Better lose a jest than a friend.
Meaning: Sacrificing a humorous quip protects valued relationships that require more care than momentary laughter deserves.
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 Perseverance
- Tis a great journey to the world's end. — Long journeys require patience and persistence; ambitious goals demand sustained effort o…
- Keep a thing seven years, and you will find a use for it. — Patience with possessions reveals hidden utility; what seems worthless today becomes inva…
- He that labours and thrives, spins gold. — Hard work that produces results generates wealth and prosperity far beyond initial effort.
- Step after step the ladder is ascended. — Sustained progress toward a goal requires completing each small task in proper sequence w…
- Land was never lost for want of an heir. — Inherited property endures through generations because survival instinct ensures someone…
- He that doth not lend doth lose his friend. — Refusing to help friends financially may cost you their friendship and trust.
From our idioms
- styv i korken — Overly self-confident and arrogant, carrying oneself with unwarranted swagger.
- gå sitt öde till mötes — To face one's destiny, often implying a dramatic or fatal confrontation with what is fate…
- som vatten på en gås — Something that has no effect or makes no impression, sliding off harmlessly.