Spanish Proverbs

241 genuine Spanish proverbs, each matched with an English proverb that means the same thing. Some use the same image; many say it in a completely different way. Each comes with a word-for-word translation and its meaning.

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La pluma es más poderosa que la espada — Writing and ideas have more influence than violence. Literally: The pen is more powerful than the sword.
Querer es poder — Determination will help you find a solution. Literally: To want is to be able.
La sangre es más espesa que el agua — Family bonds are stronger than other relationships. Literally: Blood is thicker than water.
Dos cabezas piensan mejor que una — Collaboration and diverse perspectives lead to better solutions. Literally: Two heads think better than one.
El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta — You must work hard to achieve results. Literally: Whoever wants something must pay something for it.
Lo que siembras, cosechas — Your actions will eventually return to affect you. Literally: What you sow, you harvest.
El silencio es oro — Sometimes it's better to say nothing. Literally: Silence is gold.
La gallina de mi vecina más huevos pone que la mía — What others have always seems better than what you have. Literally: My neighbor's hen lays more eggs than mine.
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando — It's better to have something certain now than to risk it for something uncertain in the future. Literally: A bird in hand is worth more than a hundred flying.
La práctica hace al maestro — Repeated practice leads to mastery. Literally: Practice makes the master.
Dios los cría y ellos se juntan — People with similar interests or characteristics tend to associate with each other. Literally: God raises them and they come together.
Caer siete veces, levantarse ocho — Perseverance is the key to mastery and resilience. Literally: Fall seven times, rise eight.
Al mal tiempo, buena cara — Make the best of a bad situation. Literally: To bad weather, good face.
No pongas todos los huevos en la misma canasta — Don't risk everything on one venture. Literally: Don't put all eggs in the same basket.
Obras son amores, que no buenas razones — What you do matters more than what you say. Literally: Deeds are love, not fine words.
Roma no se construyó en un día — Great things take time and patience. Literally: Rome was not built in a day.
No hay mal que por bien no venga — There is always something positive in every difficult situation. Literally: There is no evil that doesn't come for good.
Antes que te cases, mira lo que haces — Think carefully before acting. Literally: Before you marry, look at what you're doing.
Las apariencias engañan — Appearances can be deceiving. Literally: Appearances deceive.
Más vale prevenir que lamentar — Fixing a problem early prevents bigger issues later. Literally: Better to prevent than to regret.
No vendas la piel del oso antes de cazarlo — Don't assume success before it happens. Literally: Don't sell the bear's skin before hunting it.
Muchas manos en un plato hacen mucho garabato — Too many people involved can ruin a project. Literally: Many hands on a plate make a mess.
Al que madruga, Dios le ayuda — Those who act first gain advantage. Literally: God helps those who rise early.
Más vale tarde que nunca — Doing something late is better than not doing it at all. Literally: Better late than never.
La curiosidad mató al gato — Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble. Literally: Curiosity killed the cat.
La necesidad es la madre de la invención — Difficult situations inspire creative solutions. Literally: Necessity is the mother of invention.
De tal palo, tal astilla — Children often resemble their parents. Literally: From such a stick, such a splinter.
El saber es poder — Education and learning give you strength and advantage. Literally: Knowledge is power.
El tiempo todo lo cura — Emotional pain fades with the passage of time. Literally: Time cures everything.
Quien siembra vientos, recoge tempestades — Your actions determine your outcomes. Literally: Who sows winds, reaps storms.
La risa es la mejor medicina — Humor and joy can help overcome difficulties. Literally: Laughter is the best medicine.
Donde hay humo, hay fuego — Rumors or signs usually indicate some truth. Literally: Where there is smoke, there is fire.
Lento pero seguro — Consistency and patience lead to success. Literally: Slow but sure.
Dale un pez a un hombre y comerá un día — Teaching someone is more valuable than doing things for them. Literally: Give a fish to a man and he eats one day.
No todo lo que brilla es oro — Appearances can be misleading. Literally: Not everything that shines is gold.
