proverbes en anglais

PROVERBES ANGLAISPROVERBES ANGLAIS

(février 2009)

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http://perso.numericable.fr/jeuxdelettres

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1- CLASSEMENT PAR THÈMES

2- CLASSEMENT ALPHABETIQUE

Classement par thèmesAbondance............................................................................................................................................5Absence................................................................................................................................................5Action...................................................................................................................................................5Adversité...............................................................................................................................................5Affaires.................................................................................................................................................6Age.......................................................................................................................................................6Aide......................................................................................................................................................6Alcool...................................................................................................................................................6Ambition...............................................................................................................................................7Amitié...................................................................................................................................................7Amour...................................................................................................................................................7Apparences...........................................................................................................................................8Appétit..................................................................................................................................................9Argent...................................................................................................................................................9Beauté.................................................................................................................................................11Bonheur..............................................................................................................................................11Caractère.............................................................................................................................................12Cause..................................................................................................................................................12Chagrin...............................................................................................................................................12Changement........................................................................................................................................12Charité................................................................................................................................................13Choix..................................................................................................................................................13Climat.................................................................................................................................................13Colère.................................................................................................................................................14Compétence........................................................................................................................................14Confiance............................................................................................................................................14Conseil................................................................................................................................................14Consentement.....................................................................................................................................15Conséquence.......................................................................................................................................15Constance...........................................................................................................................................15Corruption...........................................................................................................................................16Courage...............................................................................................................................................16Crime..................................................................................................................................................16Curiosité.............................................................................................................................................16Début..................................................................................................................................................17Destin..................................................................................................................................................17Devoir.................................................................................................................................................17Diable.................................................................................................................................................17Dieu....................................................................................................................................................18Différences.........................................................................................................................................18Difficultés...........................................................................................................................................19




Discrétion...........................................................................................................................................19Donner................................................................................................................................................20Douceur..............................................................................................................................................20Doute..................................................................................................................................................20Echec..................................................................................................................................................21Effort...................................................................................................................................................21Egoïsme..............................................................................................................................................21Enfants................................................................................................................................................21Enfer...................................................................................................................................................21Envie...................................................................................................................................................21Equité..................................................................................................................................................22Espoir..................................................................................................................................................22Esprit...................................................................................................................................................23Exception............................................................................................................................................23Excès...................................................................................................................................................23Expérience..........................................................................................................................................23Facilité................................................................................................................................................24Faiblesse.............................................................................................................................................24Familiarité...........................................................................................................................................24Fin.......................................................................................................................................................24Flatterie...............................................................................................................................................25Folie....................................................................................................................................................25Fortune................................................................................................................................................25Foyer...................................................................................................................................................25Futur...................................................................................................................................................26Gratitude.............................................................................................................................................27Habitude.............................................................................................................................................28Hérédité..............................................................................................................................................28Honnêteté............................................................................................................................................28Honneur..............................................................................................................................................28Ignorance............................................................................................................................................29Impossibilité.......................................................................................................................................29Influence.............................................................................................................................................30Innocence............................................................................................................................................30Inutilité...............................................................................................................................................30Jeunesse..............................................................................................................................................31Mal......................................................................................................................................................32Malheur...............................................................................................................................................32Manque...............................................................................................................................................32Mariage...............................................................................................................................................33Mérite.................................................................................................................................................33Métiers................................................................................................................................................33Mort....................................................................................................................................................33Nécessité.............................................................................................................................................34Opportunisme.....................................................................................................................................35Ordre...................................................................................................................................................35Orgueil................................................................................................................................................35Pardon.................................................................................................................................................36Paresse................................................................................................................................................36Parole..................................................................................................................................................36




Patience...............................................................................................................................................37Pauvreté..............................................................................................................................................38Perfection............................................................................................................................................38Politesse..............................................................................................................................................38Possession...........................................................................................................................................38Prétexte...............................................................................................................................................39Promesses...........................................................................................................................................39Propreté...............................................................................................................................................39Prudence.............................................................................................................................................39Puissance............................................................................................................................................40Réparations.........................................................................................................................................41Relativité.............................................................................................................................................41Remèdes.............................................................................................................................................41Réputation...........................................................................................................................................41Résistance...........................................................................................................................................41Ressemblance.....................................................................................................................................41Réussite...............................................................................................................................................42Rire.....................................................................................................................................................42Rivalité...............................................................................................................................................42Sagesse...............................................................................................................................................43Santé...................................................................................................................................................43Savoir..................................................................................................................................................43Serment...............................................................................................................................................43Temps.................................................................................................................................................44Union..................................................................................................................................................45Vengeance..........................................................................................................................................46Vérité..................................................................................................................................................46Vertu...................................................................................................................................................46Vol......................................................................................................................................................47




L'ABONDANCE

Enough is enoughTrop c'est trop

Enough is as good as a feastMieux vaut assez que trop

Plenty is no plagueThere's no harm in having too much

Abondance de biens ne nuit pas

Too many cooks spoil the brothTrop de cuisiniers (ères) gâtent la sauce

L'ABSENCE

Absence makes the heart grow fonderL'éloignement renforce l'affection

Long absent, soon forgottenLes absents sont vite oubliés

Out of sight, out of mindFar from the eyes, far from the heart

Loin des yeux, loin du cœur

The absent are always in the wrongLes absents ont toujours tort

When/while the cat's away, the mice will play.Quand le chat n'est pas là, les souris dansent

L'ACTION

He who hesitates is lostUn moment d'hésitation peut coûter cher

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do todayProcrastination is the thief of time

Ne remettez jamais à demain ce que vous pouvez faire aujourd'hui

To make hay while the sun shinesBattre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud

L'ADVERSITÉ

Attack is the best form of defenceL'attaque est la meilleure défense

Diamonds cut diamondsA malin, malin et demi

Gather thistles, expect pricklesQui s'y frotte, s'y pique

If you want peace prepare for warSi tu veux la paix prépare la guerre




Never tell an enemy that your foot achesNe révélez jamais une faiblesse à un adversaire

There is no little ennemyIl n'y a point de petit ennemi

Violence begets violenceLa violence engendre la violence

LES AFFAIRES

Business before pleasureLes affaires avant le plaisir

Business is businessLes affaires sont les affaires

Good wares make quick marketsBonne marchandise se vend vite

Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep theeEntretiens ta boutique et ta boutique t'entretiendra

Mind your own businessMêlez-vous de vos oignons

Occupez-vous de vos affaires

The customer always knows bestThe customer is always right

Le client a toujours raisonLe client est roi

L'AGE

Age before honestyLes gens âgés ont droit au respect

As old as AdamVieux comme le Pont Neuf

L'AIDE

God helps those who help themselvesAide-toi, le ciel t'aidera

You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yoursSi vous me rendez ce service, je vous le revaudrai

Aidez moi, je vous aiderai

L'ALCOOL

Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we dieMangeons, buvons et réjouissons-nous car nous mourrons demain

Good wine needs no bushA bon vin point d'enseigne




Once a drunkard, always a drunkardQui a bu boira

There is truth in wineLa vérité est dans le vin

In vino veritas

When the wine is in, the wit is outLe vin entre la raison sort

L'AMBITION

The higher the monkey climbs, the more he shows his tailPlus un singe s'élève, plus il montre son cul pelé

The highest tree has the greatest fallThe bigger they are, the harder they fall

Plus on tombe de haut, plus la chute est durePlus dure sera la chute

Many go for wool and come home shornBeaucoup s'en vont chercher de la laine et reviennent tondus

One may sooner fall than riseIl est plus facile de tomber que de s'élever

L'AMITIÉ

A false friend is worse than a bitter enemyUn faux ami est pire qu'un âpre ennemi

A friend in need is a friend indeedC'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis

A man's best friend is his dogLe chien est le meilleur ami de l'homme

Everybody's friend is nobody's friendAmi de tous, ami de personne

Good fences make good neighboursLes bonnes haies font les bons voisins

Short reckonings make long friendsLes bons comptes font les bons amis

The best friends must partIl n'y a si bonne compagnie qui ne doive se séparer

L'AMOUR

All is fair in love and warEn amour, comme à la guerre tous les moyens sont bons

Cold hands, warm heartMains froides, cœur chaud

Love conquers allIl n'est rien qu'amour n'emporte




Love is blindL'amour est aveugle

Love laughs at locksmithsL'amour force toutes les serrures

Love makes the world go roundL'amour conduit le monde

Love me, love my dogQui m'aime doit aimer mon chien

Lucky at cards, unlucky in loveHeureux au jeu, malheureux en amour

One cannot love and be wiseOn ne peut aimer et être sage

The course of true love never runs smoothLes grandes amours sont toujours dangereuses

