🏆 Top 100 Quotes in the World

Qui no vulgui pols, que no vagi a l'era.

“He who doesn't want dust shouldn't go to the threshing floor.”

If you don't want the consequences of an activity, it is best to avoid it altogether.

الكلام من فضة والسكوت من ذهب.

“Speech is silver, but silence is golden.”

Sometimes staying quiet is wiser than speaking.

“A real friend is one who takes the hand of his friend in times of distress.”

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

“What sweet nanny goat will run its belly.”

Something that seems pleasurable in the moment can bring trouble or pain afterward.

“Every day the bucket goes to the well, but one day the bottom will drop out.”

Repeated risky or dishonest behavior will eventually catch up with you.

Asnjëri nuk mund t'i shërbejë dy zotërinjve.

“No one can serve two masters.”

A person cannot devote full loyalty to two conflicting causes or masters at once.

Ծառից խնձոր հեռու չի ընկնում.

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

Children tend to resemble their parents in character, values, and habits.

“The body is easily satisfied, but not the heart.”

Material needs are simple to fulfill, but emotional and spiritual longing is never fully satisfied.

“Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all.”

Obstacles are not reasons to stop; they are simply the next problem to solve.

Los hermanos sean unidos, porque ésa es la ley primera; tengan unión verdadera en cualquier tiempo que sea, porque si entre ellos pelean los devoran los de ajuera.

“Let the brothers be united, for that is the first law; may they keep true union in whatever time it may be, because if they fight among themselves, those from outside will devour them.”

Family and community must stay united, because division leaves them vulnerable to outside enemies.

E lele le toloa ae ma'au i le vai.

“The wild duck flies far and wide, but it always returns to the water.”

No matter how far a person travels or how long they are away, they will always return home to their family and roots.

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.

A fair go

“A fair go for all.”

Everyone deserves an equal opportunity and to be treated justly, regardless of background.

Poco poco ta yena bari.

“Little by little, the barrel fills.”

Steady, small efforts accumulate over time into real progress.

Borta bra men hemma bäst.

“Away is good, but home is best.”

However pleasant travel or life elsewhere may be, nothing surpasses the comfort of home.

Ağıl başda olar, yaşda olmaz.

“Wisdom lies in the mind, not in age.”

True intelligence comes from the mind, not simply from the number of years a person has lived.

Ko rano rani, dvije sreće grabi.

“He who rises early gathers two fortunes.”

Starting the day early gives a person a double advantage over others.

A pint pot can hold a gill, but a gill can't hold a pint pot

“A pint pot can hold a gill, but a gill cannot hold a pint pot.”

A bigger capacity can absorb a smaller amount, but a small capacity cannot hold something larger than itself — not every situation works both ways.

অতি লোভে তাঁতি নষ্ট

“Excessive greed ruins the weaver.”

Wanting too much or being too greedy ultimately leads to a person's own downfall.

Als het kalf verdronken is, dempt men de put.

“When the calf has drowned, one fills in the well.”

Taking precautions only after the damage is already done — closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.

“If you haven't been to two marketplaces, you don't know which offers the best value.”

Comparing options through direct experience reveals true value.

Дай му власт, та да го видиш какъв е.

“Give him power, and you'll see who he really is.”

Power reveals a person's true character.

ما لك غير خشمك لو كان عوج

“All you have is your nose, even if it's bent.”

You must accept and make the best of what you actually have, since it is the only thing that is truly yours.

Ubumwe buramota

“Cohesion embalms.”

Unity and concord preserve and strengthen a community.

“Silence is an attribute of the dead; he who is alive speaks.”

Living, engaged people communicate; withdrawing into silence is a kind of death.

Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid.

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

Patient, steady effort eventually accomplishes great things.

“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

It is better to hold onto something certain than to risk losing it while chasing something uncertain but seemingly greater.

Bagai aur dengan tebing.

“Like the bamboo and its riverbank.”

Two parties support and depend on each other, thriving only through mutual cooperation.

Al que madruga, Dios le ayuda.

“God helps those who rise early.”

Getting an early start on the day brings good fortune and better results.

Mihó lat ku nunka.

“Better late than never.”

Acting late is still worth more than never acting at all.

Quem não tem cão caça com gato.

“Who doesn't have a dog hunts with a cat.”

When you lack the ideal resource, you make do with whatever means are available.

Come see me is nothing, come live with me something.

“To come see me is nothing; to come live with me is something.”

A short visit reveals little about a person, but living together reveals everything.

“Don't put an easy tongue in an easy mouth.”

A warning against careless, excessive talkativeness — speak thoughtfully rather than freely.

“What drama, we wondered, was attached to this strange discovery.”

Crawford's reflection on finding an unmarked, abandoned lifeboat on Bouvet Island in 1964 — a reminder that even the world's most remote, uninhabited places hold human mysteries.

Kgomo e tshwarwa ka dinaka, motho ka mafoko.

