The Goddess of Mercy & The Dept. of Miracles
Folk Sayings of China 5
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The Goddess of Mercy & The Dept. of Miracles Folk Sayings of China 5 |
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Reduced to mere skeletons by one’s grief. Love my house, love the crow on it. One gourd is pushued under the water, but another floats up. Almost grieved to death. You can’t expect to catch a cub without venturing into
a tigress’s den. Eight Immortals cross the sea, each employing his or her theurgy. Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. Display one’s proficiency of axe in front of the master
carpenter. Lift a stone only to drop on one’s own feet. A bottle half filled (with vinegar) tends to rock. Putting out a fire while holding firewood. Mistaking the reflection of a bow in a cup for a snake. How can you put out a fire set on a cart load of firewood with
only a cup of water? A clumsy bird that flies first will get to the forest earlier. You have no idea how much rice and fuel cost without being
the head of a household. You can’t appreciate the love of your parents without
having children of your own. Shed no tears until seeing the coffin. Not giving up until one reaches the Yellow River. We are not so much concerned when you are slow as when you
come to a halt. A fire set to a city gate kills the fish in the moat down below. A new born calf fears no tigers. Flies never infest an egg without cracks. Hidden dragons, crouching tigers. A minimal error at the start leads to a wide divergence in
the distance. One who walks along a river frequently cannot avoid getting
his shoes wet. Drinking the water of a well, one should never forget who dig
it. A fall into a ditch, a gain in your wit. A feet can be shorter while an inch can be longer. Notoriety travels farther away. Riddance of evil must be thorough. If the lips are gone, the teeth will grow cold. There is no silver here: three hundred taels. Thick branches and big leaves. Prescribe the right medicine for a symptom. Read critically, and you will find each word worth a thousand
ounces of gold. A single tree makes no forest; one string makes no music. Play a harp before a cow A girl apes her neighbor’s frowning. Dripping water can eat through a stone. Lure a tiger down its mountain. Turn stone into gold by the touch. Forget the fishing gear as soon as the fish is caught. Guard against disgrace in times of favor; be prepared for danger
in times of safety. Don’t hit one on the face. Respect out of fear is never genuine; reverence out of respect
is never false. Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger but a heart as soft as tofu. A mountain of knives and a sea of fire. Don’t mention the word “dwarf” in front of
a short person. A spectator sees more than a player in the heat of a game. Make a decision when a decision is called for. Hesitation only
brings disaster. Fish a needle in the sea. Beat the grass and alert the snake. An offender sues the victim first. Give it to the Yangtze that rambles east to the sea. Wade through boiling water and scorching flame. Water spilled can never be retrieved. Remove firewood from under a pot. Phoenix feather and unicorn horns. Burn a forest to farm and drain a pond to fish. On the same boat in a tempest. In face of evil, one would rather be a jade broken than a brick
intact. To be like neither a donkey nor a horse. A flying moth throws itself into a fire. Conjure up clouds with one turn of one’s hand and rain
with another. One palm makes no applause. Look at a leopard through a pipe. Dismantle the bridge after crossing it. How can you expect to find ivory in a dog’s mouth? A mouse catching dog steps on the cats’ paws (toes). A fierce dog ruins a liquor store business. A dog will jump over a wall when cornered. A dog won’t forsake his master because of his poverty;
a son never deserts his mother for her homely appearance A weir close to completion left undone due to the shortage
of a basket of earth. Scratching an itch from outside the boot. There are always ears on the other side of the wall. Flowers look different in different eyes. Watch the fire burn on the other side of the river. Pouring water from above the roof of a tall building. You can’t expect both ends of a sugar cane are as sweet. When the head rope of a net is pulled up, all the meshes open. With the liver and bowel broken into inches. A tiger’s head and a snake’s tail. A good fortune may forebode a bad luck, which may in turn disguise
a good fortune. Add oil to a flame. Disasters never come alone. Fish in muddled water. Swallow a date with its stone. Survive the Jaw of a Tiger. To pull a tooth from a tiger’s mouth. A fox borrows the tiger’s might. Deadly as she can be, a tigress will never eat her own cubs. A fragrant bloom is not necessarily a beautiful flower; an
orator may not be a crackerjack. Add legs to the snake one has just painted. A yellow weasel victimizes a sick duck. Fill in the eyes to a painted dragon. Pluck flowers as they bloom; wait and you’ll have only