LES APPARENCES

All is not gold that glittersAll that glitters is not goldTout ce qui brille n'est pas or

Appearances are deceptive/deceitfulLes apparences sont trompeuses

A barking dog never bitesBarking dogs seldom bite

His bark is worse thant his biteGreat barkers are not great biters

Chien qui aboie ne mord pas

Don't take things at their face valueNe vous fiez pas aux apparences

Fine clothes do not make a gentlemanL'habit ne fait pas le moine

Fine feathers make fine birdsLa belle plume fait le bel oiseau

It is not the cowl that makes the friarCe n'est pas l'habit qui fait le moine

It is not the gray coat that makes the gentlemanIl ne faut pas juger les gens sur l'apparence

Never judge by appearancesDon't judge people by appearances

You can't judge by appearancesNe jugez pas les gens sur l'apparence (mine)

One must not hang a man by his looksNe jugez pas les gens sur la mine

One swallow does not make a summerUne hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps




Still waters run deepIl n'est pire eau que l'eau qui dort

The cowl does not make the monkFine clothes do not make a gentleman

L'habit ne fait pas le moine

You can't tell a book by its coverIl ne faut pas se fier aux apparences

L'APPÉTIT

A hungry man, an angry manThere is no reasoning with a starving man

It's no use preaching to a hungry manVentre affamé n'a point d'oreilles

An army marches on his stomachUne armée ne peut se battre le ventre vide

Don't bite more than you can chewIl ne faut pas avoir les yeux plus grands que le ventre

Eat to live, not live to eatMange pour vivre, et ne vis pas pour manger

Eating brings on (whets the) appetiteEating whets the appetite

The more you have the more you wantAppetite comes with eatingL'appétit vient en mangeant

Good appetite need no sauceUn bon appétit se passe de sauce

He who sleeps forgets his hungerWho sleeps dine

Qui dort dîne

Hunger drives the wolf out of the woodLa faim chasse (fait sortir) le loup (hors) du bois

Hunger is the best sauceL'appétit est le meilleur condiment

Man cannot live by bread aloneL'homme ne vit pas que de pain

L'ARGENT

A bad penny always turns upC'est le retour du fils prodigue

A fool and his money are soon partedAux idiots l'argent brûle les doigts.

A penny saved, a penny gainedEvery penny counts

Un sou est un sou




Cut your coat according to your clothIl faut régler ses dépenses selon ses moyens

Death pay all debtsLa mort règle toutes les dettes

Don't kill the goose that lay the golden eggsNe tuez pas la poule aux oeufs d'or

Don't play ducks and drakes with your moneyNe jetez pas votre argent par les fenêtres

Don't rob Peter to pay PaulIl ne faut pas déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul

Don't spoil /lose the ship for a ha'porth of tarMéfiez vous des économies de bouts de chandelle

He that goes a'borrowing goes a'sorrowingQui emprunte se prépare des ennuis

He that pays the piper calls the tuneQui paie les violons choisit le morceau

I wouldn't do it for love nor moneyJe ne ferais pas pour tout l'or du monde

Je ne le ferais pour rien au monde.

Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselvesIl n'y a pas de petites économies

Money does not buy happinessL'argent ne fait pas le bonheur

Money does not grow on treesL'argent ne se trouve pas sous le pas d'un cheval

L'argent ne pousse pas sur les arbres

Money has no smellL'argent n'a pas d'odeur

Money/the love of money is the root of all evilL'argent est la source de tous les maux

Money is not everythingPlaie d'argent n'est pas mortelle

Money is the sinew of warL'argent est le nerf de la guerre

Money makes moneyUn sou amène l'autre

Money talksL'argent est roi

Neither a borrower nor a lender beIl ne faut ni emprunter ni prêter de l'argent

The game is not worth the candleLe jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle

To burn the candle at both endsBrûler la chandelle par les deux bouts




Waste not, want notL'économie protège du besoin

Where there's muck, there's brass/moneyC'est peut-être sale, mais ça rapporte

LA BEAUTÉ

A thing of beauty is a joy for everTout objet de beauté est une joie éternelle

Beauty is (lies in) in the eye of the beholderIl n'y a pas de laides amours

Beauty is only skin-deepLa beauté n'est pas tout

The fairest rose at last is witheredIl n'est si belle rose qui ne se flétrisse

Goodness is better than beautyBonté vaut mieux que beauté

LE BONHEUR

Blessed are the poor in spiritHeureux les pauvres d'esprit

Happy is the country that has no historyLes peuples heureux n'ont pas d'histoire

One's man meat is another man's poisonLe malheur des uns fait le bonheur des autres

There is no joy without alloyIl n'y a pas de joie sans mélange




LE CARACTÈRE

A leopard cannot change its spotsChassez le naturel, il revient au galop

A snappish cur is ever in woeChien méchant a toujours l'oreille déchirée

One can't help one's natureOn ne peut changer son caractère

The child is father to the manThe child is the father of the man

Tel est l'enfant, tel sera l'homme

LA CAUSE

For want of a nail the shoe was lostFor want of a nail the kingdom was lost

Les petites causes produisent de grands effets

There is no smoke without fireWhere there's smoke there's fire

Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu

Two in distress make sorrow lessChagrin partagé est moins lourd à porter

LE CHAGRIN

Don't/never cross a bridge until you come to itNe vous inquiétez pas à l'avance

LE CHANGEMENT

A change is as good as a restUn changement est aussi bon que du repos

A new broom sweeps cleanAnything for a changeTout nouveau, tout beau

Bad news travels fastLes mauvaises nouvelles se répandent vite

Don't empty/throw the baby out with the bathwaterNe jetez pas le bébé avec l'eau du bain

No news is good newsPas de nouvelles, bonnes nouvelles

Nothing is new under the sunThere is nothing new under the sunIl n'y a rien de nouveau sous le soleil

One nail drives out anotherUn clou chasse l'autre




Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose(utilisé tel quel par les Anglais)

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Three removals are as bad as a fireTrois déménagements valent un incendie

Times change and we with timeLes temps changent et nous changeons avec eux

LA CHARITÉ

Charity begins at homeCharité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même

Charity covers a multitude of sinsLa charité couvre toutes les fautes

Charity will be rewarded in heavenQui donne aux pauvres prête à Dieu

It's a case of the pot calling the kettle blackC'est la Pitié qui se moque de la Charité

LE CHOIX

There's more than one way to skin a catThere are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with cream

Il y a plusieurs façons de parvenir à ses fins

There are more ways to the wood than oneTout chemin mène à Rome

There are plenty more fish in the seaUn(e) de perdu(e) dix de retrouvé(e)s

To run with the hare and hold with the houndsMénager la chèvre et le chou

You must not have too many irons in the fireIf you run after two hares you will catch neither

Il ne faut pas courir deux lièvres à la fois

LE CLIMAT

After a storm comes a calmAfter the storm comes the calm

C'est le calme après la tempête

April showers bring forth May flowersLes giboulées de mars apportent les fleurs du printemps

Evenig red and morning grey sets the traveller on his wayRouge vesprée et blanc matin est la joie du pèlerin

March winds and April showers bring forth May flowersMars venteux et avril pluvieux font le mai gai et gracieux

Ne'er cast a clout till May is outEn avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil




So many mists in March, so many frosts in MayBrouillards en mars, gelées en mai

LA COLÈRE

Don't cut off your nose to spite your faceVotre emportement peut avoir de fâcheuses conséquences pour vous-même

Don't let the sun go down on your anger/wrathQue le soleil ne se couche pas sur votre colère

It takes two to make a quarrelIl faut être deux pour se disputer

Little rain lays great dustA soft answer turns away wrath

Petite pluie abat grand vent

Never let the sun go down on your angerQue le soleil ne se couche pas sur votre colère

LA COMPÉTENCE

A tree is known by its fruitsC'est au fruit que l'on connaît l'arbre

Art is long, (and) life is shortL'art est long, la vie est courte

Criticism is easy and art is difficultLa critique est aisée mais l'art est difficile

Office will show the manC'est au pied du mur que l'on connaît le maçon

The proof of the pudding is in the eatingIl faut juger sur pièces

La qualité se révèle à l'usage

LA CONFIANCE

Seeing is believingIl faut le voir pour le croire

LE CONSEIL

Advice is cheapLes conseilleurs ne sont pas les payeurs

Take advice of your pillowNight brings counsel

Sleep over itLa nuit porte conseil

Two heads are better than oneDeux avis valent mieux qu'un




LE CONSENTEMENT

Great minds think alikeLes grands esprits se rencontrent

Silence gives consentQui ne dit mot consent

LA CONSÉQUENCE

As you make your bed, so you must lie in/on itComme on fait son lit on se couche

Qui casse les verres les paie

As you sow, so you shall reapOn récolte ce que l'on sème

Comme on fait son lit, on se coucheQui sème le vent récolte la tempête

He that spits against the wind spits in his own faceCelui qui crache contre le vent se crache à la figure

In for a penny, in for a poundQuand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire

Sow the wind and reap the whirlwindQui sème le vent récolte la tempête

LA CONSTANCE

A rolling stone gathers no mossPierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse

Don't change horses in mid-streamDon't swap horses while crossing a streamOn ne change pas d'attelage au milieu du gué

On ne change pas une équipe qui gagne

Every little helpsUn peu d'aide fait grand bien

Les petits ruisseaux font les grande rivières.

