If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Meaning: Don't change something that's working well.
Origin: Popularized by Bert Lance, budget director to President Jimmy Carter, who told the magazine Nation's Business in 1977 that the government could save billions by following the rule "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Lance offered it as plain Georgia common sense, and it spread quickly through engineering and business.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Si ça marche, n'y touche pas (literally: If it works, don't touch it)
- Spanish: Si funciona, no lo toques (literally: If it works, don't touch it)
- Japanese: 壊れていないなら直すな (Kowarete inai nara naosu na) (literally: If it's not broken, don't fix it)
- German: Das Bessere ist der Feind des Guten (literally: The better is the enemy of the good)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Money doesn't grow on trees — Money is hard to earn and should be spent wisely.
- When in Rome, do as the Romans do — Adapt to local customs when visiting a new place.
- Keep your friends close and your enemies closer — It's wise to monitor those who might harm you.
- Jack of all trades, master of none — Versatility can come at the cost of expertise.
- Haste makes waste — Rushing leads to mistakes and wasted effort.
- Don't cry over spilled milk — Don't worry about things that have already happened.
From our untranslatable words
- Querencia — A place where you feel safe, grounded, and most fully yourself — a sanctuary from which y…
- Estrenar — The specific pleasure of wearing, using, or showing off something brand new for the very…
- Abbiocco — The heavy, irresistible drowsiness that comes after a large meal — the post-lunch stupor…