Simon Noland, clown, is a better style and title than Humphrey Hadland, gent.
Meaning: A fool's honest name beats a gentleman's pretense; character matters more than titles.
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
- Better three hours too soon than a minute too late. — Arriving early prevents missing opportunities, while lateness—no matter how brief—causes…
- He that grasps at too much, holds fast nothing. — Excessive ambition scatters effort, leaving you empty-handed where focused pursuit secure…
- We can't all be top sawyers. — Not everyone possesses equal skill or talent; accepting different aptitudes prevents rese…
- He that hath a trade hath an estate. — A skilled profession provides reliable income and security equivalent to owning property…
- Trade is the mother of money. — Commercial exchange and regular transactions naturally generate wealth through profit acc…
- He that travels far knows much. — Extended experience across diverse places builds broader understanding than remaining sta…
From our untranslatable words
- Hygge — The warm contentment of simple, cozy pleasures shared with people you love — candles, bla…
- Komorebi — The dappled light that filters through leaves and scatters across the ground.
- Schadenfreude — The guilty little pleasure of taking satisfaction in someone else's misfortune.