Little gain make heavy purseIl n'y a pas de petit profit

Little strokes fell great oaksLes petits coups abattent les grands arbres

Many a mickle/a little makes a muckleTake care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.

Les petits ruisseaux font les grande rivières.

Tall/ great/ high oaks from little acorns growLes petits ruisseaux font les grande rivières.

Woman is fickle, man beware!Souvent femme varie, (bien) fol qui s'y fie




LA CORRUPTION

Every man has his priceChaque homme a son prix

He that lies with dogs must rise with fleasThose who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas

Celui qui dort avec le chien, se réveille avec les pucesHantez les chiens, vous aurez des puces

Qui se couche avec les chiens se lève avec des puces

Kissing goes by favourN'embrasse pas qui veut

One scabbed sheep will taint the whole flockOne black sheep can contaminate others

Il ne faut qu'une brebis galeuse pour infecter tout un troupeau

LE COURAGE

Faint heart never won fair ladyLa pusillanimité n'a jamais conquis de cœur féminin

Le couard n'aura jamais belle amie

Fortune favours the brave/boldLa fortune favorise les audacieux

It's neck or nothingÇa passe ou ça casse

Nothing ventured nothing gainedQui ne risque rien n'a rien

To throw out a sprat to catch a mackerelDonner un oeuf pour avoir un bœuf

Where there's a will, there's a wayQuand on veut on peut.

Qui veut, peutQui veut la fin veut les moyens

LE CRIME

Crime does not payLe crime ne paie pas

LA CURIOSITÉ

Ask no questions and hear no liesSi tu ne veux pas que l'on te mente, ne pose pas de questions

Curiosity killed the catLa curiosité est un vilain défaut

Don't rouse the sleeping lionNe réveillez pas le chat qui dort




LE DÉBUT

A good beginning makes a good endingCe qui est bien commencé est à moitié fait

Everything has a beginningIl y a un commencement à tout

First things firstCommençons par le commencement

It is only the first step that costs anythingC'est le premier pas qui coûte

LE DESTIN

Accidents will happenTout le monde est faillibleOn ne saurait tout prévenir

Better late than neverMieux vaut tard que jamais

Come/happen what mayAdvienne que pourra

Christmas comes but once a yearCe n'est pas tous les jours fête

Every bullet has its billetToute balle a sa destination

If the sky falls we shall catch larksFaute de grives on mange des merles

The die is castLe sort en est jeté

There is no striving, against fateOn ne lutte pas contre le destin

What must be, must beCe qui est écrit, est écrit

LE DEVOIR

Do your duty, come what mayFais ce que (tu) dois, advienne que pourra

LE DIABLE

Better the devil you know than the devil you don't knowOn sait ce qu'on perd, on ne sait pas ce qu'on trouve

Give the devil his dueA chacun son dû

He should have a long spoon that sups with the devilQuand on dîne avec le diable, il faut se munir d'une longue cuiller




Let the devil take the hindmostChacun pour soi, et Dieu pour tous

Talk of the devil and he will appearQuand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue

The Devil can quote Scripture for his own purposeLe diable parle toujours en l'Évangile

The Devil finds work for idle hands (to do)L'oisiveté est la mère de tous les vices

The Devil's not as black as he's paintedLe diable n'est pas si noir qu'on le fait

Speak of the devil and he will appearQuand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue

DIEU

Every man for himself, and God for usChacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous

God made the country, and man made the townDieu fit la campagne et l'homme fit la ville

God tempers the wind to the shorn lambA brebis tondue Dieu mesure le vent

It's better to talk to the organ-grinder than the monkeyIl vaut mieux s'adresser à Dieu qu'à ses saints

Man proposes, God disposesl'homme propose, Dieu dispose

No man can serve two mastersOn ne peut servir deux maîtres à la fois

The nearer the church, the further from God/heavenPrès de l'église et loin de Dieu

Whom the gods love dies youngGod takes soonest those whom he loves best

Ceux que Dieu aiment, partent tôt

You can't serve God and MammonOn ne peut servir à la fois Dieu et Mammon

LES DIFFÉRENCES

After Christmas comes LentLes jours se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas

Comparisons are odiousToute comparaison est odieuse

It takes all sorts to make a worldIl faut de tout pour faire un mondeTous les goûts sont dans la nature

Live and let liveLaisse faire!




One man's meat is another man's poisonLe malheur des uns fait le malheur des autres

Other days, other waysOther times, other manners

Autre temps (lieux), autres mœurs

So many countries, so many customsVérité au-deça des Pyrénées, erreur au-delà

So many men, so many opinionsAutant d'hommes, autant d'opinions (d'avis)

That's another cup of teaC'est une autre paire de manches

There is no accounting for tastesDes goûts et des couleurs, on ne discute pas

To separate /sort out the sheep from the goatsSéparer le bon grain de l'ivraie

Variety is the spice of lifeLa diversité est le sel de la vie

LES DIFFICULTÉS

Don't halloo till you're out of the woodIl ne faut pas crier victoire trop tôt

Everyone must bear his own crossChacun doit porter sa croix

Life is not a bed of rosesLife ins't all beer and skittlesTout n'est pas rose dans la vie

Reculez pour mieux sauter(utiliser tel quel en anglais)

Sufficient unto the day (is the evil thereof)A chaque jour suffit sa peine

There's many a slip 'twixt (the) cup and (the) lipThere's many a slip between cup and lip

Il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres

There is no rose without a thornIl n'y a pas de rose sans épines

To be in a pretty messÊtre dans de beaux draps

To jump out of the frying pan into the fireTomber de Charybde en Scylla

LA DISCRÉTION

Don't wash your dirty linen in publicNe lavez pas votre linge sale en public




Don't wear your heart upon your sleeveGardez vos pensées secrètes pour vous

It's best to wash one's soiled linen at homeIl faut laver son linge sale en famille

Little pitchers have long/wide/big earsLes enfants entendent tout

Silence is the virtue of foolsLe silence est la vertu des sots

Speech is silver, silence is golden.La parole est d'argent, le silence est d'or

The least said, the betterLeast said, soonest mended

Moins on en dit, mieux cela vaut

To have a skeleton in the cupboardThere's a black sheep in every family

Avoir quelque chose à cacher

Walls have earsLes murs ont des oreilles

When three people know, the whole world knowsSecret de trois, secret de tous

DONNER

It's better to give than to receiveIt is more blessed to give than to receive

Mieux vaut donner que recevoir

LA DOUCEUR

Music has charms to soothe the savage beastLa musique adoucit les moeurs

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegarHoney catches more flies than vinegar

On prend plus de mouches avec du miel qu'avec du vinaigre

LE DOUTE

When in doubt, do nothingWhen in doubt, forbearDans le doute, abstiens-toi

Give someone the benefit of the doubtIl faut accorder le bénéfice du doute




L'ÉCHEC

A miss is as good as a mileRater de peu ou de beaucoup, c'est toujours rater

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awryEn dépit des meilleures préparations, les projets peuvent échouer

L'EFFORT

He who would the nut must first crack the shellOn n'obtient rien sans effort

In the sweat of thy brow shall thou eat breadTu mangeras ton pain à la sueur de ton frontNo pain, no gain

No gains without painsPas de profit sans effort

Paddle your own canoeIl ne faut compter que sur soi-même

L'EGOISME

Every man for himselfChacun pour soi

Every man for himself, and God for us allEvery man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost

Chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous

LES ENFANTS

Children should be seen and not heardOn doit voir les enfants mais ne pas les entendre

Spare the rod and spoil the childYou've got to be cruel to be kind

Qui aime bien, châtie bien

L'ENFER

Hell has/hath no fury like a woman scornedL'enfer n'a pas de furie comparable à une femme dédaignée

The road to hell is paved with good intentionsHell is paved with good intentionsL'enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions

L'ENVIE

Better be envied than pitiedMieux vaut faire pitié qu'envie

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fenceOn n'est jamais content de son sort.




