Little boats must keep the shore.
Meaning: Small vessels risk capsizing in deep waters; the weak survive by avoiding dangerous exposure.
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 Perseverance
- The longest day must have an end. — Even the most difficult or lengthy struggles will eventually conclude if you endure.
- Never leave a friend in the lurch. — Abandoning someone who depends on you damages trust and reveals your character's weakness…
- The master's eye does more work than his hands. — Vigilant oversight and attention accomplish more than physical labor alone.
- Medlars are never good till they be rotten. — Unpleasant external conditions sometimes precede inner ripeness; patience reveals hidden…
- Time and straw make medlars ripe. — Patience and neglect accomplish what effort cannot; some things require only waiting.
- It is never too late to mend. — Mistakes and poor situations remain fixable at any age or stage, no matter how long you'v…
From our idioms
- своя рубашка ближе к телу (svoya rubashka blizhe k telu) — self-interest comes before charity; one should prioritize one's own welfare and family.
- в лес дрова возить (v les drova vozit') — to do something pointless or redundant; to offer something to someone who already has ple…
- сражаться с ветряными мельницами (srazhat'sya s vetryanymi mel'nitsami) — To struggle against imaginary or futile enemies; to waste effort on impossible causes.