French proverbs

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À beau mentir qui vient de loiny long ways, long lies (lit.: he who comes from afar can lie well; i.e.: someone from far away can more easily tell lies without fear of being caught because he is unknown in his new region). À bon chat, bon rat meet one's match; tit for tat; an equal [in combat] (lit.: a good rat for a good cat).

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Nội dung Text: French proverbs

French Proverbs
Contents A............................................................................................................................................................... 3 B ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 C ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 D .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 E ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 F ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 G .............................................................................................................................................................. 9 H ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 I .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 J.............................................................................................................................................................. 12 L ............................................................................................................................................................. 12 M ........................................................................................................................................................... 16 N ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 O ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 P ............................................................................................................................................................. 18 Q ............................................................................................................................................................ 19 R ............................................................................................................................................................. 21 S ............................................................................................................................................................. 22 T ............................................................................................................................................................. 22 U ............................................................................................................................................................ 23 V............................................................................................................................................................. 24
A à beau mentir qui vient de loiny long ways, long lies (lit.: he who comes from afar can lie well; i.e.: someone from far away can more easily tell lies without fear of being caught because he is unknown in his new region) à bon chat, bon rat meet one's match; tit for tat; an equal [in combat] (lit.: a good rat for a good cat) à bon vin, point d’enseigne the reputation of a good thing precedes it (lit.: not need to explain a good wine; i.e.: what is good needs no recomendation) à brebis tondue Dieu mesurele vent the Lord tempers the wind to the shorn lamb (a Biblical reference) à chaque jour suffit sa peine sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (lit.: for each day there suffices suffering; i.e.: deal with today’s difficulties without worrying about what might come tomorrow; n.b.: from the New Testament, Matthew 6:34) à cheval donné on ne regarde pas le dents don’t look a gift horse in the mouth (lit.: one doesn’t look at the reins of a horse given as a gift) à cœur vaillant rien d’impossible nothing is impossible to a willing heart (lit.: for a brave heart, nothing is impossible) à l’impossible, nul n’est tenu no one can be expected to do the impossible (lit.: for what is impossible, nothing is expected) à l’œuvre on reconnaît l’artisan you can tell an artist by his work (lit.: by his work one recognizes the artisan) à la Chandeleur, l’hiver se passe ou prend vigueur as of February 2, winter either wanes or gains strength (lit.: on Candlemass [Feb. 2], winter ends or becomes stronger than before; n.b.: the date Feb. 2 is also Groundhog Day, whose connotations are similar, though a shadow of a marmot is involved) à la Sante-Luce, les jours croissent du saut d’une puce as of Sainte Luce Day (Dec. 13), the days start to lengthen ever so slowly (lit.: on Sainte Luce, the days grow at the pace of a flea; n.b.: this of course is not accurate; it is after the solstice on Dec. 21 or 22 that the daytime starts to lengthen) à mauvais ouvrier point de bons outils a bad workman blames his tools (lit.: for a bad workman, no good tools) à père avare fils prodigue the miser’s son is a spendthrift (lit.: for a miserly father a prodigal son; i.e.: a vice or fault in a parent can turn into the opposite vice or fault in a child)
