<あ>

悪事千里を走る。Ill news runs apace.  *

                           Bad news travel fast.  #

悪貨は良貨を駆逐する。Bad money drives out good. 

悪銭身につかず。Ill got, ill spent.

         A thief seldom grows rich by thieving.  * 

    Easy money is easy to spend. # 

             
Easy come, easy go. #

明日は明日の風が吹く。Tomorrow is another day.

昨日の敵は今日の友。Yesterday’s enemies could be today’s friends.

明日の百より、今日の五十。 A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. 

後の祭り。 To dig a well to put out a house on fire. ・

雨降って地固まる。  After a storm comes a calm.

                Storm makes oarks take deeper root. *

あばたもえくぼ。 Love blinds a man to all imperfections.

                              Love is blind.  ***

虻蜂取らず。Between two stools you fall to the ground. 

頭隠して尻隠さず。Protect yourself at all points.

                     It’s like burying your head in the sand like an ostrich.

当たって砕けろ。Go to the sea, if you would fish well.

                   Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  #

雨降って地固まる。After a storm comes a calm.

過って改めるに憚るなかれ。 It’s never too late to mend.

案ずるより生むが易し。 Fear often exaggerates danger.

                       An attempt is sometimes easier than expected. *

                     easier than one thinks.  ***

 

<い>

言うは易く行うは難し。Easier said than done.

                  It is easier to preach than to practice. 

石の上にも三年。Perseverance will win in the end.

石橋をたたいて渡る。 Look before you leap.

いくつになっても学ぶことはある。 One is never too old to learn.

一事が万事。 One instance shows all the rest.

              The lion is known by his claws.  *

一寸の虫にも五分の魂。 A fly even has its anger.

                            Even a worm will turn.

一年の計は元旦にあり。The whole year's plans are made on New Year's Day.

一石二鳥。Kill two birds with one stone.

糸はそれが一番弱いところで切れる。The thread breaks where it is weakest.  *

命あっての物種。Be lucky to get away with ones life.  ***

井の中の蛙大海を知らず。He that stays in the valley shall never get over the hill. ・

言わぬが花。Not-speaking is the flower.

      Its better left unsaid.  ***

      Speech is silver, silence is gold. 

急がば回れ。Haste makes waste.  *

          A short cut is often a wrong cut.  *

意志のあるところに道がある。Where there is a will there is a way.

医者の不養生。 Doctors often neglect their own health.

              Physician, heal thyself.

因果応報。 The dog that kills wolves is killed by wolves.  *

 

<う>

上には上がある。 Diamond cuts diamond.  *

魚心あれば水心。Scratch my back and I will scratch yours.

氏より育ち。Breeding is better than birth.

嘘から出た真 Many a true word is spoken in jest. 

嘘も方便。 A small lie is useful in some cases.

                 The ends justifies the means.  ** 

                  A lie is sometimes expedient

A lie is often expedient.

Pious fraud.

It' s sometimes necessary to stretch the truth.

    I told a white lie when I said I had to go to the dentist..

    It is a case of pious fraud.

馬の耳に念仏。  A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse.  *

         Talking to a brick-wall.

馬を水辺に連れて行けるが、飲ますことは出来ない。 #

     You can lead a horse to water, but yo can’t make him drink.

                   A man may well bring a horse to the water, but he cannot drinke
                   without he will.      (1546)

海にはほかにたくさんの魚がいる。There are other fish in the sea.

噂をすれば影。 Speak of the devil, and he will appear.

      To mention the wolfs name, is to see the same. *

      Speak of angels, and you will hear their wings. *

           Think of the devil and he is looking over your shoulder. *

 

<え>

エビでタイを釣る。 Use small fry to catch (a) big fish.  *** 

 

<お>

おごれるものは久しからず。 Pride will have a fall.  *

              Pride goes before a fall. 
                                                 

                                            Pride goes before destruction and shame comes after.

親はなくとも子は育つ。 Nature is a good mother.

親の心子知らず。 No child knows how dear he is to his parents. 

遅くともしないよりはまし。 Better late than never.

男の子のいたずらはしょうがない。Boys will be boys.

鬼のいぬまの洗濯。 When the cats away, the mice will play.  *

鬼に金棒。 If you joined us, and we would have the strength of Samson.  ***

岡目八目。  Looker-on see most of the game.

帯に短し たすきに長し。 It is good neither for one thing nor the other.

溺れる物は藁おもつかむ。 A drowning man will catch at a straw. ・

親の七光 ride on ones fathers coattails.  ***

終わりよければすべて良し。 All's well that ends well.

 

(あーお)