He that despiseth small things shall fall by little and little.
Meaning: Neglecting minor problems allows them to accumulate into catastrophic failure.
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.
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- A fat sorrow is better than a lean one. — Sharing grief with others diminishes its burden; isolation amplifies even minor sorrows.
- When sorrow is asleep, wake it not. — Avoid reopening old wounds or painful memories that have faded with time.
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From our compliments & insults
- Quel râleur / quelle râleuse — You never stop moaning — everything is a complaint, nothing is ever good enough.
- Peau de vache — A mean, difficult, and unpleasant person — tough and unyielding like tanned hide.
- Eres un aguafiestas — You're a killjoy — you pour cold water on everyone's fun the moment you arrive.