A flea on the top of a bald head. |
A frog in a well shaft seeing the sky. |
A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. |
A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man made perfect without trials |
A good dog does not block the road |
A good fortune may forbode a bad luck, which may in turn disguise a good fortune. |
A horse cannot gain weight if not fed with extra fodder during the night; a man cannot become wealthy without earnings apart from his regular salaries. |
A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make a home |
A Jade stone is useless before it is processed; a man is good-for-nothing until he is educated. |
A key to success isn’t much good until one discovers the right lock to insert it in. |
A maker of idols is never an idolater |
A man grows most tired while standing still. |
A man must make himself despicable before he is despised by others |
A man need never revenge himself, the body of his enemy will be brought to his own door |
A man should choose a friend who is better than himself. There are plenty of acquaintances in the world; but very few real friends. |