Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches

Meaning: Only the person experiencing a difficulty truly understands its depth.

Origin: English proverb from the 14th century, parallel to the Latin Calceus nemo melius quam sutor.

Translations

French: C'est celui qui porte la chaussure qui sait où elle fait mal (literally: The one who wears the shoe knows where it hurts)
Spanish: Solo quien calza el zapato sabe dónde aprieta (literally: Only the one who wears the shoe knows where it pinches)
Japanese: 靴の痛みは履いている者だけが知る (Kutsu no itami wa haite iru mono dake ga shiru) (literally: Only the one wearing the shoe knows where it hurts)

Even the sun has its spots — Nothing and nobody is perfect; even the greatest things have their flaws.
The forest would be silent if no bird sang except the one that sang best — Everyone has a unique contribution; holding back out of self-doubt robs the world.
As the twig is bent, so grows the tree — Early experiences and upbringing shape a person's lifelong character and habits.
If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together — Short-term speed comes from solitude; long-term achievement comes from collaboration.
A bad workman always blames his tools — Incompetent people blame external factors for their failures instead of taking responsibi…
Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow — Happiness multiplies and burdens lighten when shared with others.

Loading the full interactive collection…