<は>
馬鹿とハサミは使いよう。 Fools and scissors require careful handling.[ need good handling]
馬鹿につける薬はない。 No medicine can cure a fool.
馬耳東風 e.g.
He turned a deaf ear to his teacher’s advice.
早起きは三文の得。The
early birds catch the worm.
八十の手習い。One
is never too old to learn
You’ never too old to learn.#
腹が減っては戦が出来ぬ。 The stomach carries the feet.
腹八分に医者要らず。Moderate eating keeps the doctor away.
Many dishes make many
diseases.
<ひ>
美人薄命。Those
who the gods love die young. ・
人を見たら泥棒と思え。
Never trust a stranger.
人の口に戸は立てられない。 People will talk.
人のふり見てわがふりなおせ。 One man’s
fault is another man’s
lesson. *
Learn wisdom
from the follies of others.
人の物はよく見える。
The apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest.
人はパンのみに生きるにあらず。Man does not live by Bread alone. #
貧乏暇なし。 The
poor have no leisure.
火のないところに煙は立たず。 Make no fire, raise no
smoke.
Where there is smoke, there is fire.
There is no smoke
without fire. *
貧の友は真の友。A
friend in need is a friend indeed.
必要は発明の母。Necessity
is the mother of invention
人を呪わば穴2つ。Danger
past, and God forgotten.
Curses come home to roost. ***
人の噂も七十五日。A
wonder lasts but nine days
日のあるうちに乾し草を作れ。 Make hay while the sun shines. *
百聞は一見にしかず。To
see is to believe.
Seeing
is believing.
<ふ>
不言実行 Actions speak louder than words.
覆水盆に返らず。It is no use crying over spilt milk.
豚に真珠。 Don’t throw pearls to swine. ・
太く短く生きる。Burn
the bright, burn the shortest. ***
分割統治。 Divide
and govern (Machiavelli)
<へ>
ペンは剣よりも強し。
The pen is mighter than the sword.
<ほ>
坊主憎くけりゃ袈裟まで憎い。 Love me, love my dog.
吠える犬は噛まない。Barking
dogs seldom bite. #
仏の顔も三度まで。Even
the patience of a saint has limit.
You can only go so far. ***