à quelque chose malheur est bon every cloud has a silver lining (lit.: for something bad there is good; i.e.: bad things can have a positive aspect, in particular when viewed from a distance) à tout seigneur, tout honneur honor to whom honor is due (lit.: to all nobles, all honor; i.e.: honor should be bestowed upon people according to rank and achievement) à vieille mule, frein doré a golden brake for an old mule (i.e.: be nice to older animals so they can be sold at market; also used to refer to older women who apply makeup excessively) abondance de biens ne nuit pas an abundance of goods does no harm (said when receiving something that one already has in sufficient quantity) aide-toi, le ciel t-aidera God helps those who help themselves (lit.: help yourself, and the heavens will help you; n.b.: despite popular belief, this phrase is not found in the Bible) après la pluie, le beau temps every cloud has a silver lining; good and bad things come one after the other (lit.: after the rain, nice weather) araignée du matin, chagrin, araignée du soir, espoir seeing a spider in teh morning brings bad luck, seeing a spider in the evening brings good luck (a commonly cited French superstition) au bout du fossé, la culbute danger is imminent (lit.: at the end of a ditch, a somersault) au royaume des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king (lit.: in the kindgom of the blind, the one-eyed are kings) aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait said and done (lit.: soon said, soon done; from the Latin dictum factum) autant des têtes, autant d’avis too many cooks spoil the broth (lit.: so many heads, so much advice) autant en emporte le vent empty promises (lit.: as much as the wind can carry) autres temps, autres mœurs times change (lit.: other times, other customs) aux grands maux, les grands remèdes big problems require big solutions; desperate situations call for desperate measures (lit.: for large evils, great remedies)
aux innocents les main pleins fortune favors the innocent (lit.: the innocent have their hands full) aux innocents les mains pleines the meek shall inherit the earth (lit.: full hands for the innocent) avant de balayer devant la porte du voisin, il faut commencer par balayer devant sa propre porte before cleaning up your neighbor’s door, you must start by cleaning your own (lit.: before sweeping at your neighbor's door, you must sweep your own door) avec des “si,” on mettrait Paris en bouteille if ifs and ands were pots and pans, there’d be no work for tinker’s hands; if wishes were horses (lit.: with ifs, Paris could be put in a bottle) avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre have one’s cake and eat it too, to (lit.: to have one’s butter and the money for it; n.b.: this idiom is also used with vouloir instead of avoir) B beaucoup de bruit pour rien much ado about nothing (lit.: a lot of noise for nothing; n.b.: from the title of the Shakespearean play) bien faire et laisser dire do the work well and let them say what they will (lit.: do well and let others speak; i.e.: one should do one’s work without worrying about critics) bien mal acquis ne profite jamais ill gotten, ill spent; ill-gotten gains seldom prosper (lit.: goods badly acquired never benefit [anyone]) bon chien chasse de race like father, like son (lit.: a good dog hunts by instinct) bon sang ne peut mentir blood will out (lit: noble blood cannot lie; i.e.: nobility will not stoop to the indignity of lying; it is unclear here if the nobility refers to a person's character or family lineage) bon repas doit commencer par la faim hunger is the best sauce (lit.: a good meal should begin with hunger [i.e.: a desire to eat, not necessarily starvation]) bonne renommée vaut mieux que cienture dorée a good name is worth more than wealth (lit.: a good reputation is worth more than a golden belt)
C c'est à l'œuvre qu'on connaît l’œuvrier a man is judged or known by his works, by the work he does (lit.: it is by the work that we know the worker) c'est au pied du mur qu’on voit le maçon the tree is known by its fruit (lit.: it is at the base of a wall that one can see the mason) c'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis a friend in need is a friend indeed (lit.: it is when there is need that one finds his real friends) c'est dans les vieilles marmites qu'on fait les meilleures soupes the best broth is made in the oldest pot (i.e.: a well-seasoned pan or pot is preferable to a new one, as is the case for the Chinese wok) c'est en forgeant qu’on devient forgeron practice makes perfect (lit.: it is in/by forging that one becomes an ironmonger/blacksmith) c'est la goutte d'eau qui fait déborder levase it's the straw that broke the camel's back; it's the last straw (lit.: it's the drop of water that makes hte vase overflow) c'est la paille et la poutre it's the pot calling the kettle black; it's six of one or a half dozen of the other; same difference (lit.: it's the mote and the beam; n.b.: from the New Testament reference to the mote in one's eye and the beam in another's) c'est l’hôpital qui se moque de la Charité it’s the pot calling the kettle black; it's six of one or a half dozen of