Eagles don't catch flies
Meaning: People of high purpose and ambition don't concern themselves with petty matters.
Origin: Erasmus collected the Latin aquila non capit muscas in his Adagia. The great and powerful do not concern themselves with trifles.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: L'aigle ne chasse pas les mouches (literally: The eagle does not hunt flies)
- Spanish: El águila no caza moscas (literally: The eagle doesn't hunt flies)
- Japanese: 鷲は蠅を捕まえない (Washi wa hae wo tsukamaenai) (literally: An eagle does not catch flies)
- German: Adler fangen keine Fliegen (literally: Eagles do not catch flies)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- You cannot step into the same river twice — Everything is constantly in flux; no experience can ever truly be repeated.
- A little knowledge is a dangerous thing — Partial knowledge breeds overconfidence and can be more harmful than honest ignorance.
- The frog in the well knows not the great ocean — Those with limited experience cannot comprehend the vastness of the wider world.
- A good beginning makes a good ending — How you start something largely determines how it will finish; preparation and intention…
- He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened — Understanding others requires wisdom, but self-knowledge is the highest form of understan…
- Measure twice, cut once — Take time to plan carefully before acting, to avoid costly and irreversible mistakes.
From our idioms
- get the ball rolling — to start something; to initiate a process.
- as tough as old boots — very strong; enduring; difficult to break.
- head honcho — the person in charge; the leader.