Fools tie knots and wise men loose them.
Meaning: Hasty decisions create lasting problems; intelligence lies in undoing damage rather than perpetuating it.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Human Nature
- Knowledge in youth is wisdom in age. — Early learning compounds over time, transforming youthful study into seasoned understandi…
- That's where the laugh comes in. — Unexpected humor often emerges from situations that initially seem serious or unfunny to…
- They laugh the loudest who have least to lose. — Those with nothing at stake can afford uninhibited mirth; real vulnerability silences lau…
- In a thousand pounds of law there's not an ounce of love. — Legal systems, however comprehensive, cannot enforce compassion or genuine human connecti…
- Learning makes a man fit company for himself. — Intellectual cultivation transforms solitude into enriching self-reflection rather than l…
- The liberal man deviseth liberal things. — Generous hearts naturally conceive and pursue generous actions; abundance of spirit beget…
From our compliments & insults
- حمار (ḥimār) — A stubborn fool — the donkey being the universal symbol of obstinacy in Arabic culture.
- Je bent een kanjer — You're a star — a champ and a wonderful person.
- Золотые руки (Zolotye ruki) — You're wonderfully skilled with your hands — a true master at making and fixing things.