Ehrlich währt am längsten

Meaning: Honesty pays off in the long run.

Literally: Honest lasts longest

Example: “Sag die Wahrheit, auch wenn es schwer ist. Ehrlich währt am längsten.” — Tell the truth, even if it's hard: honesty is the best policy.

Equivalents in English, Japanese, and Dutch

English: Honesty is the best policy
Japanese: 正直は最善の策 (Shōjiki wa saizen no saku) (literally: Honesty is the best strategy)
Dutch: Eerlijk duurt het langst (literally: Honest lasts longest)

Origin: Währen is an old verb for lasting: the honest course is the one that lasts longest.

Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.

Sturmfrei The liberating feeling of having the house entirely to yourself — when parents or a partn…
Waldeinsamkeit The serene, faintly mystical feeling of being alone in the woods, at peace with nature.
Backpfeifengesicht A face that is just begging to be slapped — someone so smug you can't help the urge.

Keep exploring