“A bull is caught by its horns, but a person is caught by their words.”

A person's own words reveal their true character and can bind them just as surely as an animal is restrained by its horns.

Загляне сонца і ў наша ваконца.

“The sun will look into our window too.”

Hard times will pass and better days will surely come; do not despair when there is no hope.

Ax me no question, ah tell yu no lies. If yu ax me again, ah spit eena yu eyes.

“Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies. Ask me again, and I'll spit in your eyes.”

A blunt refusal to be interrogated — some things are better left unasked.

Keep your stick on the ice.

“Keep your stick on the ice.”

Stay alert, stay ready, and keep doing the right thing even when nothing is happening.

Bagai aur dengan tebing.

“Like the bamboo and the riverbank.”

Two parties depend on and protect one another, each strengthening the other.

“The nuts from a palm tree do not fall without dragging a few leaves with them.”

Every significant action causes some collateral effect; nothing important happens without consequences.

“The river does not fear the forest it flows through.”

A person who knows their own strength and purpose stays confident even in unfamiliar or imposing surroundings.

“All monkeys cannot hang on the same branch.”

People differ in ability and status; not everyone can occupy the same position at once.

Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.

“The morning hour has gold in its mouth.”

Starting work early in the day is rewarding and productive.

Une seule main ne peut pas nouer un fagot.

“One hand alone cannot tie up a bundle.”

Cooperation accomplishes what no individual can manage alone — a call to community solidarity and shared effort over solitary struggle.

Karikao pao ngata.

“This is a shell in the sea which is hard to crack — you are a stubborn one.”

Used to describe a person who is stubborn and will not be moved from their position, comparing them to a shellfish that resists cracking open.

Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.

“The shrimp that falls asleep is carried away by the current.”

If you become complacent or inattentive, you will lose your opportunity or be left behind.

“A bird that allows itself to be caught will find a way of escaping.”

Even in a difficult trap, a resourceful spirit can still find a path to freedom.

千里之行，始于足下

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Great undertakings are accomplished by starting with a single small action.

El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.

“He who embraces too much, holds little.”

Taking on too many things at once means you do none of them well.

Al que madruga, Dios le ayuda.

“The early riser gets God's help.”

Diligence and starting early are rewarded.

La yagua que está pa' uno, no hay vaca que se la coma.

“No cow can eat the palm bark that belongs to you.”

What fate has set aside for a person cannot be taken away by anyone else.

Kábu ki ta kume, ta paga.

“What you eat, you pay for.”

Every action returns to the one who committed it; consequences always catch up with you.

Mihó lat ku nunka.

“Better late than never.”

Acting late is still worth more than never acting at all.

千里之行,始于足下

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Great undertakings start with small, concrete first actions.

Αδκειασερός παπάς, θάβκει τζαι τους ζωντανούς.

“An idle priest buries even the living.”

A person with too much idle time meddles in matters that do not concern him, sometimes doing real harm.

Bez práce nejsou koláče.

“Without work, there are no cakes.”

Nothing worthwhile comes without effort.

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.

“A brave man is scared of a lion three times: first when he sees its tracks, second when he hears its roar, and third when he faces it.”

True courage does not mean feeling no fear; it means facing that fear again and again until you meet the danger directly.

Enhver er sin egen lykkes smed.

“Everyone is the smith of their own fortune.”

Each person shapes their own destiny through their own efforts.

Piti hach ka bat gwo bwa.

“Little axe cuts big tree.”

Do not judge someone or something by its size; the small can accomplish what the large cannot.

Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.

“The shrimp that falls asleep gets carried away by the current.”

Negligence or complacency causes you to lose your opportunity.

Serr tnin ya ârfouh alfin.

“A secret shared by two soon becomes a secret known to no one.”

Secrets shared between two people quickly become public knowledge.

A buen hambre, no hay pan malo.

“When hungry enough, no bread is bad.”

Real need makes people accept what they would otherwise reject.

Valel on lühikesed jalad.

“A lie has short legs.”

Dishonesty cannot travel far before it is caught out.

القرد في عين أمه غزال

“The monkey in his mother's eyes is a gazelle.”

A mother sees her own child as beautiful and flawless no matter what others think.

الصبر مفتاح الفرج

“Patience is the key to relief.”

Enduring hardship with patience eventually opens the way to relief and ease.

“The beauty of a tree is its leaves; the beauty of a person is patience.”

What truly makes a person admirable is patience, just as leaves are what make a tree beautiful.

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.

“He who rises early, God helps.”

Diligence and getting an early start bring reward and good fortune.

ድር ቢያብር አንበሳ ያስር

“When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.”

Individually weak people or efforts become powerful when they join together in unity.

Ei kukaan ole seppä syntyessään.

“No one is a blacksmith when they are born.”

Skill and mastery come through practice and effort, not from birth.

Lutu na niu, lutu ki vuna.

“The coconut falls close to its own roots.”

