ProverbPerseverance
English origin
English originTis a good horse that never stumbles, and a good wife that never grumbles.
Meaning: A flawless partner, like a flawless horse, doesn't exist—accepting minor faults shows wisdom.
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.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 4 more languages
French: Il n’y a cheval si bon qui ne bronche (literally: It is a good horse that never stumbles)
Spanish: El mejor escribano echa un borrón (literally: The best scribe makes a blot)
Japanese: 猿も木から落ちる (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) (literally: Even monkeys fall from trees)
German: Auch ein Pferd strauchelt, und hat doch vier Beine (literally: Even a horse stumbles, and yet it has four legs)
Italian: Sbaglia anche il prete all'altare (literally: Even the priest makes mistakes at the altar)
Dutch: Het beste paard struikelt wel eens (literally: Even the best horse stumbles sometimes)
Polish: I koń ma cztery nogi, a potknie się (literally: Even a horse has four legs and still stumbles)
Korean: 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 (Wonsungido namueseo tteoreojinda) (literally: Even monkeys fall from trees)
Arabic: لكل جواد كبوة (Li-kulli jawādin kabwa) (literally: Every steed stumbles)
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