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Easy come, easy go

Meaning: Things obtained without effort are easily lost.

Origin: English proverb from the 14th century, used by Chaucer.

Translations

  • French: Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais (literally: Ill-gotten goods never prosper)
  • Spanish: Lo que fácil viene, fácil se va (literally: What comes easily, goes easily)
  • Japanese: 悪銭身につかず (Akusen mi ni tsukazu) (literally: Ill-gotten money doesn't stick)

More proverbs about Wisdom

  • The proof is in the pudding — Results speak louder than promises.
  • Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it — Ignoring past mistakes leads to repeating them.
  • The early worm gets eaten — Being first isn't always advantageous — sometimes it's risky.
  • Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater — Don't discard something valuable while getting rid of unwanted things.
  • Rob Peter to pay Paul — Solve one problem by creating another.
  • You can't have your cake and eat it too — You can't enjoy two mutually exclusive things simultaneously.

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