Children tend to grow up resembling the home and upbringing that shaped them.

“We were driven in among certain isles never before discovered by any known relation, lying fifty leagues or better from the shore East and Northerly from the Straits, in which place, unless it had pleased God of His wonderful mercy to have ceased the wind, we must of necessity have perished.”

The first recorded European account of sighting the Falkland Islands — a storm-driven detour during a doomed Pacific raiding voyage produced Europe's earliest documented encounter with the archipelago.

“You have to remember how the islands move. If you forget that, you're lost.”

In traditional Micronesian wayfinding the navigator mentally tracks the islands moving past the canoe rather than the canoe moving toward the islands; losing that mental map means losing your way.

“Cattle die, kinsmen die, and you yourself will die; but the good name of a man who has earned it never dies.”

A person's reputation and honorable deeds outlive their physical life.

Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid.

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

Great results are achieved gradually through patient, consistent effort.

“You do not teach the paths of the forest to an old gorilla.”

Do not try to instruct someone who already has deep experience in a matter.

A stitch in time saves nine.

“A stitch in time saves nine.”

Dealing with a small problem promptly prevents it from becoming a much bigger one.

Moon run run till daylight catch up.

“No matter how fast the moon runs, daylight will always catch up with it.”

Wrongdoing or unresolved matters cannot be outrun forever — the truth or the consequence eventually catches up with you.

“Whatever the wind brings, the wind takes away.”

Wealth or fortune gained by chance can just as easily disappear again.

Toti té ké volé si li té gen plim.

“The turtle would fly if it had feathers.”

People often claim they would achieve great things if only they had what they lack, an excuse for ambition that will never really be tested.

P'tit patchet long ch'min coute.

“A small packet becomes a heavy burden on a long journey.”

Even a minor load feels heavier the further and longer you must carry it.

Ti koro nko agyina.

“One head does not go into council.”

Wisdom grows through consultation — big decisions need many minds, not one alone.

Hay quien por buscar un ochavillo gasta un real en cerillos.

“There are those who, chasing a small coin, spend a bigger one on candles.”

Warns against wasting more effort or money pursuing a small gain than the gain is actually worth.

Den, der raster, ruster.

“He who rests, rusts.”

Constant motion, work, and effort keep a person capable; standing still leads to decline.

“If a donkey kicks you and you kick back, you are both donkeys.”

Responding to foolishness with more foolishness only lowers you to the same level.

“One tree does not make a forest.”

Unity and community strength accomplish what a single individual cannot.

Pran douvan avan douvan pran-w.

“Take the lead before the lead takes you.”

You must know how to anticipate trouble so it does not catch you by surprise.

“A dog that is determined to go astray will not wait to listen to the voice of the master.”

Someone set on doing wrong will ignore every warning and piece of guidance offered to them.

Όποιος βιάζεται σκοντάφτει.

“He who is in a hurry stumbles.”

Acting too hastily leads to mistakes and setbacks.

“A country doomed by Nature never once to feel the warmth of the Sun's rays, but to lie for ever buried under everlasting snow and ice.”

Cook's journal description of South Georgia's interior after circumnavigating the island, capturing its permanent glacial bleakness.

Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.

“The shrimp that falls asleep gets carried off by the current.”

Complacency or inattention lets opportunity or danger overtake you.

Inafa'maolek

“Inafa'maolek — make it good for everyone, or it is not good at all.”

The foundational Chamorro value of interdependence: individual well-being is inseparable from the well-being of the whole community.

“Singing 'Halleluia' everywhere does not prove piety.”

Loud public displays of religious devotion do not necessarily reflect genuine faith or character.

Wha rain can't full, dew can't full.

“If the rain itself could not fill it, the dew certainly won't.”

If a sustained, serious effort already failed to achieve something, a smaller, lesser effort will not succeed where it did not.

未食五月糉，寒衣未入櫳

“Before eating the Dragon Boat Festival rice dumplings, don't put away your winter clothes.”

Warns that the weather stays changeable until after the Dragon Boat Festival in early summer, so don't put winter clothing away too soon.

“We were all the time nearing the object, and on looking again the Captain pronounced it to be land.”

The moment aboard the Oriental in 1853 when Fidelia and John Heard realized the distant shape they had first mistaken for an iceberg was in fact an undiscovered island.

A la fuerza, ni la comida es buena.

“Not even good food tastes good when it is forced on you.”

Anything, however good, becomes unpleasant when someone is compelled to accept it against their will.

Tko rano rani, dvije sreće grabi.

“He who rises early grabs two strokes of luck.”

Starting the day early gives a person a double advantage over others.

Dèyè mòn gen mòn.

“Beyond the mountains, there are more mountains.”

No matter how great your struggle, greater ones may still lie ahead — life presents challenge after challenge.

Aki másnak vermet ás, maga esik bele.

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

Scheming to harm others ultimately brings ruin upon yourself.