Better an empty house than a bad tenant.

Meaning: An absent home causes less damage than one inhabited by someone destructive or unreliable.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Morality

Enough is as good as a feast. — Contentment with sufficiency brings the same satisfaction as abundance without the excess.
A bad excuse is better than none at all. — Offering some explanation, however flawed, preserves dignity better than silent admission…
A single fact is worth a ship-load of argument. — Concrete evidence settles disputes more effectively than prolonged debate or rhetoric alo…
Fair and softly go far in a day. — Steady, moderate effort sustains progress better than rushed, forceful action that exhaus…
A fair face may hide a foul heart. — Physical beauty deceives; assess character through actions and behavior, not appearance a…
As good to be out of the world as out of the fashion. — Social irrelevance destroys one's sense of existence as thoroughly as physical death.

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