Pepper is black, yet it hath a good smack.
Meaning: Humble or unassuming appearance need not diminish value; worth transcends visual appeal.
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 Morality
- Praise a fair day at night. — Wait until hardship passes before celebrating good fortune, as circumstances remain uncer…
- Birds of prey do not sing. — Predators focused on survival through action lack leisure for beautiful expression or soc…
- Pry not into other people's affairs. — Meddling in others' business breeds conflict and wastes energy better spent on your own c…
- Many without punishment, none without sin. — Without accountability, wrongdoing flourishes; perfection remains impossible for all mort…
- A ragged colt may make a good horse. — Unpromising beginnings don't determine a creature's potential; proper care and time can t…
- The receiver is as bad as the thief. — Accepting stolen goods makes you complicit in the crime, not merely a passive bystander.
From our tongue twisters
- От топота копыт пыль по полю летит. (Ot topota kopyt pyl po polyu letit.) — A 'p/t' hammering that imitates the hoofbeats it describes.
- Четыре чёрненьких чумазеньких чертёнка чертили чёрными чернилами чертёж. (Chetyre chyornenkikh chumazenkikh chertyonka chertili chyornymi chernilami chertyozh.) — Seven consecutive words built on 'ch' — Russian's ч in every stressed position with barel…
- 红鲤鱼与绿鲤鱼与驴 (Hóng lǐyú yǔ lǜ lǐyú yǔ lǘ) — lǐ, lǜ and lǘ differ only by vowel rounding and tone — nine syllables that all collapse t…