the other; same difference (lit.: it is the hospital mocking charity) c'est l'arroseur arrosé hoisted by one's own petard; it's the biter bit (lit.: it's the waterer being soaked) c'est la poule qui chante qui a fait l’œuf the guilty dog barks the loudest (lit.: it is the hen that sings that laid the egg) c'est le ton qui fait la chanson it is the tone that makes the music; it's not what you say but how you say it (i.e.: how things are said makes their meaning credible) c'est le ton qui fait la musique it is the tone that makes the music; it's not what you say but how you say it (i.e.: how things are said makes their meaning credible) c'est un prêté pour un rendu tit for tat; one good turn deserves another; back and forth (lit.: it is something loaned for something returned)
ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire la grimace you can’t teach an old dog new tricks; there’s no substitute for experience (lit.: one can’t teach an old monkey to smile; n.b.: there are several other equivalents in English, including don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs) ce n'est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui fait le plus de lait talkers are not doers; all talk and no action (lit.: it’s not the cow that moos the loudest that makes the most milk) ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut what woman wants, God wants (i.e.: woman always reach their goals) ce qui est fait n'est plus à faire don't leave till tomorrow what can be done today (lit.: what is already done needs not to be done) ce sont les tonneaux vides qui font le plus de bruit empty vessels make the most noise (lit.: it’s the empty barrels that make the most noise) c'est trop aimer quand on en meurt they love too much who die for love (lit.: it is loving too much when one dies of it) celui qui a volé de l'or est en prison, celui qui a volé un pays est fait roi he who steals gold lands in prison, he who steals a country is made king (i.e.: invasion of a nation is a form of theft, though not so recognized) chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous each to himself and God for all; every man for himself and the Devil take the hindmost (i.e.: let God see to other people) chacun ses gôuts (son gôut) to each his own (lit.: each their tastes, style, etc.) chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées mind your own business; tend to your own (lit.: each to his craft/task, and the cows will be watched well) chacun voit midi à sa porte to each his own (lit.: each person sees midday at their door) chaque chose en son temps all things in their time (lit.: each thing in its time) charbonnier est maître chez soi every man’s home is his castle (lit.: the charcoal maker is master in his home) charité bien ordonné commence par soi-même charity begins at home (lit.: well-ordered charity starts with oneself) chat échaudé craint l’eau froide once bitten, twice shy (lit.: a scalded cat fears cold water)
chose promise, chose due promises are made to be kept (lit.: thing promised, thing owed) ciel pommelé et fille fardée ne son pas de longue durée like a dappled sky, the beauty of a woman does not last long (n.b.: a proverb that indicates the transience of things. The ciel pommelé is a sky that changes quickly, often into a storm. And the heavy make-up, fardée, does not last long either.) cœur qui soupir n’a pas qu’il désire the heart that sighs yet has desires (lit.: the heart that sighs does not have what it desires) comme on connaît ses saints, on les honore to know a friend is to respect him (lit.: as you know your saints, you honor them) comme on fait son lit, on se couche as you make your bed, so you shall lie in it (lit.: as one makes his/herbead, one sleeps) comparaison n’est pas raison comparison is not reason (i.e.: a comparison proves nothing) contentement passe richesse contentment is better than wealth (lit.: contentment or serenity surpasses riches) D dans le doute, abstiens-toi when in doubt, don’t (lit.: when in doubt, remove yourself *from the situation+) de deux maux, il fault choisir le moindre choose the lesser of two evils (lit.: given two evils, one must choose the lesser) de la discussion jaillit la lumière truth is reached through discussion (lit.: from discussion leaps light) défiance est mere de sûreté mistrust is the mother of security (i.e.: trust but verify) des goûts et des couleurs il ne faut pas discuter there’s no accounting for taste; to each his/her own (lit.: of tastes and colors one must not argue) deux avis valent mieux qu’un two heads are better than one (lit.: two opinions are worth more than one) dis-moi qui tu hantes, je te dirai qui tu es a man is known by the company he keeps (lit.: tell me who you spend time with, and I will tell you who you are)
