The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
Meaning: Mothers have profound influence on society.
Origin: From "What Rules the World," an 1865 poem by the American poet William Ross Wallace: "For the hand that rocks the cradle / Is the hand that rules the world." Wallace meant it as a tribute to mothers, whose influence shapes the next generation.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, and Japanese
- French: La main qui berce le berceau gouverne le monde (literally: The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world)
- Spanish: La mano que mece la cuna gobierna el mundo (literally: The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world)
- Japanese: 母の手が世界を動かす (Haha no te ga sekai wo ugokasu) (literally: A mother's hand moves the world)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- No news is good news — The absence of bad news is itself good news.
- Every man for himself — In crisis, everyone must look after their own interests.
- No man is an island — Humans need connection with others.
- Beggars on horseback — Those given power abuse it worst.
- Familiarity breeds contempt — Being too close to something can reduce appreciation for it.
- Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are — The company you keep reflects and shapes your own character.
From our tongue twisters
- Pad kid poured curd pulled cod. — Alternating repetition — the consonants swap at the start of every other word, which is w…
- Ехал Грека через реку, видит Грека — в реке рак. (Yekhal Greka cherez reku, vidit Greka — v reke rak.) — A rolling 'r/k' drill where Greka, reku and rak keep trading the same two consonants.
- От топота копыт пыль по полю летит. (Ot topota kopyt pyl po polyu letit.) — A 'p/t' hammering that imitates the hoofbeats it describes.