Trata a los demás como quieras que te traten — Treat people the way you want to be treated. Literally: Treat others as you want to be treated.
Quien espera, desespera — Time seems to pass slowly when you are waiting. Literally: He who waits, despairs.
La fortuna favorece a los audaces — Taking risks often leads to rewards. Literally: Fortune favors the bold.
A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente — When you need help, you accept what's offered. Literally: Don't look at the teeth of a gifted horse.
Mucho ruido y pocas nueces — Those who know the least often talk the most. Literally: Much noise and few nuts.
Del agua mansa líbreme Dios — Quiet people often have great depth of character. Literally: God save me from still water.
Se necesita un pueblo entero para criar a un niño — Community support is essential for child development. Literally: It takes a whole town to raise a child.
Perro que ladra no muerde — People who make threats rarely carry them out. Literally: A dog that barks doesn't bite.
No muerdas la mano que te da de comer — Don't harm those who help you. Literally: Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
El dinero no crece en los árboles — Money is hard to earn and should be spent wisely. Literally: Money doesn't grow on trees.
Donde fueres, haz lo que vieres — Adapt to local customs when visiting a new place. Literally: Where you go, do what you see.
El que tiene tejado de vidrio no tire piedras al del vecino — Don't criticize others if you have the same faults. Literally: He who has a glass roof should not throw stones at the neighbor's.
La paciencia es la madre de la ciencia — Patience is rewarded. Literally: Patience is the mother of science.
Una imagen vale más que mil palabras — Visual information communicates more effectively than text. Literally: An image is worth more than a thousand words.
La ausencia es al amor lo que al fuego el aire — Being apart makes you appreciate someone more. Literally: Absence is to love what the wind is to fire.
Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada — Versatility can come at the cost of expertise. Literally: Apprentice of all, master of none.
Hogar, dulce hogar — Home is where you feel most comfortable. Literally: Home, sweet home.
Las prisas son malas consejeras — Rushing leads to mistakes and wasted effort. Literally: Haste is a bad advisor.
A lo hecho, pecho — Don't worry about things that have already happened. Literally: To what is done, chest.
A hierro caliente, batir de repente — Act quickly when the opportunity presents itself. Literally: To hot iron, strike suddenly.
Mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos — Unhappy people seek others who are also suffering. Literally: The ill of many is the consolation of fools.
El que no llora, no mama — Those who complain the most get attention. Literally: He who doesn't cry, doesn't get fed.
Si no puedes con tu enemigo, únete a él — If you can't win against something, align with it. Literally: If you can't beat your enemy, join them.
El camino al infierno está empedrado de buenas intenciones — Good plans are worthless without follow-through. Literally: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Lo que fácil viene, fácil se va — Things obtained without effort are easily lost. Literally: What comes easily, goes easily.
No se puede hacer tortilla sin romper huevos — Progress requires sacrifice. Literally: You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.
Lo que no te mata te hace más fuerte — Adversity builds resilience and character. Literally: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Dos no pelean si uno no quiere — Both parties are responsible in a conflict. Literally: Two don't fight if one doesn't want to.
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente — We tend to forget things or people we don't see. Literally: Eyes that don't see, heart that doesn't feel.
Al freír será el reír — Results speak louder than promises. Literally: When frying will come the laughing.
La verdad os hará libres — Honesty and truth lead to liberation. Literally: The truth will make you free.
Quien no arriesga, no gana — You must take risks to achieve rewards. Literally: Who doesn't risk, doesn't win.
La unión hace la fuerza — Strength comes from unity. Literally: Union makes strength.
Los que no aprenden de la historia están condenados a repetirla — Ignoring past mistakes leads to repeating them. Literally: Those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
Errar es humano, perdonar es divino — Making mistakes is natural; forgiving them is noble. Literally: To err is human, to forgive is divine.
Vivir y dejar vivir — Be tolerant of others' choices and lifestyles. Literally: Live and let live.
De perdidos, al río — Once committed to something, go all the way with it. Literally: From lost, to the river.