the twigs. Draw a cake to satisfy one’s hunger. Walk sidewise and block the way. A crane standing amidst a flock of chickens. An ambitious horse will never return to its old stable. A resourceful man knows to avoid a disadvantageous situation
close at hand. Shoot at a shadow with sand. Learning how the Handan residents walk. Never harbor the intent to victimize others; but never let
your guard down against being victimized. Crashing live fish to death before selling them. Fish swim in vast sea as freely as birds fly in boundless sky. Fearing laws makes one happy every day; withholding truth from
heaven worries one all the time. Fragments of fox fur, sewn together, will make a robe. It doesn’t matter if your tavern sits in a remote location
so long as the smell of your wine is appealing. Help the needy instead of the poor. Drinking with a bosom friend, a thousand shots are too few;
Talking with a disagreeable person, half a sentence is too many. Don’t do unto others as you wouldn’t have them
do unto you. He who stays near vermilion gets stained red; he who stays
near ink gets stained black. Living at a river, one comes to know the nature of the fish
therein; Dwelling by a mountain, one learns to recognize the language of the birds thereupon. Add a flower to a bouquet. A frog in a well shaft Present Buddha with borrowed flowers. Please restrain your grief and adapt to the mishap. An overcrowded chicken farm produce fewer eggs. Regular feet can’t be affected by irregular shoes. A sly rabbit has three burrows. A friend made is a road paved; an enemy created is a wall built. Pick up a sesame seed only to lose a watermelon. Aged ginger is more pungent. Harmony makes both a family and a nation prosperous. A honeyed mouth hides a daggered heart. Neither seen in the past nor in the future. Marking a Boat to Seek One’s Sword. Any book you open will benefit your mind. Steer one’s boat where the winds lead. Donkey’s lips do not fit in with a horse’s mouth. Fallen leaves return to the root. Throw a rock in a well to finish someone drowning in it. A dish of carrot hastily cooked may still has uncleaned soil
on the vegetable. Some prefer carrot while others like cabbage. A dragon will be teased by a shrimp in a shoal water; a tiger
will be bullied by a dog on a treeless plain. Flowing water never goes bad; door hubs never gather termites. So long as the green mountains are preserved, there will be
no shortage of firewood supply. It is better to start weaving your fishing nets than merely
coveting fish at the water. Have one’s ears pierced only before the wedding ceremony
starts. Begin to dig a well only when one feels thirsty. The wound caused by a sword can eventually be healed; the hurt
resulted from vicious remarks can never be undone. Thunder is louder than the little rain warrants. An aged steed confined to the stable still aspires after the
glory of galloping a thousand miles. A tiger never returns to his prey he did not finish off. Pass oneself off as one of the Yu pipe players in an ensemble. Trees have already been made into a boat. Rice is already cooked. Honing your hatchet will not delay your effort of wood cutting. It is easy to dodge a spear that comes in front of you but
hard to avoid an arrow shot from behind. If people no longer fears death, how can you threaten to kill
them? There’s no insurmountable Mount of Flames. Like ants gnawing at a bone. 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. Return the purchased jewelry but keep its casket. Fighting a wolf with a flex stalk either side is afraid of
the other. It is too late for a galloping horse to stop at a clip; it
is useless for a sinking boat to be mended in the middle of a river. The son may be calous to his mother’s hardship, but the
mother always cares every bit of his pains. A hat wearing macaque Clear conscience never fears midnight knocking. Insist on venturing into the mountain knowing well that it’s
the haunt of tigers. A clay figure fears rain; a lie fears truth. A clay idol of bodhisattva fording a river can hardly save
itself, let alone anyone else. Would rather be a chicken’s head than a phoenix’s
tail. Would rather be betrayed by others than betraying them. The lotus root may be severed, but its fibered threads are
still connected. Smash the pots and sink the boats. When you are poor, you will have no visitors even if you live
in a crowded city; once you become rich, you’ll be surprised by visitors from alleged relatives even if you live in
a remote location. A drop of sweat spent in a drill is a drop of blood saved in
a battle. Cast out a brick to invite jade. Learn from other’s strong points to offset one’s
shortcomings. Looking for a donkey on its very back. Once on a tiger’s back, you’ll find it hard to
