Rodgers Dictionary of Proverbs
Be slow to reach for your purse and quick to
tip your hat.
Be still and the earth will speak to you.
Be still, and have thy will.
Be straightforward in all your dealing and
noble with strangers.
Be sure before you marry of a house
wherein to tarry.
Be sure not to owe anything to the rich, and
don’t lend anything to the poor.
Be sure that the candle is lit before you
throw away the match.
Be sure to have a controversial opinion, and
men will talk about you.
Be sure to send a lazy man for the angel of
death.
Be the day weary or be the day long, at last
it ringeth to evensong.
Be the first to the field and the last to the
couch.
Be the horse good or bad always wear your
spurs.
Be the master of your will and the slave of
your conscience.
Be the same thing that thou wald be cald.
Be the same thing that ye wa’d be ca’d.
Be the thing you would be called.
Be there with the day and be gone with the
day.
Be thine enemy an ant, see in him an
elephant.
Be truly what thou wouldst be thought to
be.
Be what you appear to be.
Be what you would seem to be.
Be wise, but pretend to be ignorant.
Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and
harmless as doves.
Beads about the neck and the devil in the
heart.
Bear and bull catch no fox.
Bear and forbear.
Bear no malice.
Bear patiently that which thou sufferest by
thine own fault.
Bear patiently that which you suffer by your
own fault.
112
Bear wealth weel, poortith will bear itsel.
Bear wealth, poverty will bear itself.
Bear with evil and expect good.
Bear with others and you shall be borne
with.
Bear won’t bite bear.
Beard and cloak do not make one a
philosopher.
Beat a chained man to frighten the rest who
are free.
Beat a Chinese long enough and he will talk
Tibetan.
Beat one dog and the others will run away.
Beat swords into ploughshares
Beat the churl and he will be your friend.
Beat the dog; wait for its master.
Beat the grass to frighten the snakes.
Beat the iron while it is hot.
Beat the rogue and he will be your friend.
Beat your drum inside the house to spare
the neighbors.
Beat your gong and sell your candles.
Beat your own and others will fear you.
Beat your wife on the wedding day, and
your married life will be happy.
Beat your wife regularly; if you don’t know
why, she will.
Beaten with his own rod.
Beating drums is fun, but also tiring.
Beating the dead is a sin.
Beautiful ‘ooman, beautiful trouble.
Beautiful day, a gift for the traveller.
Beautiful discourse is rarer than emerald,
yet it can be found among the servant
girls at the grindstones.
Beautiful from behind, ugly in front.
Beautiful girls are seldom happy, intelligent
boys are seldom beautiful.
Beautiful grapes often make poor wine.
Beautiful May mornings and beautiful
January evenings.
Beautiful roads never go far.
Beautiful things are never as beautiful as
those that are pleasing.
Beautiful things are secured with most
difficulty.