El gato tiene siete vidas — Cats (or resilient people) survive many dangerous situations. Literally: The cat has seven lives.
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano — Being first isn't always advantageous — sometimes it's risky. Literally: Getting up early doesn't make dawn come sooner.
Tirar al niño con el agua sucia — Don't discard something valuable while getting rid of unwanted things. Literally: To throw out the child with the dirty water.
Desnudar a un santo para vestir a otro — Solve one problem by creating another. Literally: Undress one saint to dress another.
En la guerra y el amor todo vale — Normal rules don't apply in romance or conflict. Literally: In war and love, everything goes.
No se puede estar en misa y repicando — You can't enjoy two mutually exclusive things simultaneously. Literally: You can't be at mass and ringing the bells.
Más vale prevenir que lamentar — It's wiser to be cautious than to take unnecessary risks. Literally: Better to prevent than to regret.
Salir de Guatemala para entrar en Guatepeor — Escaping one bad situation only to end up in a worse one. Literally: Leaving Guate-bad to enter Guate-worse.
Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta — Don't take on more than you can handle. Literally: He who grasps much, holds little.
No hay rosa sin espinas — Even the best things have their drawbacks. Literally: There is no rose without thorns.
En la necesidad se conoce al amigo — True friends show their worth during difficult times. Literally: In need, the friend is known.
Piedra movediza no cría moho — Those who keep moving avoid stagnation (or commitments). Literally: A moving stone doesn't grow moss.
Al César lo que es del César — Acknowledge others' contributions fairly. Literally: To Caesar what is Caesar's.
La belleza está en los ojos del que mira — Perception of beauty is subjective and personal. Literally: Beauty is in the eyes of the one who looks.
Una cadena es tan fuerte como su eslabón más débil — A group's effectiveness is limited by its weakest member. Literally: A chain is as strong as its weakest link.
Un viaje de mil millas comienza con un solo paso — Great accomplishments start with small beginnings. Literally: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Cuanto más alto, más dura la caída — Powerful people suffer greater consequences when they fail. Literally: The higher, the harder the fall.
Predica con el ejemplo — Live according to the principles you advocate. Literally: Preach with the example.
Mejor no menear el avispero — Don't stir up trouble that has settled down. Literally: Better not to stir the wasp's nest.
La ocasión la pintan calva — Chances don't come twice; seize them when they appear. Literally: Opportunity is painted bald.
La soberbia precede a la caída — Arrogance often precedes failure. Literally: Pride precedes the fall.
La justicia tarda pero llega — Justice takes time but eventually arrives. Literally: Justice is slow but it arrives.
El diablo está en los detalles — Small details can cause major problems. Literally: The devil is in the details.
En la variedad está el gusto — Diversity makes life interesting. Literally: In variety lies pleasure.
Todo lo bueno llega a su fin — Nothing pleasant lasts forever. Literally: All good things come to their end.
No se puede complacer a todos — It's impossible to satisfy every person all the time. Literally: You can't please everyone.
A falta de pan, buenas son tortas — Something is better than nothing. Literally: Lacking bread, cakes are good.
No empieces la casa por el tejado — Do things in the correct order. Literally: Don't start the house from the roof.
El fin justifica los medios — A good outcome excuses questionable methods. Literally: The end justifies the means.
La unión hace la fuerza — Tasks are easier when shared among many people. Literally: Union makes strength.
No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy — Avoid procrastination. Literally: Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today.
Genio y figura hasta la sepultura — People can't fundamentally change their nature. Literally: Character and form until the grave.
Cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailan — People behave freely when authority is absent. Literally: When the cat's not there, the mice dance.
Un rayo no cae dos veces en el mismo lugar — Rare events are unlikely to happen to the same person twice. Literally: A lightning bolt doesn't strike twice in the same place.
La caridad bien entendida empieza por uno mismo — Take care of your own family before helping others. Literally: Well-understood charity begins with oneself.