donne au chien l’os pour qu’il ne convoite pas ta viande give some to keep the rest (lit.: give the dog the bone so that he doesn’t try to get your meat) donner un œuf pour avoir un bœuf give a little to get a lot (lit.: one has to know when to give an egg to get an ox) E en avril ne te découvre pas d’un fil ne’er cast a clout till be May be out (lit.: in April you will not find a line) en avril, n’ôte pas un fil; en mai, fais ce qu’il te plaît in April, don’t take off your clothes, but in May, do as you please (a commonly cited French belief about the weather) en tout pays, il y a une lieue de mauvais chemin there will be bumps on the smoothest roads (lit.: in every region, there is one league of bad road) entre deux maux, il fault choisir le moindre choose the lesser of two evils (lit.: between two evils, one must choose the lesser) entre l’arbre et l’écorce il ne faut pas mettre le doigt do not meddle in other people’s business (lit.: do not put your finger between a tree and its bark) erreur n’est pas compte an error is not an account (i.e.: as long as an error is present, an account is not definitive) F faire d’une pierre deux coups kill two birds with one stone (lit.: make with one stone two blows) fais ce qui dois, advienne que pourra do what you must, come what may (n.b.: this is not fatalistic, but rather realistic and pragmatic) faute avouée est à demi (à moitie) pardonnée a sin confessed is a sin half pardoned (lit.: an error revealed is partially forgiven) faute de grives, on mange des merles beggars can’t be choosers; you have to cut your coat according to your cloth; half a loaf is better than none (lit.: for lack of thrushes, one eats blackbirds) G goutte à goutte, l’eau use la pierre drop by drop water wears away a stone (i.e.: time and patience yield results)
H heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour happy at play, unhappy in love (n.b.: a reference to the fate of gamblers and other risk-takers, whose love lives often turn out poorly) I il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud strike while the iron is hot (lit.: one must strike the iron while it is hot) il faut casser le noyau pour avoir l’amande no pain, no gain; one has to break some eggs to make an omelet (lit.: one must crack the shell to get the almond) il faut prendre la vie comme elle vient one must take life as it comes (n.b.: this is not fatalistic, but rather realistic and pragmatic) il faut qu’une porte soit ouverte ou fermée there can be no middle course (lit.: a door must either be open or closed) il faut que jeunesse se passe youth must have its fling (lit.: youth must happen) il faut rendre à César ce qui appartient à César, et à Dieu ce qui est à Dieu render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s, and unto God what is God’s (n.b.: Biblical origin) il faut toujours garder une poire pour la soif save for a rainy day (lit.: one must always keep a pear for thirst) il faut tourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche avant de parler you should count to ten before you say anything (lit.: you should turn your tongue seven times in your month before speaking) il n’est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir there is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see il n’est pire eau que l’eau qui dort still water runs deep (lit.: there is no worse water than the water that sleeps) il n’est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre there is no worse deaf person than the one who does not want to hear il n’est si méchant pot qui ne trouve son couvercle every Jack has his Jill (lit.: there is no jar so horried that it cannot find a lid) il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu where there’s smoke, there’s fire (lit.: there is no smoke without fire) il n’y a pas de sot métier all professions are respectable (lit.: there is no dirty profession)
il n’y a qu’heur et malheur en ce monde there is nothing but good luck and bad luck in the world il n’y a que le premier pas qui coûte the first step is the hardest (lit.: it is only the first step that costs) il n’y a que les montagnes qui ne se recontrent jamais there are none so distant that fate cannot bring together (lit.: it is only mountains that never meet) il n’y que la vérité qui blesse it is only the truth that hurts il ne faut jamais courir deux lièvres à la fois do not do two things at once (lit.: do not ever chase two hares at the same time) il ne faut jamais dire “Fontaine, je ne boirai bas de ton eau!” never say never (lit.: never say, Fountain, I will not ever drink your water) il ne faut jamais jeter le manche après la cognée don’t give up so easily il ne faut jamais jeter le manche après la cognée never say die (lit.: never throw the ax handle after striking) il ne faut jurer de rien you never can tell (lit.: you should not promise anything) il ne faut pas juger les gens sur la mine don’t judge a book by its cover (lit.: do not judge people by their appearance) il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched (lit.: do not sell the skin of a bear before you kill it) il ne sert à rien de déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul robbing Peter to pay Paul (lit.: it’s useless to undress Peter to dress Paul) il vaut mieux aller au boulanger qu’au médecin an apple a day keeps the doctor away (it is better to go to the breadmaker than to the physician; i.e.: a balanced lifestyle helps maintain health) il vaut mieux aller au moulin qu’au médecin an apple a day keeps the doctor away (it is better to go to the mill than to the physician; i.e.: a balanced lifestyle helps maintain health) il vaut mieux avoir affaire à Dieux qu’à ses saints it’s better to talk to the organ grinder than to the monkey (lit.: better to speak to God than to his saints) il vaut mieux être marteau qu’enclume it’s better to be a hammer than a nail (lit.: it’s better to be a hammer than an anvil)