L'ÉQUITÉ

Do as you would be done byDo unto others as you would like them to do unto youDo unto others as you would have them do unto you

Ne fais pas aux autres ce que tu ne voudrais pas qu'ils te fassent

Hear the other side and believe littleQui n'entend qu'une cloche n'entend qu'un son

One law for the rich and another for the poorIl y a deux poids, deux mesures

Selon que vous serez puissant ou misérable..

Physician, heal thyselfMédecin, guéris-toi toi-même

To see the mote in one's brother's eye but not the beam in one's ownVoir la paille dans l'œil du prochain et ne pas voir la poutre dans le sien

What's good for the goose is good for the ganderCe qui est bon pour l'un, est bon pour l'autre

L'ESPOIR

A drowning man will catch at a strawUn homme qui se noie se raccroche à un fêtu de paille

Always look on the bright sidePrendre les choses du bon côté

Every cloud has a silver liningA quelque chose malheur est bon

Après la pluie, le beau temps

Hope springs eternal in the human breastL'espoir fait vivre

If wishes were horses, beggars would rideAvec des "si" on mettait Paris en bouteille

Man lives by hopeL'espoir fait vivre

Never say dieIl ne faut jamais désespérer

Never say neverIl ne faut pas dire: Fontaine je ne boirai pas de ton eau

The darkest hour is that before dawnThe darkest hour is just before dawn

Quand les choses sont au pire elles doivent s'arranger

The wish/will is father to the thoughtOn a tôt fait de croire ce que l'on désire

While there is life, there is hopeTant qu'il y a de la vie, il y a de l'espoir




L'ESPRIT

The letter killeth and the spirit giveth lifeLa lettre tue, l'esprit vivifie

Brevity is the soul of witLa concision est le secret d'un bon mot d'esprit

L'EXCEPTION

The exception proves the ruleL'exception prouve/confirme la règle

L'EXCÈS

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boyBeaucoup de travail et peu de loisirs ne réussissent à personne

Don't add fuel to the firePoke no fire with a sword

Ne jetez pas d'huile sur le feu

Don't make a mountain of a molehillNe vous noyez pas dans un verre d'eau

From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a stepDu sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas.

Give him an inch and he'll take a yard /a mile/ an ellOn lui donne le doigt et il vous prend le bras

Grasp all, lose allQui trop embrasse mal étreint

He spoils his case who tries to prove too muchQui veut trop prouver ne prouve rien

It's the last straw that breaks the camel's backC'est la goutte qui fait déborder le vase.

Moderation in all thingsL'excès en tout est un défaut

Much ado about nothingBeaucoup de bruit pour rien

L'EXPÉRIENCE

A burnt child dreads fireOnce bitten, twice shy

Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide

Experience is the best teacherExperience is the teacher of fools

L'expérience est le meilleur des enseignements

Experience is the mother of wisdomExperience teaches wisdomL'expérience donne la sagesse




Travel broadens the mindLes voyages forment la jeunesse

LA FACILITE

Easier/sooner said than doneIt is more easily said than doneC'est plus facile à dire qu'à faire

Easy come, easy goVite gagné, vite dépensé

It's as easy as ABCC'est simple comme bonjour

LA FAIBLESSE

A chain is only as strong as its weakest linkA chain is no stronger thant its weakest link

La solidité d'une chaîne dépend du maillon le plus faible

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weakL'esprit est prompt, mais la chair est faible

Every one knows best where his own shoe pinchesChacun sait où le bat blesse

LA FAMILIARITÉ

Familiarity breeds contemptLa familiarité engendre le mépris

No man is a hero to his valetIl n'y a pas de grand homme pour son valet

LA FIN

All good things must come to an endThere is an end to everything

All things must passTout a une fin

All is well that ends wellTout est bien qui finit bien

All roads lead to RomeTous les chemins mènent à Rome

Ashes to ashes, dust to dustEn poussière, tu retourneras en poussière

As we live, so shall we endTelle vie, telle fin

The end justifies the meansLa fin justifie les moyens




The pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at lastTant va la cruche à l'eau qu'à la fin elle se brise

The sting is in the tailA la queue gît le venin

In cauda venenum

When there's a will, there's a wayQui veut la fin veut les moyens

LA FLATTERIE

Imitation is the sincerest form of flatteryL'imitation est la plus sincère des flatteries

LA FOLIE

As mad as a hatter/a March hareFou à lier

Empty vessels make most noise/the most sound(s)Ce sont les tonneaux vides qui font le plus de bruit

Fools rush in where angels fear to treadLà où les anges n'osent mettre le pied, les sots se précipitent

There is no fool like an old foolIl n'y a pire imbécile qu'un vieil imbécile

LA FORTUNE

The early bird catches the wormPremier arrivé, premier servi

Le monde appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt

Contentment is better than richesContentement passe richesse

Good luck comes when you least expect itLa fortune vient en dormant

LE FOYER

A man's house/home is his castleCharbonnier est maître chez soi (chez lui)

An Englishman's home is his castleLa maison d'un Anglais est inviolable

A woman's place is in the homeLa place d'une femme est à la maison

Every cock will crow/is bold upon his dunghillLe coq est roi sur son fumier

Home is home, be it ever so humbleRien ne vaut le foyer, si modeste qu'il soit




Home is where the heart isOù le cœur aime, là est le foyer

Home, sweet homeOn n'est vraiment bien que chez soi

There is no place like homeOn n'est nulle part aussi bien que chez soi

On n'est vraiment bien que chez soi

LE FUTUR

Here today, gone tomorrowOn ne sait aujourd'hui de quoi demain sera fait

Time will tellQui vivra verra

Tomorrow is another dayDemain il fera jour

Tomorrow never comesDemain veut dire jamais




LA GRATITUDE

Don't bite the hand that feeds youNe mordez pas la main qui vous nourrit

Don't/never look a gift horse in the mouthA cheval donné, on ne regarde pas la bride

Do not throw pearls to swineDo not cast pearls before swine

Ne jetez pas vos perles devant les pourceaux (cochons)

No man is a prophet in his own country A prophet is not without honour save in his own country

A prophet is without honour in his own countryNul n'est prophète en son pays

One good turn deserves anotherUn service en vaut un autreC'est un prêté pour un rendu

The river passed and God forgottenLa fête passée, adieu le saint




L'HABITUDE

Old habits die hardLes vieilles habitudes ont la vie dure

Use/habit/custom is a second natureL'habitude est une seconde nature

L'HÉRÉDITÉ

A herring barrel always smells of fishLa caque sent toujours le hareng

Blood is thicker than waterLa voix du sang est la plus forte

Breeding tellsBlood will tellBreed will tell

Bon sang ne saurait mentir

Handsome is as handsome doesLa naissance ne fait pas la noblesse

Niggard father, spendthrift sonThe miser's son is a spendthrift

A père avare, fils prodigue

What is bred in the bone will come out in the fleshChassez le naturel il revient au galop

L'HONNÊTETÉ

Honesty is the best policyOn a tout à gagner à être honnête

L'HONNEUR

Honour to whom honour is dueA tout seigneur tout honneur

Better die with honour than live with shameMieux vaut mourir dans l'honneur que vivre dans la honte

There is honour among thievesDog does not eat dog

Les loups ne se mangent pas entre eux

All is lost save honourTout est perdu, fors l'honneur




L'IGNORANCE

Half the world doesn't know how the other half livesHalf the world don't know how the other half live

La moitié du monde ingore comment l'autre moitié vit

If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditchSi un aveugle guide un aveugle, tous les deux tomberont dans un trou

Ignorance is blissQui ne sait rien ne doute de rien

Ignorance of the law is no excuseNul n'est censé ignorer la loi

What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve overCe que le yeux ne voient pas ne chagrine pas

Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wiseIl vaut mieux ignorer ce qui vous peinerait

L'IMPOSSIBILITÉ

If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no trade for tinkersAvec des si, on mettrait Paris en bouteille

Nobody is expected to do the impossibleNo one is bound to do the impossible

A l'impossible nul n'est tenu

Nothing is impossible for a willing heartA coeur vaillant rien d'impossible

There is no such word as "can't"Impossible n'est pas français

When pigs begin to flyQuand les poules auront des dents

You can't fit a quart into a pint potYou can't make bricks without straw

You can't fit a round peg in a square holeA l'impossible nul n'est tenu

You can't be in two places at the same timeOn ne peut être à la fois au four et au moulin

You can't eat your cake and have itYou can't have your cake and eat itYou can't have it/things both ways

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

You can't make an omelette without breaking eggsOn ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des oeufs

You can't make a silk purse from a sow's earTout bois n'est pas bon à faire des flèches

D'un sac de charbon, on ne peut guère sortir farine de froment




You can't teach an old dog new tricksDon't teach your grandmother to suck eggs

On n'apprend pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces

L'INFLUENCE

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the worldQui a bercé l'enfant a une grande influence sur lui

L'INNOCENCE

As innocent as the child unbornInnocent comme l'agneau qui vient de naître

L'INUTILITÉ

Don't carry coal to NewcastleNe portez pas d'eau à la rivière

Don't look for a needle in a haystackNe cherchez pas une aiguille dans une botte de foin

Don't shut the stable door after the horse has boltedIt's no use locking the stable door after the horse has bolted

Don't lock the stable door after the horse has been stolenIl est trop tard de fermer l'écurie, quand les chevaux sont déjà dehors

Après la mort, le médecin

It's no use crying over spilt milkA chose faite point de remède




LA JEUNESSE

Boys will be boysUn garçon, c'est un garçon

If only youth could know and old age couldYouth is wasted on the young

Si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait

Life begins at fortyLa vie commence à quarante ans

Youth will have its flingIl faut que jeunesse se passe.