Divide y vencerás — Achieve dominance by breaking opposition into smaller parts. Literally: Divide and you will conquer.
A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente — Don't question the value of a gift. Literally: Don't look at the tooth of a gifted horse.
Las desgracias nunca vienen solas — Troubles often come all at once. Literally: Misfortunes never come alone.
Todos los caminos llevan a Roma — There are many ways to reach the same goal. Literally: All roads lead to Rome.
Nunca es tarde para aprender — Learning is a lifelong process. Literally: It's never late to learn.
Cada loco con su tema — Everyone has their own preferences and choices. Literally: Each madman with his theme.
Loro viejo no aprende a hablar — It's difficult to change established habits. Literally: An old parrot doesn't learn to speak.
Nadie da duros a cuatro pesetas — Everything has a hidden cost. Literally: Nobody gives duros for four pesetas.
No hagas una montaña de un grano de arena — Don't exaggerate small problems. Literally: Don't make a mountain from a grain of sand.
La paciencia es una virtud — The ability to wait calmly is a valuable quality. Literally: Patience is a virtue.
El que primero llega, primero come — Opportunities go to those who arrive early. Literally: The first to arrive eats first.
A buen hambre no hay pan duro — Food tastes better when you're truly hungry. Literally: To a good hunger there is no hard bread.
Ningún hombre es una isla — Humans need connection with others. Literally: No man is an island.
Al que le quede el guante, que se lo ponga — Accept criticism that accurately applies to you. Literally: Whoever the glove fits, put it on.
La confianza da asco — Being too close to something can reduce appreciation for it. Literally: Familiarity breeds disgust.
La gota de agua horada la piedra — Persistent small efforts accomplish what force alone cannot. Literally: The drop of water bores through stone.
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres — The company you keep reflects and shapes your own character. Literally: Tell me who you walk with and I'll tell you who you are.
El pez se pudre por la cabeza — Problems in an organization or society start at the top, with its leaders. Literally: The fish rots from the head.
Cada uno sabe dónde le aprieta el zapato — Only the person experiencing a difficulty truly understands its depth. Literally: Everyone knows where the shoe pinches them.
No juzguéis, para que no seáis juzgados — We should refrain from judging others because we ourselves are imperfect. Literally: Do not judge, so that you are not judged.
El mal escribano le echa la culpa a la pluma — Incompetent people blame external factors for their failures instead of taking responsibility. Literally: The bad scribe blames the pen.
El águila no caza moscas — People of high purpose and ambition don't concern themselves with petty matters. Literally: The eagle doesn't hunt flies.
Nunca te bañas dos veces en el mismo río — Everything is constantly in flux; no experience can ever truly be repeated. Literally: You never bathe twice in the same river.
Las paredes tienen oídos — Be careful what you say — you may be overheard in unexpected places. Literally: Walls have ears.
Obras son amores, que no buenas razones — Actions and results are far more valuable than promises and fine words. Literally: Deeds are love, not fine words.
Quien bien empieza, bien acaba — How you start something largely determines how it will finish; preparation and intention matter. Literally: Whoever starts well ends well.
Lo dicho, dicho está — Choose your words carefully, for once said they cannot be unsaid. Literally: What is said is said.
Quien mucho habla, mucho yerra — The more you speak, the more likely you are to make mistakes or say the wrong thing. Literally: He who talks much errs much.
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente — We only suffer from what we know about; ignorance can sometimes bring a measure of peace. Literally: Eyes that don't see, heart that doesn't feel.
Los árboles no dejan ver el bosque — Being too focused on small details can prevent you from seeing the overall picture. Literally: The trees don't let you see the forest.
Genio y figura hasta la sepultura — Surface appearances can change, but a person's fundamental nature remains the same. Literally: Character and form until the grave.
Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta — Trying to do too many things at once means accomplishing nothing properly. Literally: He who grasps much, holds little.
Un clavo saca otro clavo — New habits, relationships, or ideas can effectively replace and eliminate old ones. Literally: One nail pulls out another nail.
