Saint Martin Proverbs (50)

Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid.

“Little by little, the bird builds its nest.”

Patient, steady effort accumulates into something substantial over time.

Qui vole un œuf, vole un bœuf.

“He who steals an egg will steal an ox.”

A small dishonest act reveals a character capable of much greater wrongdoing.

L'habit ne fait pas le moine.

“The habit does not make the monk.”

Outward appearance does not reveal a person's true nature or worth.

Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué.

“One must not sell the bear's skin before killing it.”

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

Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide.

“A scalded cat fears even cold water.”

A painful past experience can make someone overly cautious, even about something harmless.

Les bons comptes font les bons amis.

“Good accounts make good friends.”

Being clear and honest about money and debts helps preserve friendships.

Rome ne s'est pas faite en un jour.

“Rome was not built in a day.”

Significant achievements take time and cannot be rushed.

Qui sème le vent récolte la tempête.

“He who sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.”

Reckless or provocative actions bring severe and disproportionate consequences.

Vouloir, c'est pouvoir.

“To want is to be able.”

Strong determination is often the key to achieving what seems difficult.

Après la pluie, le beau temps.

“After the rain comes good weather.”

Difficult times are always followed by better ones.

Mieux vaut tard que jamais.

“Better late than never.”

Doing something after a delay is preferable to never doing it at all.

Qui ne risque rien n'a rien.

“He who risks nothing has nothing.”

Nothing of value can be gained without taking some risk.

Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse.

“A rolling stone gathers no moss.”

Constantly moving from one thing to another prevents a person from settling or building something lasting.

Tel père, tel fils.

“Like father, like son.”

Children often take after their parents in character and behavior.

Les murs ont des oreilles.

“The walls have ears.”

Be careful what you say in private, because someone may be listening.

L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur.

“Money does not make happiness.”

Wealth alone cannot guarantee a fulfilling and contented life.

Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même.

“Well-ordered charity begins with oneself.”

One must first take care of one's own needs before being able to properly help others.

Il faut battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud.

“One must strike while the iron is hot.”

Take advantage of the right opportunity while it lasts, before it disappears.

Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras.

“One 'here it is' is worth more than two 'you shall have it'.”

A small, certain gain is worth more than the promise of a larger, uncertain one.

Chacun voit midi à sa porte.

“Everyone sees noon at their own door.”

Each person tends to judge situations according to their own interests and point of view.

Loin des yeux, loin du cœur.

“Far from the eyes, far from the heart.”

Physical distance and absence gradually weaken emotional bonds and memory.

Qui va à la chasse perd sa place.

“He who goes hunting loses his place.”

If you step away from your position, someone else may take it while you are gone.

Ce n'est pas la mer à boire.

“It is not the sea one must drink.”

A task is rarely as difficult or overwhelming as it first appears.

Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu.

“There is no smoke without fire.”

Rumors or suspicions usually have some basis in truth.

Tout ce qui brille n'est pas or.

“Not all that glitters is gold.”

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

L'union fait la force.

“Unity makes strength.”

Strength and success come from people working together rather than acting alone.

Tel est pris qui croyait prendre.

“He who thought to catch is caught himself.”

A person who tries to trick or trap someone else can end up being the one who is trapped.

Il faut tourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche avant de parler.

“One should turn one's tongue seven times in one's mouth before speaking.”

Think carefully and choose your words with restraint before you speak, especially in anger.

On ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufs.

“One cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.”

Achieving an important result often requires some sacrifice or disruption along the way.

Les grands esprits se rencontrent.

“Great minds meet.”

People who think alike, or arrive independently at the same idea, are often especially perceptive.

L'exactitude est la politesse des rois.

“Punctuality is the politeness of kings.”

Being on time shows respect for others, a courtesy expected even of the most powerful.

Il vaut mieux prévenir que guérir.

“It is better to prevent than to cure.”

Taking precautions to avoid a problem is wiser than trying to fix it after it has happened.

Qui ne dit mot consent.

“He who says nothing consents.”

Staying silent when given the chance to object is often taken as agreement.

L'occasion fait le larron.

“Opportunity makes the thief.”

An easy chance to do wrong can tempt even an otherwise honest person into wrongdoing.

Tous les chemins mènent à Rome.

“All roads lead to Rome.”

There are many different paths that can lead to the same goal or outcome.

À bon entendeur, salut.

“A word to the wise is enough.”

A perceptive listener needs only a hint or brief warning to understand the full message.

Il n'est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre.

“There is none so deaf as those who will not hear.”

People who refuse to listen or understand are harder to reach than those who genuinely cannot.

Les cordonniers sont les plus mal chaussés.

“Shoemakers are the worst shod.”

People skilled in a trade often neglect to apply that same skill to their own needs.

La nuit porte conseil.

“The night brings counsel.”

Sleeping on a difficult decision often brings greater clarity by morning.

Ventre affamé n'a point d'oreilles.

“A hungry stomach has no ears.”

A person who is desperate or in need has little patience for reasoning or excuses.

Qui trop embrasse mal étreint.

“He who grasps too much holds nothing well.”

Trying to take on too many things at once often means succeeding at none of them.

Plus on est de fous, plus on rit.

“The more fools there are, the more one laughs.”

A larger group of people, even a boisterous one, tends to make an occasion more enjoyable.

Qui se ressemble s'assemble.

“Those who resemble each other come together.”

People with similar interests, backgrounds, or characters tend to form groups together.

Le temps, c'est de l'argent.

“Time is money.”

Time is a valuable resource that should not be wasted, much like money.

Quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire.

“When the wine is drawn, it must be drunk.”

Once a course of action has been started, it must be seen through to the end.

L'arbre cache souvent la forêt.

“The tree often hides the forest.”

Focusing too closely on one detail can prevent a person from seeing the larger picture.

C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron.

“It is by forging that one becomes a blacksmith.”

Skill and mastery are developed through repeated practice, not innate talent alone.

Chose promise, chose due.

“A promise made is a debt owed.”

A commitment, once given, should be honored just as seriously as a financial debt.

Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.

“The best is the enemy of the good.”

Constantly striving for perfection can prevent a person from accepting a solution that is already good enough.

On ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre.

“One cannot have the butter and the money for the butter.”

It is unrealistic to expect every possible benefit from a situation at once; some tradeoff is usually required.