Germany — quotes, proverbs & wisdom

Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.

“The morning hour has gold in its mouth.”

Those who rise and start work early accomplish more and enjoy greater success.

Übung macht den Meister.

“Practice makes the master.”

Skill and mastery come only through repeated, sustained practice.

Wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen.

“Whoever says A must also say B.”

Once you begin something or commit to a position, you must follow it through to its consequences.

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 behaviour.

Lügen haben kurze Beine.

“Lies have short legs.”

Deceit does not carry far and is soon exposed.

Aller Anfang ist schwer.

“Every beginning is hard.”

The start of any new endeavour is the most difficult part.

Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben.

“One should not praise the day before the evening.”

Do not celebrate a success or judge an outcome before it is truly complete.

Wer anderen eine Grube gräbt, fällt selbst hinein.

“He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself.”

Those who plot harm against others often bring that harm upon themselves.

Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold.

“Speech is silver, silence is gold.”

There are times when saying nothing is more valuable than speaking.

Kleider machen Leute.

“Clothes make people.”

Appearance and dress strongly influence how a person is perceived and treated.

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

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

Procrastination should be avoided; do tasks promptly rather than delaying them.

Eile mit Weile.

“Hasten with leisure.”

Move quickly but carefully; rushing without care leads to mistakes.

Viele Köche verderben den Brei.

“Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

Too many people involved in a task can ruin the outcome.

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

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

Repeated risky behavior eventually leads to failure or disaster.

Hunger ist der beste Koch.

“Hunger is the best cook.”

When truly hungry, even simple food tastes wonderful; need sharpens appreciation.

Wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten.

“He who laughs last, laughs best.”

The final outcome matters more than early triumphs; do not celebrate too soon.

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

“As one calls into the forest, so it echoes back.”

How you treat others determines how you are treated in return.

Ende gut, alles gut.

“All is well that ends well.”

A good conclusion redeems the difficulties that came before it.

Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein.

“Constant dripping hollows the stone.”

Persistent, steady effort can overcome even the hardest obstacles.

Wer nicht wagt, der nicht gewinnt.

“He who does not dare does not win.”

Taking risks is necessary to achieve success.

Ein Unglück kommt selten allein.

“Misfortune seldom comes alone.”

Bad events often occur in clusters rather than in isolation.

Was sich liebt, das neckt sich.

“Those who love each other tease each other.”

Playful teasing is often a sign of affection between people.

Wer im Glashaus sitzt, sollte nicht mit Steinen werfen.

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

Do not criticize others for faults you share yourself.

Kleinvieh macht auch Mist.

“Small livestock also makes manure.”

Small contributions add up to something significant over time.

Not macht erfinderisch.

“Necessity makes one inventive.”

Difficult circumstances force people to find creative solutions.

Der Ton macht die Musik.

“The tone makes the music.”

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

Andere Länder, andere Sitten.

“Other countries, other customs.”

Different cultures have different practices that should be respected.

Wer rastet, der rostet.

“He who rests, rusts.”

Inactivity leads to stagnation and the decline of skill or ability.

Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht.

“Caution is better than leniency.”

It is wiser to be careful in advance than to regret carelessness later.

Zeit ist Geld.

“Time is money.”

Time is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.

Was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr.

“What little Hans does not learn, Hans will never learn.”

Skills and habits are best learned in youth, before they become difficult to acquire.

Es ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt.

“Not all that glitters is gold.”

Appearances can be deceiving; something that looks valuable may not truly be so.

Wer den Pfennig nicht ehrt, ist des Talers nicht wert.

“He who does not honor the penny is not worthy of the thaler.”

Those who waste small sums of money do not deserve larger ones.

Man kann nicht alle Tage Sonntag haben.

“One cannot have Sunday every day.”

Life cannot consist only of rest and celebration; hard days must also come.

Selbst ist der Mann.

“Self is the man.”

Self-reliance is often the surest way to get something accomplished.

Trau, schau, wem.

“Trust, but look carefully at whom.”

Be cautious about whom you place your trust in.

Wer zwei Hasen auf einmal jagt, bekommt keinen.

“He who chases two hares at once catches neither.”

Trying to pursue too many goals simultaneously often results in achieving none.

Wenn zwei sich streiten, freut sich der Dritte.

“When two quarrel, the third rejoices.”

Conflict between two parties often benefits an outside third party.

Mitgefangen, mitgehangen.

“Caught together, hanged together.”

Those who take part in wrongdoing share equally in its consequences.

Ohne Fleiß kein Preis.

“Without diligence, no prize.”

Reward and success come only through hard work.

In der Kürze liegt die Würze.

“In brevity lies the spice.”

Being concise makes communication more effective and appealing.

Was du nicht willst, das man dir tu, das füg auch keinem andern zu.

“What you do not want done to you, do not do to another.”

Treat others the way you wish to be treated yourself.

Alte Liebe rostet nicht.

“Old love does not rust.”

Deep, longstanding affection endures and does not fade with time.

Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen.

“No master has ever fallen from the sky.”

No one is born already skilled; mastery requires learning and practice.

Aus den Augen, aus dem Sinn.

“Out of sight, out of mind.”

People or things not seen regularly are gradually forgotten.

Kommt Zeit, kommt Rat.

“As time comes, so comes counsel.”

Given enough time, a solution or answer to a problem will present itself.

Wer schön sein will, muss leiden.

“He who wants to be beautiful must suffer.”

Achieving beauty or a desired result often requires enduring some discomfort.

Erst die Arbeit, dann das Vergnügen.

“Work first, then pleasure.”

Responsibilities should be completed before indulging in leisure or enjoyment.

Man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verteilen, bevor er erlegt ist.

“One should not divide the bear's skin before it has been killed.”

Do not count on the rewards of an outcome before it has actually happened.

Wer zuerst kommt, mahlt zuerst.

“He who comes first, grinds first.”

Those who arrive earliest are served or attended to before others.