Quien no arriesga, no gana — Bold action and courage are rewarded; timidity leads to missed opportunities. Literally: Who doesn't risk, doesn't win.
Conócete a ti mismo — Self-knowledge and self-awareness are the foundation of all wisdom and right living. Literally: Know yourself.
Quien guarda, halla — Using things carefully and avoiding waste prevents future need and scarcity. Literally: Whoever keeps, finds.
Querer es poder — With true determination and commitment, any obstacle can be overcome. Literally: To want is to be able.
De noche, todos los gatos son pardos — When darkness obscures differences, all things appear equal or indistinguishable. Literally: At night, all cats are gray.
Cada uno es rey en su casa — A person's home is their private domain, which no one may enter or interfere with without right. Literally: Each man is king in his own house.
El huésped y el pez a los tres días huelen — Prolonged proximity to guests or friends exhausts hospitality and tests patience, necessitating respectful departure. Literally: Guests and fish stink after three days.
Bienes mal adquiridos a nadie han enriquecido — Money obtained through dishonesty ultimately fails to generate lasting wealth or security. Literally: Ill-acquired goods have enriched no one.
Antes que te cases, mira lo que haces — (by extension) Joining (or merging) two things together too soon will lead to problems. Literally: Before you marry, look at what you are doing.
Las desgracias nunca vienen solas — Troubles compound—when one disaster strikes, others typically follow in succession. Literally: Misfortunes never come alone.
Otros tiempos, otras costumbres — Circumstances change, so rigid adherence to past methods becomes foolish; adapt your approach to present conditions. Literally: Other times, other customs.
Siempre hay una primera vez — It is wise to try different sorts of things or experiences that one is unaccustomed to or wary of. Literally: There is always a first time.
Gallina vieja hace buen caldo — Worn-out tools and aging people retain their value and capability despite visible deterioration. Literally: An old hen makes good broth.
Calumnia, que algo queda — Regarding this "mud" term in particular, it may possibly reference a technique of building wattle and daub walls by throwing daub (mud mixed with straw) at the wattle, throwing hard enough that some obtained a good key and remained in place; compare slapdash, a pebbledash effect produced by throwing pebbles at a rendered wall. Literally: Slander, and something will stick.
Quien con lobos anda, a aullar aprende — Association with morally corrupt people inevitably corrupts your own character and behavior through imitation. Literally: He who walks with wolves learns to howl.
Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda — Inferior materials cannot be transformed into superior products through effort alone. Literally: Even if the monkey dresses in silk, she remains a monkey.
Ni ausente sin culpa, ni presente sin disculpa — Those not present to defend themselves get the blame. Literally: Neither an absent one without blame, nor a present one without an excuse.
De los escarmentados nacen los avisados — Hardship teaches wisdom even when it never fills your pockets. Literally: From those who have learned the hard way come the wary.
A burro muerto, la cebada al rabo — Counsel offered after the deed is already done is worthless. Literally: When the donkey is dead, the barley at its tail.
Más vale solo que mal acompañado — Solitude preserves your integrity better than compromising yourself through associations with those who corrupt or harm you. Literally: Better alone than in bad company.
Quien mala cama hace, en ella se yace — Your choices about how you arrange your life will directly determine the comfort or discomfort you experience living it. Literally: As you make your bed so you must lie in it.
En buen día, buenas obras — Good fortune amplifies moral responsibility—prosperity demands virtue, not vice. Literally: On a good day, good deeds.
Hacer castillos en el aire — Imagination costs nothing, but translating dreams into reality requires effort and resources. Literally: To build castles in the air.
Los niños y los locos dicen la verdad — Unguarded honesty emerges from those lacking social filters or awareness of consequences. Literally: Children and fools speak the truth.
Cerca de la iglesia, lejos de Dios — Proximity to religious institutions cannot substitute for genuine spiritual devotion or moral integrity. Literally: Near the church, far from God.
Cada gallo canta en su muladar — A person commands confidence and authority only within their familiar domain, losing that assurance elsewhere. Literally: Every cock crows on his own dunghill.
