Steal the goose, and give the giblets in alms.
Meaning: Token charity from what you stole does nothing to redeem the theft.
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
- Anger is short-lived in a good man. — A good person's anger passes quickly and leaves no lasting grudge.
- Where bad's the best, naught must be the choice. — When all options are flawed, refusing to participate entirely becomes the wisest decision.
- Better be alone than in bad company. — Solitude preserves your integrity better than compromising yourself through associations…
- He that cannot abide a bad market deserves not a good one. — Profiting from favorable conditions requires enduring the inevitable downturns with patie…
- Make the best of a bad bargain. — When stuck with an unfavorable deal, focus energy on maximizing what value remains rather…
- Barley straw's good fodder when the cow gives water. — When resources are scarce, even poor substitutes become valuable for survival.
From our untranslatable words
- Iktsuarpok — The restless anticipation that makes you keep stepping outside to see if someone is final…
- Meraki — Pouring your soul, love, and creativity into whatever you do — cooking, art, anything.
- Mångata — The shimmering, road-like reflection the moon casts across water.