Do not buy a pig in a poke.
Meaning: Inspecting merchandise before purchase prevents you from paying for defective or worthless goods hidden from view.
Origin: A poke was a small sack, a word that survives in Scotland and in "pocket." Buying a pig without opening the sack meant paying for something unseen. A London saying of about 1530 advises traders, "When ye proffer the pig, open the poke," and John Heywood's 1546 collection gives the warning its familiar form. The popular claim that it is linked to "letting the cat out of the bag" has no evidence behind it.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Let the buyer look out for himself. — Purchasers bear responsibility for inspecting goods carefully before buying, not sellers…
- Calm weather in June sets corn in tune. — Settled conditions in early summer allow corn to establish strong roots and flourish thro…
- On Candlemas day throw candle and candle-stick away. — After winter's darkest stretch passes, discard what sustained you through scarcity; abund…
- Be captain of your own ship. — Assume responsibility for directing your life's course rather than passively accepting ot…
- Don't run away with more than you can carry. — Greed beyond capacity leads to dropping everything and gaining nothing.
- Tis easy to build castles in the air. — Imagination costs nothing, but translating dreams into reality requires effort and resour…
From our compliments & insults
- Du bist ein Schatz — You're a sweetheart.
- 目に入れても痛くない (Me ni irete mo itakunai) — Said of someone you adore completely, often a child or grandchild.
- Bête comme ses pieds — Really not very bright.