El que quiera peces, que se moje el culo — Effort and perseverance are necessary prerequisites; you cannot enjoy rewards without enduring the difficult work required to obtain them. Literally: He who wants fish must get his backside wet.
La peor rueda del carro es la que más chirría — The most damaged or weakest part of any system draws attention and creates problems disproportionate to its size. Literally: The worst wheel of the cart is the one that squeaks the most.
El ojo, límpialo con el codo — Attempting the impossible wastes effort; some problems lack practical solutions. Literally: The eye, wipe it with your elbow.
Nunca llueve a gusto de todos — Rising early cannot satisfy conflicting demands; some desires are inherently incompatible. Literally: It never rains to everyone's liking.
Cada uno por sí, y Dios por todos — Self-interest and communal welfare coexist; individual responsibility doesn't negate collective obligation to others. Literally: Every one for himself, and God for us all.
Del mal, el menos. — When facing unavoidable harm, select the option causing minimum damage rather than suffering the worst possible outcome. Literally: Of the bad, the least..
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente — Ignorance of misfortune shields us from suffering its emotional weight. Literally: Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel.
Quien no se arriesga, no pasa la mar — Romantic success requires courage; passive timidity guarantees failure in matters of love. Literally: He who takes no risk does not cross the sea.
Poco a poco se anda lejos — Steady, moderate effort sustains progress better than rushed, forceful action that exhausts itself quickly. Literally: Little by little one goes far.
Pecado confesado, medio perdonado — Refusing to acknowledge wrongdoing compounds the original error by adding dishonesty. Literally: A sin confessed is half forgiven.
No se hacen las bodas de hongos a solas — Variety and balance are essential; no single element, however good, sustains a complete whole. Literally: Weddings aren't made with mushrooms alone.
Grano a grano hincha la gallina el papo — Small incremental losses, ignored individually, accumulate into significant depletion over time. Literally: Grain by grain the hen fills her crop.
Ni amor ni señorío quieren compañía — Deep affection and authority cannot coexist in the same relationship without one corrupting the other. Literally: Neither love nor lordship wants company.
A río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores — Exploiting chaos and confusion allows cunning people to gain unfair advantages over others. Literally: In a troubled river, fishermen gain.
Quien da presto, da dos veces — Quick generosity prevents the recipient's anxiety and disappointment, making one gift feel like two. Literally: He gives twice who gives in a trice.
Sale más caro el collar que el perro — Excessive price paid for something, however valuable, can make the acquisition a poor bargain overall. Literally: The collar comes out more expensive than the dog.
Agua pasada no mueve molino — Dwelling on past opportunities wastes energy; focus your effort on present circumstances to achieve results. Literally: Water that has gone by does not turn the mill.
Más vale ser cabeza de ratón que cola de león — Leading a humble domain grants more authority and respect than serving in an exalted position. Literally: Better to be a mouse's head than a lion's tail.
La ocasión hace al ladrón — Temptation proves strongest where safeguards are weakest, inviting transgression. Literally: Opportunity makes the thief.
Amor, tos y fuego, descúbrese luego — Genuine affection, like illness, inevitably reveals itself through visible signs despite attempts at concealment. Literally: Love, a cough and fire are discovered at once.
El hábito no hace al monje — Not everyone who announces themselves possesses the skill or worthiness their proclamation implies. Literally: The habit does not make the monk.
A cabo de cien años todos seremos calvos — Mortality makes present troubles insignificant; time erases all distinctions between important and trivial matters. Literally: A hundred years hence we shall all be bald.
Aquella ave es mala, que en su nido caga — Betraying your family or community harms the very foundation of your own security and belonging. Literally: It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.
Querer es poder — Determination and mental resolve can overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable through sheer commitment. Literally: To want is to be able.
Buen abogado, mal vecino — Good legal advocates thrive when disputes arise, making them prosperous through others' conflicts and grievances. Literally: A good lawyer, a bad neighbor.