LE MAL

Choose the lesser of two evilsEntre deux maux, il faut choisir le moindre

Evil be to him who evil thinksHonni soit qui mal y pense

Fight fire with fireCombattre le mal par le mal

Fling enough dirt and some will stickCalomniez, calomniez: il en reste toujours quelque chose

It's an ill bird that fouls its own nestIl faut laver son linge sale en famille

It's an ill wind that blows nobody goodA quelque chose malheur est bon

Le malheur des uns fait le bonheur des autres

Ill-gotten goods seldom prosperIll gotten ill spent

Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais

Ill weeds grow apaceMauvaise herbe pousse vite

Of two evils (one must) choose the lesserEntre deux maux, il faut choisir le moindre

People who live in glass houses should not throw stonesQui habite une maison de verre ne doit pas jeter de pierres

Qui sème le vent récolte la tempête

Those that live by the sword shall die by the swordHe who lives by the sword shall die by the sword

Quiconque se sert de l'épée périra par l'épée

LE MALHEUR

Give a man/thief enough rope and he'll hang himselfTrop de liberté nuit

It never rains but it poursUn malheur ne vient jamais seul

Lightning never strikes twice in the same placeLa foudre ne tombe jamais deux fois au même endroit

Misfortunes never come singlyUn malheur ne vient jamais seul

LE MANQUE

Half a loaf is better than no breadFaute de grives, on mange des merles




LE MARIAGE

Every Jack has his JillIl n'est si méchant pot qui ne trouve son couvercle

Marriages /matches are made in heavenLes mariages sont écrits dans le ciel

Marry in haste and repent at leisure/ laterQui se marie à la hâte se repent à loisir

Marry in May, rue for ayeMarry in May, repent alwaysNoces de mai, noces mortelles

LE MÉRITE

The labourer is worthy of his hireToute peine mérite salaire

LES MÉTIERS

A good workman is known by his chipsA l'œuvre, on connaît l'artisan

All work is honourableIl n'y a pas de sot métier

Jack-of-all-trades and master of noneJack-of-all-trades is of no trade

Jack-of-all-trades is master of nonePropre à tout et bon à rien

Let the cobbler/shoemaker stick to his lastThe shoemaker should stick to his last

Every one to his tradeA chacun son métier

The shoemaker's wife is always the worst shodThe shoemaker's always goes barefoot

Les cordonniers sont les plus mal chaussés

Two of a trade never agreeDeux hommes du même métier ne s'entendent jamais

LA MORT

A live dog is better than a dead lionUn homme mort ne vaut pas un chien vivant

Dead dogs don't biteMorte la bête, morte le venin

Dead men tell no talesLes morts ne parlent pas




LA NÉCESSITE

Desperate diseases call for/demand/require desperate remediesDesperate times, deperate measuresAux grands maux les grands remèdes

Make of necessity virtueMake a virtue out of necessityIl faut faire de nécessité vertu

Necessity has/knows no lawNécessité fait loi

Necessity is the mother of inventionL'invention naît de la nécessité

Needs must when the devil drivesAny port in a storm

Nécessité fait loi




L'OPPORTUNISME

All is fish that comes to the netAll is grit that comes to the mill

Il faut faire profit de tout

First come, first servedPremier arrivé, premier servi

Make hay while the sun shinesStrike while the iron is hot

Battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud

Opportunity makes the thiefL'occasion fait le larron

Opportunity never knocks twice at any man's doorL'occasion ne se présente pas deux foix

Take time/fortune by the forelockIl faut saisir l'occasion par les cheveux

When in Rome, do as the Romans doIl faut savoir hurler avec les loups

L'ORDRE

A place for everything and everything in its placeUne place pour chaque chose et chaque chose à sa place

The right man in the right placeL'homme qu'il faut, là où il le faut

L'ORGUEIL

Pride comes/goes before a fallPlus on est fier, plus dure est la chute




LE PARDON

A fault confessed is half redressedFaute avouée est à moitié pardonnée

Forgive and forgetNo sin but should find mercy

A tout péché miséricorde

Forgiveness is better than revengeLe pardon est préférable à la vengeance

Let bygones be bygonesOublions le passé

No sin but should find mercyA tout péché miséricorde

To err is human, to forgive divineL'erreur est humaine, le pardon divin

LA PARESSE

Idleness is the root of all evil(s)L'oisiveté est la mère de tous les vices

Sloth is the mother of povertyLa paresse est la mère de l'indigence

LA PAROLE

Actions speak louder than wordsLes actes en disent plus longs que les mots

Do as I say, and not as I doFais comme je dis, pas comme je fais

Fine/fair words butter no parsnipsLes belles paroles ne font pas avancer les choses

He who talks much lies muchQui parle beaucoup ment beaucoup

Speech is silver, but silence is gold(en)La parole est d'argent, mais le silence est d'or

Speak when you're spoken toNe parle que si l'on t'adresse la parole

Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt meLa bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombe

Talk is cheapParler ne coûte pas cher

To think is easy, to act is difficultPenser est facile, agir est difficile




LA PATIENCE

A watched pot never boils/is long in boilingLe temps s'écoule lentement lorsque l'on attend

As patient as JobAussi patient que Job

Bear and forbearSupporte et abstiens-toi

Don't count your chickens before they are hatchedIl ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué

Don't put the cart before the horseIl ne faut pas mettre la charrue avant les bœufs

Even a worm will turnLa patience a des limites

Every dog has his dayTout le monde a son heure de gloireTout vient à point à qui sait attendre

A chacun son tour

Everything comes to him/he who waitsAll good things come to he who waits

Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre

First catch your hareCommençons par le commencement

Haste makes wasteTrop de hâte nuit

Live and learnWait and see

Qui vivra verra

Make haste slowlyHâtez-vous lentement

Il ne faut pas confondre vitesse et précipitation

More haste less speedQui va lentement va sûrement

Patience is a virtueLa patience est une vertu

Patience and time run through the longest dayPatience et longueur de temps font plus que force ni que rage

Rome was not built in a dayRome ne s'est pas faite en un jour

Slow and steady wins the raceRien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à pointQui veut voyager loin ménage sa monture

Slow(ly) but sure(ly)Doucement mais sûrement

To throw the helve after the hatchetJeter le manche après la cognée




What can't be cured must be enduredIl faut supporter ce que l'on ne peut guérir

LA PAUVRETÉ

A beggar may sing before a pick-pocketCelui qui n'a rien n'a rien à perdre

A proud mind and a beggar's purse agree ill togetherOrgueil et misère ne s'arrange guère

Beggars can't be choosersNécessité fait loi

Faute de grives, on mange des merles

Poverty is no crimePoverty is not a crime

Poverty is no vicePoverty is no sin

Pauvreté n'est pas vice

To live from hand to mouthVivre au jour le jour

LA PERFECTION

If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing wellWhat is worth doing at all, is worth doing well

Ce qui mérite d'être fait mérite d'être bien fait

Nobody's perfectNo one is without fault

Personne n'est parfait

Practice makes perfectC'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron

The best is the enemy of the goodLeave well alone

Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien

LA POLITESSE

Manners maketh/make the manUn homme n'est rien sans les manières

Punctuality is the politeness of kingsL'exactitude est la politesse des rois

LA POSSESSION

He who has land has quarrelsHe that has land has trouble at hand

Qui terre a, guerre a

Possession is better than expectationIl vaut mieux tenir que courir




Possession is nine-tenths of the lawPossession vaut titre

LE PRÉTEXTE

A bad workman blames his toolsLes mauvais ouvriers ont toujours de mauvais outils

A mauvais ouvrier point de bons outils

It's easy to find a stick to beat a dogQui veut noyer son chien l'accuse de la rage

There are none so blind as those who will not seeIl n'est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir

