Idleness must thank itself if it goes barefoot.
Meaning: Laziness creates its own poverty; those who refuse work cannot blame circumstances for their deprivation.
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 Wisdom
- Give him an inch, and he'll take an ell. — Allowing someone a small concession encourages them to demand progressively larger ones.
- Who in Janiveer sows oats, gets gold and groats. — Sowing oats in January's harsh cold yields abundant harvests through bold, timely action…
- Jests, like sweetmeats, are often sour sauce. — Humor that relies on mockery or cruelty leaves a bitter aftertaste despite its initial ap…
- Judge not of men or things at first sight. — Snap judgments based on initial appearances miss the complexity that emerges through clos…
- Wood half burnt is easily kindled. — Partially damaged resolve or commitment reignites more readily than creating fresh determ…
- Kindnesses, like grain, increase by sowing. — Generosity multiplies when shared freely, returning abundance to those who give it.
From our tongue twisters
- Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach. — Fliegen means 'flies' (insects), 'to fly', and 'flying' — all at once, relentlessly.
- Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten. — A jaw-breaking compound-noun 'ts/tsch/sch' marathon — the German love of compound words w…
- Hinter Hermann Hannes Haus hängen hundert Hemden raus. — A relentless 'h' aspirate drill — every word opens with the same breathy attack.