Si la juventud supiera, si la vejez pudiera — We waste years discovering our genuine desires and values, leaving limited time to pursue them meaningfully. Literally: If youth only knew, if old age only could.
Quien escucha, su mal oye — Eavesdroppers discover harsh truths because people speak candidly when unobserved, unlike flattery offered face-to-face. Literally: Listeners hear no good of themselves.
Si la montaña no va a Mahoma, Mahoma va a la montaña — When obstacles won't move, adapt your approach rather than exhaust yourself demanding change. Literally: If the mountain won't go to Muhammad, Muhammad goes to the mountain.
La necesidad hace a la vieja trotar — Urgent necessity compels even the most sluggish or elderly to move quickly and act. Literally: Need makes the old woman trot.
Un solo golpe no derriba a un roble — Great strength and resilience require persistent effort; single attempts cannot overcome deeply rooted obstacles. Literally: A single blow doesn't fell an oak.
Haz lo que debes y sea lo que Dios quiera — Fulfill your moral duties regardless of feared consequences or uncertain outcomes. Literally: Do what you ought, and let it be what God wills.
Quien no sabe rezar, que se meta en el mar — Facing life's uncontrollable forces reveals humanity's powerlessness and awakens genuine spiritual need. Literally: He who does not know how to pray, let him go out to sea.
De potro sarnoso buen caballo hermoso — Unpromising beginnings don't determine a creature's potential; proper care and time can transform rough youth into valuable maturity. Literally: A scabby colt may make a good horse.
Quien hace la cuenta sin la huéspeda, la hace dos veces. — Failing to consult those involved in plans leads to miscalculation and necessary revision. Literally: He who does the reckoning without the hostess does it twice..
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho — Words cost nothing, but actions require commitment, effort, and genuine intention to fulfill promises. Literally: From the said to the done there's a long way.
Gato escaldado del agua fría huye — Past trauma causes excessive caution even toward harmless situations resembling the original threat. Literally: A scalded cat flees cold water.
Dios aprieta pero no ahoga — Hardship diminishes in proportion to one's vulnerability, or mercy matches misfortune. Literally: God squeezes but does not choke.
Por la boca muere el pez — A physical misstep heals quickly, but careless words cause lasting damage to relationships and reputation. Literally: The fish dies by its mouth.
Pereza, llave de pobreza — Idleness breeds want because accumulated inaction prevents accumulation of resources or opportunity. Literally: Sloth is the key of poverty.
Están verdes, dijo la zorra — Dismissing something as worthless once you've failed to obtain it masks disappointment through false disdain. Literally: They're unripe, said the fox.
A caballo que corre, no es menester espuela — Pushing someone already willing to help creates resistance instead of cooperation. Literally: For a horse that runs, no spur is needed.
Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta — Trying to sit on two stools simultaneously leaves you falling between them, unsupported and hurt. Literally: He who grasps much, squeezes little.
El mejor escribano echa un borrón — A flawless partner, like a flawless horse, doesn't exist—accepting minor faults shows wisdom. Literally: The best scribe makes a blot.
A cada día le basta su propio afán — Worrying about tomorrow's troubles prevents you from managing today's actual problems effectively. Literally: For each day its own trouble is enough.
Una golondrina no hace verano — A single favorable occurrence cannot establish a lasting pattern; sustained evidence requires repetition. Literally: One swallow does not make a summer.
El silencio es oro — Excessive speech and writing scatter thought; silence preserves wisdom's clarity and power. Literally: Silence is gold.
Una cosa piensa el bayo, y otra el que lo ensilla — Intentions diverge between those who control and those controlled; agreement cannot be assumed despite outward cooperation. Literally: The bay horse thinks one thing, and the one who saddles it another.
Más son los amenazados que los heridos — More people fear danger than actually experience it; anxiety often exceeds real harm. Literally: The threatened outnumber the wounded.
Siempre quiebra la soga por lo más delgado — Failure occurs at the point of greatest vulnerability, not where strength exists. Literally: The rope always snaps at its thinnest point.
