More Yiddish Proverbs
- The soldiers fight, and the kings are heroes.
- When a thief kisses you, count your teeth.
- Weeping makes the heart grow lighter.
- Not all nice things are dear, but those that are dear are nice.
- Make new friends, but don’t forget the old ones.
- Better the best of the worst than the worst of the best.
- The best horse needs a whip, intelligent men need advice, and devout women need a man.
- You can make the dream bigger than the night.
- Once it was the parents who taught their children to talk; now the children teach their parents to keep quiet.
- Nothing tastes bitterer than the truth.
- You can throw a cat whoever you want; it always falls on its feet.
- You can’t put thank you in your pocket.
- Better a thief for a neighbor than an overzealous rabbi.
- Better an ounce of luck than a pound of gold.
- Words should be weighed, not counted.
- If you’re healthy, you’re wealthy.
- When both parties are right, it’s a bad day for “right.”
- The truly rich are those who enjoy what they have.
- When luck joins in the game, cleverness scores double.
- In life, each of us must sometimes play the fool.
- If we cannot do what we will, we must will what we can.
- Who talks a lot, talks about himself.
- Small children won’t let you sleep, bigger children won’t let you live.
- You reproach your daughter, but you mean your daughter-in-law.
- It’s good to hope, it’s the waiting that spoils it.
- She who wants to marry her stepfather regrets it in bed.
- You find everything when you are spring cleaning.