Where the hedge is lowest, men commonly leap over.
Meaning: Temptation proves strongest where safeguards are weakest, inviting transgression.
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 German
- French: Où la haie est plus basse on saute dessus (literally: Where the hedge is lowest men jump over)
- Spanish: La ocasión hace al ladrón (literally: Opportunity makes the thief)
- German: Gelegenheit macht Diebe (literally: Opportunity makes thieves)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- A low hedge is easily leapt over. — Weak boundaries invite transgression; those who set minimal standards find them readily i…
- One pair of heels is often worth two pair of hands. — Women's domestic labor, though undervalued, accomplishes more than additional male worker…
- Hide nothing from thy minister, physician, and lawyer. — Trust these three professionals completely; withholding information from them undermines…
- He is not wise that is not wise for himself. — Self-interest in practical matters—securing one's own welfare—constitutes genuine wisdom,…
- The hindermost dog may catch the hare. — Even laggards succeed when persistence outlasts the quarry's exhaustion.
- Home is home, be it ever so homely. — Comfort and belonging matter more than outward appearance or grandeur.
From our idioms
- matar cachorro a grito — To be extremely poor or destitute.
- mandar bala — To pursue something with enthusiasm and vigor.
- encontro às cegas — A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.