il vaut mieux s’adresser à Dieux qu’à ses saints it’s better to talk to the organ grinder than to the monkey (lit.: better to speak to God than to his saints) il vaut mieux tenir que courier it is better to have than to chase il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres there’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip (lit.: it is far from the cup to the lips) il y a plus d’un âne à la foire qui s’appelle Martin don’t jump to conclusions; it’s a very common name (lit.: there’s more than one donkey called Martin in the marketplace; n.b.: the idea here is to obtain more information than just one piece of data) il y a un temps pour tout there is a right time for everything (lit.: there is a time for everything) impossible n’est pas français there is no such word as can’t (lit.: impossible is not French; n.b.: Napolen is credited with creating this proverb when he said ce n’est pas possible, m’écrivez-vous; cela n’est pas français to general Lemarois, commander in Magdebourg, who was having difficulty holding his ground) J jamais deux sans trois bad things come in threes (lit.: never two without three) jeux de main(s), jeux de vilain(s) stop fooling around or it will end in tears (lit.: playing around with your hand is the play of villains) L l’air ne fait pas la chanson do not judge by appearances; appearances can be deceptive (lit.: the sound does not create the song) l’appétit vient en mangeant the more one has, the more one wants (lit.: the appetite grows as one eats) l’arbre cache souvent la forêt haste makes waste; one can’t see the forest through the trees (lit.: the tree often hides the forest)
l’argent est un bon serviteur et un mauvais maître money makes a good servant but a poor master (i.e.: money can contribute to happiness for those who use it well but creates misery for those who are controlled by greed) l’argent n’a pas d’odeur money has no smell l’argent ne fait pas le bonheur money can’t buy happiness l’argent va à l’argent money attracts money (lit.: money goes to money) l’eau va à la rivière money flows to the rich (lit.: water goes to the river) l’enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions the road to hell is paved with good intentions (lit.: hell is paved with good intentions) l’espirt qu’on veut avoir gâte celui qu’on a the spirit one wants to have ruins what one already has l’exactitude est la politesse des rois punctuality is the politeness of kings l’exception confirme la règle the exception that proves the rule (i.e.: one exception does not necessarily disprove a rule, and can, when examined closely, confirm it) l’habit ne fait pas le moine clothes don’t make the man (lit.: the habit doesn’t make the monk) l’habitude est une seconde nature habit is second nature l’homme est un loup pour l’homme man is a wolf toward himself; brother will turn on brother (lit.: man is a wolf toward man; n.b.: from the Latin homo homini lupus, by Plautus) l’intention vaut le fait it is the thought that counts (lit.: the intention is worth the act) l’occasion fait le larron opportunity makes a thief [of anyone] (lit.: the opportunity makes the robber) l’oisivité est la mere de tous les vices the devil finds work for idle hands (lit.: idleness is the mother of all vices) le bonheur des uns fait le malheur des autres one man's meat is another's poison (lit.: the happines of some creates the sadness of others)
le rire est le propre de l'homme. laughter is unique to man la caque sent toujours le hareng what’s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (lit.: the barrel will always smell of herring) la faim chasse le loup du bois necessity knows no law (lit.: hunger chases the wolf from the woods) la fête passée, adieu le saint when his day is done, it’s good-bye to the saint (lit.: once the party is over, it is good-bye to the saint) la fin justifie les moyens the end justifies the means la fortune sourit aux audacieux fortune favors the brave (lit.: fortune smiles upon the audacious) fortune vient en dormant luck comes while we sleep (i.e.: the best way to become wealthy is to leave it up to fate) la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase the straw that breaks the camel’s back (lit.: the drop of water that makes the vase spill over) la météo est la science du temps qu’il aurait dû faire meteorology is the science of the weather that should have happened la nuit port conseil night brings wisdom (i.e.: a time to reflect, think, ponder, rest, and often gain new ideas while sleeping) la nuit, tous les chats sont gris all cats are grey in the dark (lit.: at night, all the cats are gray; i.e.: in darkness people and things look the same) la parole est d’argent, mais le silence est d’or words are silver, yet silence is golden la patience paye patience is a virtue (lit.: patience pays) la pluie du matin réjoiut le pèlerin morning rain delights the pilgrim (i.e.: because morning rain is often followed by a sunny day) la plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu’elle a the most beautiful woman in the world can only give what she has la raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure might makes right (lit.: the right of the strongest is always the best)
