Proverbs from Around the World

Explore a living collection of over 1,900 proverbs from more than 50 cultures. Discover timeless wisdom in English, French, Spanish, and Japanese — each saying with its meaning, origin, and literal translation.

The pen is mightier than the sword — Writing and ideas have more influence than violence. (English proverb coined by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839.)
Where there's a will, there's a way — Determination will help you find a solution. (English proverb dating to the 1640s, popularized in the 19th century.)
Blood is thicker than water — Family bonds are stronger than other relationships. (German proverb, first recorded in the 12th century.)
Two heads are better than one — Collaboration and diverse perspectives lead to better solutions. (English proverb dating back to the 14th century.)
No pain, no gain — You must work hard to achieve results. (Exercise motto popularized in the 1980s, roots in Benjamin Franklin's writings.)
What goes around comes around — Your actions will eventually return to affect you. (American English expression from the 1970s, related to the concept of karma.)
Silence is golden — Sometimes it's better to say nothing. (Arabic proverb, popularized in English by Thomas Carlyle in 1831.)
The grass is always greener on the other side — What others have always seems better than what you have. (Latin origin, popularized in English literature by the 16th century.)
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush — It's better to have something certain now than to risk it for something uncertain in the future. (Medieval Latin proverb, recorded in English by the 15th century.)
Practice makes perfect — Repeated practice leads to mastery. (Latin proverb, adapted into English by the 16th century.)
Birds of a feather flock together — People with similar interests or characteristics tend to associate with each other. (English proverb from the 16th century.)
When the going gets tough, the tough get going — Strong people don't give up when faced with challenges. (Attributed to Joseph P. Kennedy in the early 20th century.)

From the blog: The Same Idiom in Different Languages: 6 Ideas the Whole World Shares

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