Waste not, want not
Meaning: Using things carefully and avoiding waste prevents future need and scarcity.
Origin: First recorded in 1772, and made familiar by Maria Edgeworth's moral tale for children "Waste Not, Want Not," added to The Parent's Assistant in 1800. In it two cousins, careful Benjamin and wasteful Hal, are given parcels tied with string: Benjamin saves his, Hal cuts his and throws it away — with results the story makes plain. An older, sterner version runs "Wilful waste makes woeful want."
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Rien de perdu, rien de manqué (literally: Nothing lost, nothing missed)
- Spanish: No desperdicies, no pasarás necesidad (literally: Don't waste, you won't be in need)
- Japanese: 無駄をなくせば欠乏もない (Muda wo nakuseba ketsubō mo nai) (literally: If you eliminate waste, there is no want)
- German: Spare in der Zeit, so hast du in der Not (literally: Save in good times, and you will have in time of need)
More proverbs about Morality
- Let the punishment fit the crime — Penalties should be proportional and appropriate to the offense committed.
- He who permits wickedness commands it — Silently allowing wrongdoing makes you as responsible as the wrongdoer.
- The truth is rarely pure and never simple — Reality is complex and nuanced; anyone claiming simple certainty should be viewed with sk…
- Character is what you do when no one is watching — True virtue is shown not in public performances but in private actions when there are no…
- The shortest answer is doing the thing itself — Action is more effective than deliberation; the most direct response to a challenge is to…
- Don't get above your raising — Humble origins should temper ambition; remember where you came from and maintain modest v…
From our compliments & insults
- Tu es un as — You're brilliant at what you do — the very best.
- Tu as de la répartie — You're brilliantly quick-witted — always ready with the perfect comeback.
- Eres un crack — You're brilliant — a total star at what you do.