A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

Qui ne sort que de jour, n’a que faire de lanterne. He who goes abroad by day has no need of a lantern.

Qui ne souffre pas seul, ne souffre pas tant. Company in distress makes trouble less.

Qui ne veut parler, ne veut gagner. Spare to speak and spare to speed.

Qui n’y va, n’y chet. He that ventures not fails not.

Qui parle, sème; qui écoute, recueille. Who speaks, sows; who listens, reaps.

Qui partout va, partout prend. He who goes everywhere gains everywhere.

Qui passe un jour d’hiver, il passe un de ses ennemis mortels. He who passes a winter’s day passes one of his mortal enemies.

Qui paye, a bien le droit de donner son avis. He who pays is fairly entitled to speak his mind.

Qui paye bien, est bien servi. He who pays well is well served.

Qui paye tôt, emprunte quand il veut. Who pays soon borrows when he will.

Qui perd, pèche. He who loses sins.

Qui peut lécher, peut mordre. He who can lick can bite.

Qui plus qu’il n’a vaillant dépend, il fait la corde à quoi se pend. He that spends more than he is worth spins a rope for his own neck.

Qui plus sait, plus se tait. Who knows most says least.

Qui porte un fardeau, en portera bientôt cent. He who carries one burden will soon carry a hundred.

Qui pourrait vivre sans espoir? Who could live without hope?

Qui prend femme, prend maître. He who takes a wife takes a master.

Qui prend une femme pour sa dot, à la liberté tourne le dos. Who wives for a dower, resigns his own power.

Qui prête à l’ami, perd au double. Who lends to a friend loses doubly.

Qui prouve trop, ne prouve rien. Who proves too much proves nothing.

Qui quitte sa place, la perd. He who quits his place loses it.

Qui refuse, muse. Who refuses, muses.

Qui répond, paye. Who answers for another pays.

Qui reste dans la vallée ne passera jamais la montagne. He that stays in the valley will not get over the hill.

Qui rien ne porte, rien ne lui chet. He who carries nothing loses nothing.

Qui s’acquitte, s’enrichit. He who gets out of debt enriches himself.

Qui s’arrête à chaque pierre, n’arrive jamais. He who stops at every stone never gets to his journey’s end.

Qui s’attend à l’écuelle d’autrui, dîne souvent par c”oe]ur. He who waits for another man’s trencher often dines in imagination (or with Duke Humphrey).

Qui saurait les aventures, ne serait jamais pauvre. Could a man foresee events he would never be poor.

Qui se couche avec des chiens, se lève avec des puces. He who lies down with dogs gets up with fleas.

Qui se détourne, évite le danger. He who turns aside avoids danger.

Qui se fâche, a tort. He who loses his temper is in the wrong.

Qui se fait brebis, le loup le mange. Make yourself a sheep and the wolf will eat you.

Qui se marie à la hâte, se repent à loisir. Marry in haste and repent at leisure.

Qui se marie par amours, a bonnes nuits et mauvais jours. He who marries for love has good nights and bad days.

Qui sème des chardons, recueille des épines. He who sows thistles reaps thorns.

Qui sème épines, n’aille déchaux. Who sows thorns should not go barefoot.

Qui sème, recueille. Who sows reaps.

Qui se remue, Dieu l’adjue. God helps him who helps himself.

Qui se ressemble s’assemble. Like will to like.

Qui sert commun, nul ne le paye, et s’il défaut, chacun l’abbaye. Who serves the mass is thanked by none, but cursed if aught be left undone.

Qui se sent galeux, se gratte. Let him that itches scratch himself.

Qui se sent morveux, se mouche. Let him who feels he has a dirty nose wipe it.

Qui se tient à Paris, ne sera jamais pape. He who never budges from Paris will never be pope.

Qui s’excuse, s’accuse. He who excuses himself accuses himself.

Qui s’y frotte, s’y pique. No jesting with edged tools.

Qui terre a, guerre a. Whoso hath land hath war.

Qui tient la poële par la queue, il la tourne là où il veut. He who holds the handle of the frying-pan turns it as he pleases.

Qui tient le fil, tient le peloton. He who holds the thread holds the ball.

Qui tôt donne, deux fois donne. He gives twice who gives in a trice.