There are none so deaf as those who will not hearIl n'est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut entendre

There's none so deaf as those who will not hearIl n'est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre

LES PROMESSES

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Un tien vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras

Mieux vaut tenir que courir

It's one thing to promise and another to performPromettre et tenir sont deux

LA PROPRETÉ

Cleanliness is next to godlinessLa propreté du corps s'apparente à celle de l'âme

LA PRUDENCE

A stitch in time saves nineUn point à temps en vaut cent

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of curePrevention is better than cure

Il vaut mieux prévenir que guérir

Better bend/bow than breakMieux vaux plier que rompre

Better safe than sorryDeux précautions valent mieux qu'une

Beware of Greeks bearing giftsMéfiez-vous des étrangers qui vous veulent du bien

Discretion is the better part of valourPrudence est mère de sûreté

Don't put all your eggs in one basketNe mettez pas tous vos oeufs dans le même panier




Forewarned is forearmedUn homme averti en vaut deux

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchenQui craint le danger ne doit pas aller en mer

Let sleeping dogs lie.Ne réveillez pas le chat qui dort

Look before you leapIl faut réfléchir à deux fois avant d'agir

Mind your P's and Q'sSurveillez vos paroles

Safety first!La prudence est la mère de la sûreté

There's safety in numbersL'union fait la force

Think twice before you speak onceIl faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler

LA PUISSANCE

A cat may look at a kingUn chien peut bien regarder un évêque

A velvet glove on an iron handUne main de fer dans un gant de velours

Kings have long armsLes puissants ont le bras long

Might is rightForce fait loi

La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure

Noblesse oblige(utilisé en français)

Power corruptsLe pouvoir corrompt

The pen is mightier than the swordLa plume tue plus que l'épée




LES RÉPARATIONS

It's never too late to mendIl n'est jamais trop tard pour bien faire

The culprit must pay the damageWho breaks pays

Les casseurs seront les payeurs

LA RELATIVITÉ

In the country/kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed is kingAu royaume des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois

LES REMÈDES

The remedy may be worse than the diseaseThe remedy is worse than the diseaseLe remède est parfois pire que le mal

LA RÉPUTATION

A good name is better than richesBonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée

Give a dog a bad name and hang himAs well hang a dog as give him a bad nameQui veut noyer son chien l'accuse de la rage

If the cap/shoe fits, wear itQui se sent morveux, se mouche

LA RÉSISTANCE

A cat has nine livesUn chat a l'âme chevillée au corps

You may lead/can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drinkOn ne peut pas faire boire un âne qui n'a pas soif

LA RESSEMBLANCE

A man is known by the company he keepsDis-moi qui tu fréquentes, je te dirai qui tu es

Birds of a feather flock togetherQui se rassemble, s'assemble

Like father, like sonThe apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Tel père, tel fils

Like master, like manTel maître, tel valet




When candles are out, the cats are greyLa nuit, les chats sont gris

LA RÉUSSITE

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try againSi vous ne réussissez pas du premier coup, persévérez

Nothing succeeds like successUn succès en entraîne un autre

LE RIRE

He laughs longest/best who laughs lastHe who laughs last laughs longest

Rira bien qui rira le dernier

It's bettter to have the laugh on one's sideIl vaut mieux avoir les rieurs de son côté

Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep aloneRis et le monde rira avec toi; pleure et tu pleureras seul

Laugh on Friday, cry on SundayTel qui rit vendredi, dimanche pleurera

Laughter is natural to manLe rire est le propre de l'homme

Laughter is the best medicineLe rire est le meilleur remède

Sing before breakfast, cry before nighTel au matin rit qui au soir pleureTel rit du matin qui le soir pleure

The more the merrierPlus on est de fous, plus on rit

LA RIVALITÉ

A house divided against itself cannot standToute maison divisée contre elle-même ne pourra subsister

Divide and ruleDiviser pour régner

Who isn't for us is against usQui n'est pas avec nous est contre nous




LA SAGESSE

A word to the wise is enoughA bon entendeur salut!

As wise as SolomonAussi sage que Salomon

LA SANTÉ

An apple a day keeps the doctor awayChaque jour une pomme conserve son homme

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wiseCoucher de poule et lever de corbeau écartent l'homme du tombeau

Health is better than wealthSanté passe richesse

Health is the greatest of blessingsLa santé est le plus précieux des biens

LE SAVOIR

A little knowledge/learning is a dangerous thingUn peu d'étude fait un faux savant

It's never too late to learnOn apprend à tout âge

Knowledge is powerSavoir c'est pouvoir

LE SERMENT

Cross my heart and hope to dieCroix de bois, croix de fer, si je mens je vais en enfer




LE TEMPS

Time and tide wait for no manLes événements (le temps et la marée) n'attendent personne

Time is moneyLe temps c'est de l'argent

Time is a great healerTime heals all woundsLe temps guérit de tout

Time lost is never foundLe temps perdu ne se rattrape jamais

Times have changedAutres temps, autres mœurs




L'UNION

All for one and one for allUn pour tous, tous pour un

If you can't beat them, join themSi vous ne pouvez pas les battre, joignez-vous à eux

United, we stand; divided, we fallL'union fait la force

Many hands make light workA beaucoup d'ouvriers la tâche devient aisée




LA VENGEANCE

An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a toothOeil pour oeil, dent pour dent

It's the biter bitC'est l'arroseur arrosé

Tel est pris qui croyait prendre

Revenge is a dish that can be eaten coldVengeance is a meal best eaten cold

La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid

Revenge is sweetIl est doux de se venger

Tit for tatOeil pour oeil, dent pour dent

LA VÉRITÉ

All truth will not bear tellingTruth should not always be revealed

Toutes les vérités ne sont pas bonnes à dire

Everything gets knownTout se sait

Two blacks don't make a whiteOn ne répare pas une injustice par une autre

There's many a true word spoken in jestil n'y a pas de meilleurs vérités que celles dites en riant

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings (comes forth the truth)Children and fools tell the truth

La vérité sort de la bouche des enfants

Tell the truth and shame the DevilOn éloigne le diable en disant la vérité

To call a spade a spadeAppeler un chat un chat

Truth is stranger than fictionLa vérité dépasse la fiction

Truth will outLa vérité finit toujours par se savoir

Two wrongs don't make a rightOn ne répare pas une injustice par une autre

LA VERTU

Virtue is its own rewardLa vertu est sa propre récompense




LE VOL

As thick as thievesComme des larrons en foire

Forbidden fruit is the sweetestStolen fruit is always the sweetest

Les fruits défendus sont les meilleurs

Set a thief to catch a thiefA trompeur, trompeur et demi




LISTE ALPHABETIQUE

A bad penny always turns upA bad workman blames his toolsA barking dog never bitesA beggar may sing before a pick-pocketA bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. A burnt child dreads fireA cat has nine livesA cat may look at a kingA chain is only as strong as its weakest linkA change is as good as a restA drowning man will catch at a strawA false friend is worse than a bitter enemyA fault confessed is half redressedA fool and his money are soon partedA friend in need is a friend indeedA good beginning makes a good endingA good name is better than richesA good workman is known by his chipsA herring barrel always smells of fishA house divided against itself cannot standA hungry man, an angry manA leopard cannot change its spotsA little knowledge/learning is a dangerous thingA live dog is better than a dead lionA man is known by the company he keepsA man's best friend is his dogA man's house/home is his castleA miss is as good as a mileA new broom sweeps cleanA penny saved, a penny gainedA place for everything and everything in its placeA prophet is not without honour save in his own countryA prophet is without honour in his own countryA proud mind and a beggar's purse agree ill togetherA rolling stone gathers no mossA snappish cur is ever in woeA soft answer turns away wrathA stitch in time saves nineA thing of beauty is a joy for everA tree is known by its fruitsA velvet glove on an iron handA watched pot never boils/is long in boilingA woman's place is in the homeA word to the wise is enoughAbsence makes the heart grow fonderAccidents will happenActions speak louder than wordsAdvice is cheapAfter a storm comes a calmAfter Christmas comes LentAfter the storm comes the calm