l la vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid revenge is a dish best served cold la vérité sort de la bouche des enfants out of the mouths of babes and sucklings [comes forth truth] (lit.: the truth comes out of the mouths of infants) le chat parti, les souris dansent when the cat’s away, the mice will play (lit.: when the cat is gone, the mice dance) le doute est la clé de toute connaissance doubt is the key to all knowledge le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle not worth the effor (lit.: the game is not worth the candle) le loup retourne toujours au bois one always goes back to one’s roots (lit.: the wolf always returns to the woods) le mieux est l’ennemi du bien better is the enemy of good (lit.: better is the enemy of good) le soleil luit pour tout le monde the sun shines on the entire world (i.e.: everyone has a irght to what nature provides to us all) le temps c’est de l’argent time is money (n.b.: from the English proverb) le temps perdu ne se rattrape jamais time and tide wait for no man (lit.: time lost is never recovered) les absents ont toujours tort it is always the people who are not there that are blamed (lit.: the absent are always wrong) les arbres cachent la forêt the trees hide the forest les beaux esprits se rencontrent great minds think alike (lit.: beautiful minds find each other) les bons comptes font les bon amis good accounting makes for good friends (i.e.: friends should know exactly what each owes the other) les chiens aboient, la caravane passe let the world say what it will; to each his own (lit.: the dogs howl, the caravan passes by) les chiens ne font pas des chats the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; like father, like son (lit.: dogs do not make or become cats) les conseilleurs ne sont pas les payeurs nothing is given so freely as advice; free advice is seldom cheap (lit.: advisors do not pay for advice)
les cordonniers sont (toujours) les plus mal chaussés the shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot (lit.: shoemakers are always have the worst shoes) les grandes douleurs sont muettes great sorrow is often silent (i.e.: extreme moral suffering does not make itself known) les grands diseurs ne sont pas les grands faiseurs great talkers are not great doers les grands esprits se rencontrent great minds think alike (lit.: great minds find each other) les gros poissons mangent les petits survival of the fittest; the large fish eat the small ones (lit.: big fish eat little fish) les jours se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas what a day may bring, a day may take away (lit.: the days follow each other but don’t resemble each other) les loups ne se mangent pas there is honor among thieves (lit.: wolves do not eat each other) les murs ont des oreilles walls have ears (lit.: walls have ears) les paroles s'envolent, les écrits restent words fly, but letters remains les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières tall oaks from little acorns grow (lit.: small streams formt great rivers) loin des yeux, loin du coeur out of sight, out of mind (lit.: far from the eyes, far from the heart) M mains froids, cœur chaud cold hands, warm heart mauvaise herbe croît toujours bad weeds always grow (n.b.: used in reference to rapid growth of a difficult child) méfiance est mere de sûreté mistrust is the mother of security mettre la charrue avant les bœufs put the cart before the horse (lit.: never put the plow before the oxen)
mettre la charrue devant les bœufs put the cart before the horse (lit.: put the plow before the oxen) mieux vaut prévenir que guérir prevention is better than cure; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (lit.: it is better to prevent than cure) mieux vaut tard que jamais better late than never morte la bête, mort le venin kill the beast, destroy the venom (i.e.: an enemy or dangerous creature cannot cause harm once dead) N n’éveillez pas le chat qui dort let sleeping dogs lie (lit.: do not awaken the sleeping cat) ne fait pas à autrui ce que tu ne voudrais pas qu’on te fit do not do to others what you would not have them do to you (n.b.: the Golden Rule in negative, and as a result much more logical, form) nécessité fait loi necessity knows no law (lit.: necessity makes [its own] laws) Noël au balcon, Pâques aux tisons a warm Christmas spells cold weather for Easter (lit.: Christmas on the balcony, Easter by the embers [in a fireplace]) nul n’est prophète en son pays no man is a prophet in his own country (lit.: none is a prophet in his own country) O œil pour œil, dent pour dent an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (lit.: eye for eye, tooth for tooth) on n'est jamais mieux servi que par soi-même you are never better served than by yourself on ne fait pas d’omelette sans casser des œufs you cannot make an omelete without breaking some eggs (i.e.: nothing is achieved without pain and sacrifice)