Desque nací lloré, y cada día nace por qué — Life's inevitable sufferings validate the infant's instinctive tears at entering existence. Literally: Since I was born I've wept, and every day brings a reason why.
Lo que cuenta es la intención — Accept someone's sincere effort or intention as equivalent to successful completion when circumstances prevent actual results. Literally: What counts is the intention.
Ir por lana, y volver trasquilado — Pursuing gain from others often results in losing what you already possess through their cunning. Literally: To go for wool and come back shorn.
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan — The wise person needs only minimal guidance to understand and act on good advice. Literally: For a good understander, few words suffice.
El harto no cree al hambriento — Wealth and privilege create invisible barriers preventing the comfortable from understanding the daily struggles of the poor. Literally: The well-fed man does not believe the hungry one.
Sanan llagas, y no malas palabras — Physical injuries fade while harsh speech leaves permanent emotional scars impossible to fully repair. Literally: Wounds heal, but not ill words.
Buen principio, la mitad es hecho — Starting with proper preparation and intention dramatically increases your likelihood of completing any task successfully. Literally: Well begun is half done.
La costumbre es otra naturaleza — Habits ingrained through repetition become as automatic and instinctive as inborn traits. Literally: Custom is second nature.
Más vale envidia que lástima — Living with others' jealousy over your success beats enduring their sympathy for your failure. Literally: Envy is worth more than pity.
Como te ven, te tratan — Outward appearance and presentation significantly influence how others perceive and judge our worth and capabilities. Literally: As they see you, so they treat you.
Amor con amor se paga — Reciprocal kindness creates a cycle where helping others motivates them to help you in return. Literally: Love is repaid with love.
Cada loco con su tema — Individual differences in temperament and preference are natural; tolerating varied dispositions maintains peaceful coexistence. Literally: Every madman with his own obsession.
Mala hierba nunca muere — Neglected problems and bad habits flourish faster than good ones require deliberate cultivation. Literally: Bad weeds never die.
Ni tanto ni tan calvo — Unlimited freedom without restraint breeds chaos; boundaries enable flourishing. Literally: Neither so much nor so bald (avoid both extremes).
Mientras hay vida, hay esperanza — Despair closes doors only death truly opens; circumstances remain changeable while breath remains. Literally: While there's life, there's hope.
Cada oveja con su pareja — People naturally gravitate toward and trust those who share their values, interests, or circumstances. Literally: Each sheep with its own mate.
Quien bien quiere a Beltrán, bien quiere a su can — Accept someone's flaws and attachments if you truly value them as a person. Literally: Whoever loves Beltrán loves his dog.
Casamiento y mortaja, del cielo bajan — Destined partners find each other through forces beyond human control, suggesting compatibility transcends deliberate planning. Literally: Marriage and burial shroud come down from heaven.
Hacer de la necesidad virtud — When circumstances force action, find dignity and purpose in accepting what you cannot avoid. Literally: To make virtue out of necessity.
Cuentas claras, amistades largas. — Settling debts promptly prevents resentment from festering and eroding relationships over time. Literally: Clear accounts, long friendships..
Quien canta, sus males espanta — Singing actively displaces worry by occupying the mind with melody rather than anxious thoughts. Literally: Who sings, drives away care.
Lo que abunda no daña — Abundance acquired through prudent saving prevents the pain of future scarcity and want. Literally: What is abundant does no harm.
Tomar la ocasión por los cabellos — Seizing opportunities requires swift action before they slip away or pass beyond your grasp. Literally: To take opportunity by the hair.
Zapatero, a tus zapatos — Individuals excel when focusing on their own expertise rather than attempting unfamiliar work outside their competence. Literally: Shoemaker, to your shoes.
Vino que es bueno no ha menester pregonero — Excellent quality requires no advertisement; genuine merit speaks for itself without promotional effort. Literally: Good wine needs no crier.
Nadie es profeta en su tierra — Recognition is hardest to win from the people who know you best. Literally: Nobody is a prophet in his own land.

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