
ProverbWisdom
English origin
The balance distinguishes not between gold and lead.
Meaning: A scale measures only weight, so material worth becomes irrelevant when judged by quantity alone.
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.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- Havadan sudan konuşmak To make idle small talk.
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- الجمل ما يشوف عوجة رقبته (Al-jamal mā yshūf 'awjat raqabatuh) People are blind to their own faults.
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