Age before honestyAll for one and one for allAll good things come to he who waitsAll good things must come to an endAll is fair in love and warAll is fish that comes to the netAll is grit that comes to the millAll is lost save honourAll is not gold that glittersAll is well that ends wellAll roads lead to RomeAll that glitters is not goldAll things must passAll truth will not bear tellingAll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy All work is honourableAlways look on the bright sideAn apple a day keeps the doctor awayAn army marches on his stomachAn Englishman's home is his castleAn eye for an eye, and a tooth for a toothAn ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cureAny port in a stormAnything for a changeAppearances are deceptive/deceitfulAppetite comes with eatingApril showers bring forth May flowersArt is long, (and) life is shortAs innocent as the child unbornAs mad as a hatter/a March hareAs old as AdamAs patient as JobAs thick as thievesAs we live, so shall we endAs well hang a dog as give him a bad nameAs wise as SolomonAs you make your bed, so you must lie in/on itAs you sow, so you shall reapAshes to ashes, dust to dustAsk no questions and hear no liesAttack is the best form of defenceBad news travels fastBarking dogs seldom biteBear and forbearBeauty is only skin-deepBeauty is/lies in the eye of the beholderBeggars can't be choosersBetter be envied than pitiedBetter bend/bow than breakBetter die with honour than live with shameBetter late than neverBetter safe than sorryBetter the devil you know than the devil you don't knowBeware of Greeks bearing gifts




Birds of a feather flock togetherBlessed are the poor in spiritBlood is thicker than waterBlood will tellBoys will be boysBreed will tellBreeding tellsBrevity is the soul of witBusiness before pleasureBusiness is businessCharity begins at homeCharity covers a multitude of sinsCharity will be rewarded in heavenChildren and fools tell the truthChildren should be seen and not heardChoose the lesser of two evilsChristmas comes but once a yearCleanliness is next to godlinessCold hands, warm heartCome/happen what mayComparisons are odiousContentment is better than richesCrime does not payCriticism is easy and art is difficultCross my heart and hope to dieCuriosity killed the catCut your coat according to your clothDead dogs don't biteDead men tell no talesDeath pay all debtsDesperate diseases call for/demand/ require desperate remediesDesperate times, deperate measuresDiamonds cut diamondsDiscretion is the better part of valourDivide and ruleDo as I say, and not as I doDo as you would be done byDo not cast pearls before swineDo not throw pearls to swineDo unto others as you would have them do unto youDo unto others as you would like them to do unto youDo your duty, come what mayDog does not eat dogDon't add fuel to the fireDon't bite more than you can chewDon't bite the hand that feeds youDon't carry coal to NewcastleDon't change horses in mid-streamDon't count your chickens before they are hatchedDon't cut off your nose to spite your faceDon't empty/throw the baby out with the bathwaterDon't halloo till you're out of the woodDon't judge people by appearancesDon't kill the goose that lay the golden eggs




Don't let the sun go down on your anger/wrathDon't lock the stable door after the horse has been stolenDon't look for a needle in a haystackDon't make a mountain of a molehillDon't play ducks and drakes with your moneyDon't put all your eggs in one basketDon't put the cart before the horseDon't rob Peter to pay PaulDon't rouse the sleeping lionDon't shut the stable door after the horse has boltedDon't spoil/lose the ship for a ha'porth of tarDon't swap horses while crossing a streamDon't take things at their face valueDon't teach your grandmother to suck eggsDon't wash your dirty linen in publicDon't wear your heart upon your sleeveDon't/never cross a bridge until you come to itDon't/never look a gift horse in the mouthEarly to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wiseEasier/sooner said than doneEasy come, easy goEat to live, not live to eatEat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we dieEating brings on appetiteEating whets the appetiteEmpty vessels make most noise/the most sound(s)Enough is as good as a feastEnough is enoughEven a worm will turnEvenig red and morning grey sets the traveller on his wayEvery bullet has its billetEvery cloud has a silver liningEvery cock will crow/is bold upon his dunghillEvery dog has his dayEvery Jack has his JillEvery little helpsEvery man for himselfEvery man for himself, and God for usEvery man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmostEvery man for himself, and God for us allEvery man has his priceEvery one knows best where his own shoe pinchesEvery one to his tradeEvery penny countsEverybody's friend is nobody's friendEveryone must bear his own crossEverything comes to him/he who waitsEverything gets knownEverything has a beginningEvil be to him who evil thinksExperience is the best teacherExperience is the mother of wisdomExperience is the teacher of foolsExperience teaches wisdom




Faint heart never won fair ladyFamiliarity breeds contemptFar from the eyes, far from the heartFight fire with fireFine clothes do not make a gentlemanFine feathers make fine birdsFine/fair words butter no parsnipsFirst catch your hareFirst come, first servedFirst things firstFling enough dirt and some will stickFools rush in where angels fear to treadFor want of a nail the kingdom was lostFor want of a nail the shoe was lostForbidden fruit is the sweetestForewarned is forearmedForgive and forgetForgiveness is better than revengeFortune favours the brave/boldFrom the sublime to the ridiculous is but a stepGather thistles, expect pricklesGive a dog a bad name and hang himGive a man/thief enough rope and he'll hang himselfGive him an inch and he'll take a yard/a mile/an ellGive someone the benefit of the doubtGive the devil his dueGod helps those who help themselvesGod made the country, and man made the townGod takes soonest those whom he loves bestGod tempers the wind to the shorn lambGood appetite need no sauceGood fences make good neighboursGood luck comes when you least expect itGood wares make quick marketsGood wine needs no bushGoodness is better than beautyGrasp all, lose allGreat barkers are not great bitersGreat minds think alikeHalf a loaf is better than no breadHalf the world doesn't know how the other half livesHalf the world don't know how the other half liveHandsome is as handsome doesHappy is the country that has no historyHaste makes wasteHe laughs longest/best who laughs lastHe should have a long spoon that sups with the devilHe spoils his case who tries to prove too muchHe that goes a'borrowing goes a'sorrowingHe that has land has trouble at handHe that lies with dogs must rise with fleasHe that pays the piper calls the tuneHe that spits agaisnt the wind spits in his own faceHe who has land has quarrels




He who hesitates is lostHe who laughs last laughs longestHe who lives by the sword shall die by the swordHe who sleeps forgets his hungerHe who talks much lies muchHe who would the nut must first crack the shellHealth is better than wealthHealth is the greatest of blessingsHear the other side and believe littleHell has/hath no fury like a woman scornedHell is paved with good intentionsHere today, gone tomorrowHis bark is worse thant his biteHome is home, be it ever so humbleHome is where the heart isHome, sweet homeHonesty is the best policyHoney catches more flies than vinegarHonour to whom honour is dueHope springs eternal in the human breastHunger drives the wolf out of the woodHunger is the best sauceI wouldn't do it for love nor moneyIdleness is the root of all evil(s)If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing wellIf at first you don't succeed, try, try, try againIf ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no trade for tinkersIf only youth could know and old age couldIf the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditchIf the cap/shoe fits, wear itIf the sky falls we shall catch larksIf wishes were horses, beggars would rideIf you can't beat them, join themIf you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchenIf you run after two hares you will catch neitherIf you want peace prepare for warIgnorance is blissIgnorance of the law is no excuseIll gotten ill spentIll weeds grow apaceIll-gotten goods seldom prosperImitation is the sincerest form of flatteryIn for a penny, in for a poundIn the country/kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed is kingIn the sweat of thy brow shall thou eat breadIt is more blessed to give than to receiveIt is more easily said than doneIt is not the cowl that makes the friarIt is not the gray coat that makes the gentlemanIt is only the first step that costs anythingIt never rains but it poursIt takes all sorts to make a worldIt takes two to make a quarrelIt's a case of the pot calling the kettle black




It's an ill bird that fouls its own nestIt's an ill wind that blows nobody goodIt's as easy as ABCIt's best to wash one's soiled linen at homeIt's better to give than to receiveIt's better to talk to the organ-grinder than the monkeyIt's bettter to have the laugh on one's sideIt's easy to find a stick to beat a dogIt's neck or nothingIt's never too late to learnIt's never too late to mendIt's no use crying over spilt milkIt's no use locking the stable door after the horse has boltedIt's no use preaching to a hungry manIt's one thing to promise and another to performIt's the biter bitIt's the last straw that breaks the camel's backJack-of-all-trades and master of noneJack-of-all-trades is master of noneJack-of-all-trades is of no tradeKeep thy shop and thy shop will keep theeKings have long armsKissing goes by favourKnowledge is powerLaugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep aloneLaugh on Friday, cry on SundayLaughter is natural to manLaughter is the best medicineLeast said, soonest mendedLeave well aloneLet bygones be bygonesLet sleeping dogs lie.Let the cobbler/shoemaker stick to his lastLet the devil take the hindmostLife begins at fortyLife ins't all beer and skittlesLife is not a bed of rosesLightning never strikes twice in the same placeLike father, like sonLike master, like manLittle gain make heavy purseLittle pitchers have long/wide/big earsLittle rain lays great dustLittle strokes fell great oaksLive and learnLive and let liveLong absent, soon forgottenLook after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselvesLook before you leapLove conquers allLove is blindLove laughs at locksmithsLove makes the world go roundLove me, love my dog




