Too much liberty spoils all.
Meaning: Unlimited freedom without restraint breeds chaos; boundaries enable flourishing.
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, and Japanese
- French: Trop de zèle gâte tout (literally: Too much zeal spoils all)
- Spanish: Ni tanto ni tan calvo (literally: Neither so much nor so bald (avoid both extremes))
- Japanese: 過ぎたるは猶及ばざるが如し (Sugitaru wa nao oyobazaru ga gotoshi) (literally: Going too far is just like falling short)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- While there's life there's hope. — Despair closes doors only death truly opens; circumstances remain changeable while breath…
- Every light has its shadow. — Visibility and prominence inevitably create darkness elsewhere; success or advantage alwa…
- Little bodies have large souls. — Children possess emotional depth and moral capacity that rivals or exceeds that of adults…
- Little things please little minds. — Petty concerns and simple pleasures satisfy those with narrow interests and limited intel…
- Matrimony's a matter of money. — Successful marriage requires financial stability and shared economic understanding betwee…
- The merry month of May. — May's arrival brings renewal and joy, celebrated as nature's most vibrant and hopeful sea…
From our compliments & insults
- Du gehst mir auf den Keks — You're getting on my nerves.
- Schlaumeier — A smart aleck or know-it-all.
- 石頭 (Ishiatama) — A stubborn, inflexible person who won't budge.