get off. Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook rice without rice. A donkey has limited abilities. A long march starts from the very first step. An ant may well destroy an entire dam. A smile woth a thousand ounces of gold. A melon forced off its vine is not sweet. Asking yourself for help is better than asking others. A carriage that overturned ahead can be a lesson for those
to follow. A man’s heart is indiscernible behind his chest. A man’s greed is like a snake that wants to swallow an
elephant. Void of a long term plan will bring you trouble soon. A person moves up while water runs down. The owner’s departure leaves the house vacant. The evil is dreaded by men but not heaven; the kind hearted
is cheated by mortals but not God. A person cannot be judged by his appearance in the same token
as the sea cannot be measured with a bucket. Treating a dead horse as if it’s still alive. The trees want to remain quiet, but the wind will not stop. Diligence is the vehicle on the paths of Mountains of Books;
endurance is the vessel on the courses of the Seas of Learning. A mouse’s vision is an inch long. Fish for the moon in the water. Fish cannot survive in absolutely clear water. Water can float a boat and sink it as well. Once a tree falls, the monkeys on it will scatter. Give one fish and he’s fed for only a day. Teach one
how to fish and he’ll be free from hunger all his life. Scholars are invaluable to a nation as the best course to a
banquet. It takes ten years for a tree to grow up, but it takes a hundred
for talents to be nurtured. Ten years of oblivion in school may bring you fame overnight. Your fingers can’t be of the same length. A life with love is happy; a life for love is foolish. Rice is already cooked. Kill one to warn a hundred. If you do not study hard when young you’ll end up bewailing
your failures as you grow up. The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm
in the mountain. The gate of charity is hard to open nor close; a guest is easy
to invite but hard to turn away. Good will be rewarded with good and evil with evil; it is only
a matter of time. Kill a hen to get the egg. Kill a chicken before a monkey. Of all the thirty six stratagems, to know when to quit is the
best. Three humble shoemakers brainstorming make a great statesman. You think you lost your horse? Who knows, he may bring a whole
herd back to you someday. The body of a starved camel is still bigger than a living horse. A flea on the top of a bald head it is only too apparent. Even a rabbit may bite when cornered. Rabbits do not eat the grass around their burrows. A Fox grieves over the death of a rabbit. An unfolded map reveals a dagger. Steal beams and replace them with poles. Fail to steal a chicken, which instead ate up your bait. Dream different dreams on the same bed. Perseverance can reduce an iron rod to a sewing needle. Crows everywhere are equally black. No banquet in the world that never ends. You looked high and low till your iron shoes were worn out
but still to no avail. Then you chanced upon it without ever looking. A mantis stalking a cicada is unaware of an oriole behind. Fifty steps laugh at a hundred steps. If you’ve done nothing wrong, you shouldn’t worry
about devils knocking at your door in midnight. One never comes to pray in the Temple of Three Treasures if
he is not in trouble. Things will develop in the opposite direction when they become
extreme. No wind, no waves. Ruthlessness is key to a man’s accomplishment. He who plays with fire will get himself burned. Mend the pen only after the sheep are all gone. Visiting monks give better sermons. Reshape one’s feet to fit into new shoes. Add frost to snow. Send charcoal in a snow storm. It takes three years to learn to be a man of integrity; it
only takes three days to degrade. Rein in a horse at the edge of a cliff. The flower of heart is in full bloom. Sail when there is favorable wind; strike it when the iron
is hot. Butcher the donkey after it finished his job on the mill. A hearty laugh makes you ten years younger. A dagger can be concealed in a smile. Carry out an execution before seeking the decree. A speck on a jade stone won’t obscure its radiance. Be considerable to others and you will be treated likewise. To enjoy a grander sight, climb to a greater height. Pass off a fish eye for a pearl. Like bamboo shoots after rain. The more you try to cover things up, the more exposed they
will be. A jade stone is useless before it is processed; a man is good
for nothing until he is educated. As a snipe and a clam are entangled in a fight, a fisherman
catch them both. Distant water won’t help to put out a fire close at hand. Distant water won’t quench your immediate thirst. To catch fish on a tree. A flower you plant may not necessarily bloom; but the seed
of a tree you happen to drop may grow into a forest. Don’t suspect someone you employ, but if one is suspicious,
don’t employ him. One bee makes no honey; one grain makes no rice soup. One justice can overpower a hundred evils. When good fortune finally comes, no one can ever stop it. A base person often thinks of a man of honor as mean as himself. One failure leads to another; so does success. Fruits of the same tree have different tastes; children of
