A fox should not be of the jury at a goose trial.
Meaning: Predators cannot impartially judge those they naturally prey upon; self-interest corrupts justice.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- When the fox preaches, beware of your geese. — Predators exploiting trust through false virtue pose the greatest danger to the vulnerabl…
- Though the fox runs the chicken hath wings. — Predator and prey possess different advantages; cunning alone cannot always overcome natu…
- Such as the tree is, such is the fruit. — People's actions and character naturally reflect their inner nature and values.
- If you would enjoy the fruit, pluck not the flower. — Premature harvesting destroys potential; patience allows natural development to completio…
- Take away fuel, take away flame. — Eliminating the source of a problem stops the problem itself from spreading or persisting.
- Gems must not be valued by what they are set in. — True worth lies beyond external packaging; judge people and things by inherent quality, n…
From our compliments & insults
- És uma joia — You're a gem — a precious, lovely person.
- Sei un salame — You're a clumsy, dopey softie — said with a smile.
- Eres más corto que las mangas de un chaleco — You're not the sharpest — a bit slow on the uptake.