on ne marie pas les poules avec les renards different strokes for different folks; to each his or her own (lit.: one does not marry hens to foxes) on ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre you cannot have your cake and eat it too (lit.: one cannot have the butter and the money from the butter) on ne peut pas être à la fois au four et au moulin you cannot be in two places at once (lit.: you cannot at the same time be at the oven and at the mill) on ne prend pas les mouches avec du vinaigre one doesn’t attract flies with vinegar on ne prête qu’aux riches only the rich get richer (lit.: one lends only to the wealthy) on récolte ce qu’on a semé as you sow, so shall you reap on reconnaît l’arbre à ses fruits a tree is known by its fruit ou il y a du poisson il y a de l'eau where there is smoke, there is fire (lit.: where there are fish, there is water) P Paris ne s’est pas fait en un jour Rome wasn’t built in a day (lit.: Paris wasn’t built in a day. Note that the cities switch) pas de nouvelles, bonnes nouvelles no news is good news (lit.: a lack of news, good news) pas de plaisir sans peine no pleasure without pain pauvreté n’est pas vice poverty is not a vice (i.e.: it is not shameful to be poor) pécheé avoué est à demi pardonné a sin confessed is half pardonned petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid slow and steady wins the race; every little bit helps (lit.: little by little, the birds builds its nest) petite pluie abat grand vent small efforts can go a long way (lit.: a little rain beats back strong winds)
pierre qui roule n’amasse pas mousse a rolling stone gathers no moss (lit.: a stone that rolls amasses no moss) plaie d’argent n’est pas mortelle money isn’t everything (lit.: a financial wound is not mortal) plus fait douceur que violence better kindness than violence plus on est de fous, plus on rit the more the merrier (lit.: the more there are insane people, the more one laughs; i.e.: it is easier to laugh in a crowd) point (pas) d’argent, point (pas) de Suisse nothing for nothing (lit.: no money, no Swiss) point de nouvelles, bonnes nouvelles no news is good news (lit.: no news, good news) porter d l’eau à la rivière carry coals to Newcastle (lit.: to carry water to the river) pour un clou, Martin perdit son âne for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost (lit.: for lack of a nail, Martin lost his donkey) pourquoi remettre au lendemain ce que l'on peut faire le jour même why put off until tomorrow what can be done today prudence est mère de sûreté discretion is the better part of valor (lit.: caution is the mother of safety) Q quand le chat n’est pas là les souris dansent when the cat’s away, the mice will play (lit.: when the cat is not there, the mice dance) quand le diable devient vieux, il se fait ermite new converts are the most pious (lit.: when the devil gets old, he becomes a hermit) quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire once the first step is taken, there is no going back; as you make your bed, so must you lie upon it (lit.: when the wine is drawn, it must be drunk) quand les poules auront des dents never; never in a month of Sundays; when pigs fly (lit.: when hens have teeth)
quand on parle du loup (on en voit le queue) speak of the devil (lit.: when one speaks about a wolf, one sees the tail; n.b.: the second half is often omitted, in part because of the homonym between queue and cul) qui a bu boira a leopard never changes its spots; once a thief, always a thief (lit.: he who has drunk will drink) qui aime bien châtie bien who loves well suffers well (i.e.: those who truly love do not fear testing) qui casse les verres les paie you break it, you buy it; as you make your bed, so must you lie upon it (lit.: he who breaks the glasses pays for them) qui craint le danger ne doit pas aller en mer if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen (lit.: he who fears danger should not go to sea) qui donne aux pauvres prête à Dieu who gives to the poor loans to God (i.e.: those who are charitable are rewarded by God) qui dort dîne he who sleeps forgets his hunger (lit.: he who sleeps dines) qui n’entend qu’une cloche n’entend qu’un son hear the other side and believe little (lit.: he who hears only one bell hears only one sound) qui naît poule aime à caqueter a leopard cannot change its spots (lit.: one born as a hen will enjoy cackling) qui ne dit mot consent silence is consent (lit.: he who says not a word consents) qui ne risque rien n’a rien nothing ventured, nothing gained (lit.: he who risks nothing has nothing) qui ne tente rien n’a rien nothing ventured, nothing gained (lit.: he who does not attempt has nothing) qui paie ses dettes s’enrichit he who pays his debts becomes richer (i.e.: by paying one’s debts, one creates or increases credit) qui peut le plus peut le moins he who can do the most can do the least (i.e.: those who can do the hard things can readily do the easy ones) qui s’excuse, s’accuse he who excuses himself implicates himself; the lady doth protest too much (lit.: he who excuses himself accuses himself)

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