Better safe than sorry
Meaning: It's wiser to be cautious than to take unnecessary risks.
Origin: The phrase appears in Rory O'More (1837), a novel by the Irish writer Samuel Lover: "It's better to be safe than sorry." Preferring caution to regret is an ancient piece of advice, but Lover's alliterative version is the one that caught on.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir (literally: Better to prevent than to cure)
- Spanish: Más vale prevenir que lamentar (literally: Better to prevent than to regret)
- Japanese: 備えあれば憂いなし (Sonae areba urei nashi) (literally: If prepared, there is no worry)
- German: Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht (literally: Caution is better than hindsight)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- A rose by any other name would smell as sweet — The essence of something doesn't depend on what it's called.
- Kill two birds with one stone — Accomplish two tasks with a single action.
- Don't bite off more than you can chew — Don't take on more than you can handle.
- Every rose has its thorn — Even the best things have their drawbacks.
- All's well that ends well — A good outcome justifies the difficulties along the way.
- A rolling stone gathers no moss — Those who keep moving avoid stagnation (or commitments).