Lucky at cards, unlucky in loveMake a virtue out of necessityMake haste slowlyMake hay while the sun shinesMake of necessity virtueMan cannot live by bread aloneMan lives by hopeMan proposes, God disposesManners maketh/make the manMany a mickle/a little makes a muckleMany go for wool and come home shornMany hands make light workMarch winds and April showers bring forth May flowersMarriages/matches are made in heavenMarry in haste and repent at leisureMarry in May, repent alwaysMarry in May, rue for ayeMight is rightMind your own businessMind your P's and Q'sMisfortunes never come singlyModeration in all thingsMoney does not buy happinessMoney does not grow on treesMoney has no smellMoney is not everythingMoney is the sinew of warMoney makes moneyMoney talksMoney/the love of money is the root of all evilMore haste less speedMuch ado about nothingMusic has charms to soothe the savage beastNecessity has/knows no lawNecessity is the mother of inventionNeeds must when the devil drivesNe'er cast a clout till May is outNeither a borrower nor a lender beNever judge by appearancesNever let the sun go down on your angerNever put off till tomorrow what you can do todayNever say dieNever say neverNever tell an enemy that your foot achesNiggard father, spendthrift sonNight brings counselNo gains without painsNo man can serve two mastersNo man is a hero to his valetNo man is a prophet in his own countryNo news is good newsNo one is bound to do the impossibleNo one is without faultNo pain, no gain




No sin but should find mercyNoblesse obligeNobody is expected to do the impossibleNobody's perfectNothing is impossible for a willing heartNothing is new under the sunNothing succeeds like successNothing ventured nothing gainedOf two evils (one must) choose the lesserOffice will show the manOld habits die hardOnce a drunkard, always a drunkardOnce bitten, twice shyOne black sheep can contaminate othersOne cannot love and be wiseOne can't help one's natureOne good turn deserves anotherOne law for the rich and another for the poorOne man's meat is another man's poisonOne may sooner fall than riseOne must not hang a man by his looksOne nail drives out anotherOne scabbed sheep will taint the whole flockOne swallow does not make a summerOne's man meat is another man's poisonOpportunity makes the thiefOpportunity never knocks twice at any man's doorOther days, other waysOther times, other mannersOut of sight, out of mindOut of the mouths of babes and sucklings (comes forth the truth)Paddle your own canoePatience and time run through the longest dayPatience is a virtuePeople who live in glass houses should not throw stonesPhysician, heal thyselfPlenty is no plaguePlus ça change, plus c'est la même chosePoke no fire with a swordPossession is better than expectationPossession is nine-tenths of the lawPoverty is no crimePoverty is no sinPoverty is no vicePoverty is not a crimePower corruptsPractice makes perfectPrevention is better than curePride comes/goes before a fallProcrastination is the thief of timePunctuality is the politeness of kingsReculez pour mieux sauterRevenge is a dish that can be eaten coldRevenge is sweet




Rome was not built in a daySafety first!Seeing is believingSet a thief to catch a thiefShort reckonings make long friendsSilence gives consentSilence is the virtue of foolsSing before breakfast, cry before nighSleep over itSloth is the mother of povertySlow and steady wins the raceSlow(ly) but sure(ly)So many countries, so many customsSo many men, so many opinionsSo many mists in March, so many frosts in MaySow the wind and reap the whirlwindSpare the rod and spoil the childSpeak of the devil and he will appearSpeak when you're spoken toSpeech is silver, but silence is gold(en)Speech is silver, silence is golden.Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt meStill waters run deepStolen fruit is always the sweetestStrike while the iron is hotSufficient unto the day (is the evil thereof)Take advice of your pillowTake care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.Take time/fortune by the forelockTalk is cheapTalk of the devil and he will appearTall/ great/ high oaks from little acorns growTell the truth and shame the DevilThat's another cup of teaThe absent are always in the wrongThe apple doesn't fall far from the treeThe best friends must partThe best is the enemy of the goodThe best laid plans of mice and men often go awryThe bigger they are, the harder they fallThe child is father to the manThe child is the father of the manThe course of true love never runs smoothThe cowl does not make the monkThe culprit must pay the damageThe customer always knows bestThe customer is always rightThe darkest hour is that before dawnThe Devil can quote Scripture for his own purposeThe Devil finds work for idle hands (to do)The Devil's not as black as he's paintedThe die is castThe early bird catches the wormThe end justifies the means




The exception proves the ruleThe fairest rose at last is witheredThe game is not worth the candleThe grass is always greener on the other side of the fenceThe hand that rocks the cradle rules the worldThe higher the monkey climbs, the more he shows his tailThe highest tree has the greatest fallThe labourer is worthy of his hireThe least said, the betterThe letter killeth and the spirit giveth lifeThe miser's son is a spendthriftThe more the merrierThe more you have the more you wantThe nearer the church, the further from God/heavenThe pen is mightier than the swordThe pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at lastThe proof of the pudding is in the eatingThe remedy is worse than the diseaseThe remedy may be worse than the diseaseThe right man in the right placeThe river passed and God forgottenThe road to hell is paved with good intentionsThe shoemaker should stick to his lastThe shoemaker's always goes barefootThe shoemaker's wife is always the worst shodThe spirit is willing, but the flesh is weakThe sting is in the tailThe wish/will is father to the thoughtThere are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with creamThere are more ways to the wood than oneThere are none so blind as those who will not seeThere are none so deaf as those who will not hearThere are plenty more fish in the seaThere is an end to everythingThere is honour among thievesThere is no accounting for tastesThere is no fool like an old foolThere is no joy without alloyThere is no little ennemyThere is no place like homeThere is no reasoning with a starving manThere is no rose without a thornThere is no smoke without fireThere is no striving, against fateThere is no such word as "can't"There is nothing new under the sunThere is truth in wineThere's a black sheep in every familyThere's many a slip between cup and lipThere's many a slip 'twixt (the) cup and (the) lipThere's many a true word spoken in jestThere's more than one way to skin a catThere's no harm in having too muchThere's none so deaf as those who will not hear




There's safety in numbersThink twice before you speak onceThose that live by the sword shall die by the swordThose who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas Three removals are as bad as a fireTime and tide wait for no manTime heals all woundsTime is a great healerTime is moneyTime lost is never foundTime will tellTimes change and we with timeTimes have changedTit for tatTo be in a pretty messTo burn the candle at both endsTo call a spade a spadeTo err is human, to forgive divineTo have a skeleton in the cupboardTo jump out of the frying pan into the fireTo live from hand to mouthTo make hay while the sun shinesTo run with the hare and hold with the houndsTo see the mote in one's brother's eye but not the beam in one's ownTo separate/sort out the sheep from the goatsTo think is easy, to act is difficultTo throw out a sprat to catch a mackerelTo throw the helve after the hatchetTomorrow is another dayTomorrow never comesToo many cooks spoil the brothTravel broadens the mindTruth is stranger than fictionTruth should not always be revealedTruth will outTwo blacks don't make a whiteTwo heads are better than oneTwo in distress make sorrow lessTwo of a trade never agreeTwo wrongs don't make a rightUnited, we stand; divided, we fallUse/habit/custom is a second natureVariety is the spice of lifeVengeance is a meal best eaten coldViolence begets violenceVirtue is its own rewardWait and seeWalls have earsWaste not, want notWhat can't be cured must be enduredWhat is bred in the bone will come out in the fleshWhat is worth doing at all, is worth doing wellWhat must be, must beWhat the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over




What's good for the goose is good for the ganderWhen candles are out, the cats are greyWhen in doubt, do nothingWhen in doubt, forbearWhen in Rome, do as the Romans doWhen pigs begin to flyWhen the wine is in, the wit is outWhen there's a will, there's a wayWhen three people know, the whole world knowsWhen/while the cat's away, the mice will play.Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wiseWhere there's a will there's a wayWhere there's muck, there's brass/moneyWhere there's smoke there's fireWhile there is life, there is hopeWho breaks paysWho isn't for us is against usWho sleeps dineWhom the gods love dies youngWoman is fickle, man beware!You can't be in two places at the same timeYou can't eat your cake and have itYou can't fit a quart into a pint potYou can't fit a round peg in a square holeYou can't have it/things both waysYou can't have your cake and eat itYou can't judge by appearancesYou can't make a silk purse from a sow's earYou can't make an omelette without breaking eggsYou can't make bricks without strawYou can't serve God and MammonYou can't teach an old dog new tricksYou can't tell a book by its coverYou catch more flies with honey than with vinegarYou may lead/can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drinkYou must not have too many irons in the fireYou scratch my back, and I'll scratch yoursYouth is wasted on the youngYouth will have its flingYou've got to be cruel to be kind




proverbes en anglais

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