the same mother have various qualities. Force tells weak from strong for a moment; truth tells right
from wrong all the time. One thing well done is a hundred done; one thing that fails
dooms the rest. A man of honor will feel ashamed by a single question to which
he does not know the answer. One dog snarls at a shadow; a hundred howl at each others barking. One cannot refuse to eat just because there is a chance of
being choked. A year’s harvest counts on spring; a man’s success
counts on his diligence. Once bitten by a snake, one is scared all his life at the mere
sight of a rope. Hit a stone with an egg. The dragon has nine sons, each different from the others. It is impossible to add much weight with a single morsel; it
is hard to travel afar with a single step. Kill two vultures with one arrow. A single merit cannot make a hundred demerits fade; a hundred
merits cannot hide a single demerit. One monk shoulders water by himself; two can still share the
labor between them. When it comes to three, they have to go thirsty. Fight poison with poison. An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of time cannot
be purchased for an inch of gold. Each sovereign keeps a team of his own men. Each law suit is a fire; you can’t avoid its burning
flame. Approach heaven with a single stride. Lord Ye’s professed love of dragons turned into his worst
fear. The longer the night lasts, the more dreams we’ll have. Todays beneficiary is the incarnation of his preexisting well
doer; the fate of ones next existence lies in his existence today. Better not do anything that you don’t want others to
know. Tears cannot put out a fire. Steal a bell with ears plugged. It is impossible to add much weight with a single morsel; it is hard to travel afar with a single step. You won’t help the new plants grow by pulling them up higher. To quench one’s thirst with poisoned wine. A conversation with a wise person is worth of ten years’ study of books. A man of determination will surely succeed. A governor may commit arson while the governed are not allowed to light a lamp. Release a captured tiger back to its mountains. Ones own meat dishes are not as delicious as others vegetarian ones. The father is responsible for his son’s conduct. Trying to pull a garment together by the front only to tear it at the elbow. Only when all contribute their firewood can they build up a strong fire. Content breeds happiness. One‘s son is clever while the neighbor is suspicious. Making a thousand decisions, even the wise will make a mistake. Point at the mulberry and abuse the pagoda tree. You will never lose a battle if you know your own situation as well as that of the enemy. Paper can’t wrap up a fire. Put one person’s hat on another’s head. A thief cries “Stop thief!” Sit on a mountain to watch tigers fighting among themselves. Not to be attempted even if a beautiful woman sits on one’s laps. A man of the Zheng State buys his shoes. Not hearing is not as good as hearing, hearing is not as good as seeing, seeing is not as good as mentally knowing, mentally
knowing is not as good as acting; true learning continues up to the point that action comes forth A small hole not mended in time will become a big hole much more difficult to mend. Intention of required study, the word worth a thousand gold. The Changjiang River waves behind drive the waves ahead. Reading ten thousand books is not as useful as traveling ten thousand miles. Careful with others is a must have. When the wind of change blows, some build walls, while others build windmills. Fortune does not come twice. Misfortune does not come alone. Father’s debt, son to give back. Do not harbour intentions to hurt others. Things of today, accomplished today. If the wind comes from an empty cave, it’s not without a reason. Good medicine tastes bitter. Man’s schemes are inferior to those made by heaven. To hit a dog with a meat-bun. Three monks have no water to drink. Teach a man to take a fish is not equal to teach a man how to fish. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Not only can water float a boat, it can sink it also. Think three times before you move. The sky is big and the emperor is far away. One bitten by a snake for a snap dreads a rope for a decade. Those who help themselves, God will help. The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Failure is the mother of success. Making a thousand decisions, even the wise will make a mistake. Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand. One step at a time. Reading ten thousand books is not as useful as travelling ten thousand miles. Try to save the dead horse as if it is still alive. Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself. When we get to the mountain, there’ll be a way through. Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. |
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