not divide the bear's skin before the bear is caught.”

Do not count on the rewards of something before it is actually achieved.

Es ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt.

“Not all that glitters is gold.”

Appearances can be deceiving; something attractive is not always genuinely valuable.

Der Schuster hat die schlechtesten Schuhe.

“The cobbler has the worst shoes.”

People often neglect to apply their own skills to their own needs.

Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht.

“Dogs that bark do not bite.”

Loud threats are often empty and less dangerous than they sound.

In der Kürze liegt die Würze.

“Brevity is the spice.”

Saying something briefly and clearly is often more effective than a long explanation.

Neue Besen kehren gut.

“New brooms sweep well.”

People starting a new role often work with great enthusiasm at first.

Man muss das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß ist.

“One must forge the iron while it is hot.”

Take advantage of a good opportunity while it is still available.

Ohne Fleiß kein Preis.

“Without effort, no reward.”

Success requires hard work; nothing worthwhile comes without effort.

Stille Wasser sind tief.

“Still waters run deep.”

Quiet people often have hidden depth, complexity, or feeling.