Rodgers Dictionary of Proverbs
Bargain like a gypsy, but pay like a
gentleman.
Bargains are costly.
Bargains are dear.
Barking dogs don’t bite.
Barking dogs don’t catch hares.
Barking dogs seldom bite.
Barking of dogs cannot be heard in heaven.
Barking saves biting.
Barnaby bright, Barnaby bright, the longest
day and the shortest night.
Barren corn makes bitter bread.
Base terms are bellows to a slackening fire.
Bashfulness is an enemy to poverty.
Bashfulness is of no use to the needy.
Bashfulness will not avail a beggar.
Basketeer who makes a basket makes a
hundred if he’s given line and time.
Baskets after the vintage.
Bastard brood are aye proud.
Bathe early every day and sickness will
avoid you.
Bathe her and then look at her.
Bathe other people’s children but don’t
wash behind their ears.
Battle doesn’t need a purpose; the battle is
its own purpose.
Be a custom good or bad, a peasant will
have it continue in force.
Be a friend to yourself, and others will.
Be a horse ever so well shod, he may slip.
Be a lion at home and a fox abroad.
Be always a little afraid so that you never
have need of being much afraid.
Be angry with a murderer, but keep your
compassion for his victim.
Be as be may.
Be as familiar with observation as you are
with the place you live.
Be as hard as the world requires you to be,
and as soft as the world allows you to be.
Be as you would seem to be.
Be aware of a man with a sweet tongue he
can lead you to buying bad meat.
Be aware of the idiot, for he is like an old
dress. Every time you patch it, the wind
will tear it back again.
110
Be bad to the bad; good to the good; be a
flower to other flowers and a thorn to
other thorns.
Be born rich, live parsimoniously and die
rich.
Be brave where bravery is honorable.
Be brave, not ferocious.
Be careful but not full of care.
Be careful for deep water and dogs that do
not bark.
Be careful not to make a woman weep.
Be careful of the words you say each day,
make sure each is nice and sweet,
because may be in the days ahead, there
will be some you’ll have to eat.
Be careful of what you own because what
you own might eventually own you.
Be careful of what you say as it can hurt
more than a knife.
Be careful of your enemy once and of your
friend a thousand times, for a double
crossing friend knows more evil.
Be careful what you wish for
Be careful what you wish for, you might just
get it.
Be careful when you are sharing a calabash
of porridge with a toothless man.
Be cautious but polite.
Be certain and on the level.
Be civil to every man; you know not who
may prove to be your friend.
Be content and do not heed the goadings of
ambitions.
Be deligent when there’s time.
Be dilligent in learning.
Be first at the feast, and last at the fight.
Be first in the field, the last to the couch.
Be friendly with everyone and counsel with
few.
Be frugal in prosperity, fear not in adversity.
Be generous to a generous person and you’d
win him, be generous to a mean person
and he’d rebel on you.
Be genorous with things which are free.