101 Inspiring Proverbs Quotes: The Wisest Words To Live By

Proverbs are inspirational sayings based on experience and common sense that have been passed down through generations.

Many proverbs have originated from epics and folklore while some of them have been passed on from one generation to the other. But, regardless of their origin, these proverbs and sayings have been inspirational to say the very least.

There is no single "best" proverb; that is entirely subjective. You can pick your favorite from our list of over 100 of the best proverbs below!

So, without much further delay, let us go through these inspirational quotes from proverbial sayings collected from nations and regions all around the world. It is important to note that, as these are proverbs, many of them have no official source to attribute (as they have been passed down through generations).

However, we love them all and would love to provide further detail in the attributions if we can. Please do let us know if you know more about where any of these proverbs originated from!

For more inspirational quotes and proverbs, you can take a look at these Daisaku Ikeda quotes and funny Bible quotes too.
 

Inspirational Chinese Proverbs Quotes

China a rich history in folklore and epics. Chinese proverbs have provided many wise words which can give us inspiration and wisdom about life. Take a look at these great proverbs.

1. "He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."

- Chinese proverb.

2. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

- Chinese proverb.

3. "Do not desire to hurt others in the depths of your heart."

- Chinese proverb.

4. "When reading, don’t let a single word escape your attention; one word may be worth a thousand pieces of gold."

- Chinese proverb.

5. "Blame yourself as you blame others; forgive others as you forgive yourself."

- Chinese proverb.

6. "A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."

- Chinese proverb.

7. "Once one is a teacher, one becomes a parent for life."

- Chinese proverb.

8. "An inch of time is an inch of gold but you can't buy that inch of time with an inch of gold."

- Chinese proverb.

9. "One who is wise enough to secure the good of others has secured his own."

- Chinese proverb.

10. "A smile will gain you ten more years of life."

- Chinese proverb.

11. "The only thing we should be afraid of is stopping completely."

- Chinese proverb.

12. "Don’t listen to what they say. Go see."

- Chinese proverb.

13. "Wise men may be learned. Learned men may not be wise."

- Chinese proverb.

14. "A man who cannot tolerate small misfortunes can never accomplish great things."

- Chinese proverb.

15. "Pearls don’t lie on the seashore. If you want one, you must dive for it."

- Chinese proverb.

Wonderful Scandinavian Proverbs, Quotes, And Sayings

The Scandinavian nations of Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland have provided plenty of proverbs that never fail to give us inspiration. Many of these quotes and sayings come from many epic tales.

16. "You will reach your destination even though you travel slowly."

- Icelandic proverb.

17. "Better it is to have a lower position in life and be free than to have a position of power only to be subject to the will of another."

- 'The Saga Of Olaf Haraldsson'.

18. "Age makes many a man whiter, but not better."

- Danish proverb.

19. "When men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart than sharp sword."

- 'Volsunga'.

20. "The way you make your bed, is the way you shall lie."

- Swedish proverb.

21. "Mediocrity is climbing molehills without sweating."

- Icelandic proverb.

22. "A wound never heals so well that the scar cannot be seen."

- Danish proverb.

23. "If a man knew where he would fall, he would spread straw there first."

- Finnish proverb.

24. "You can give a piece of advice, but not good luck along with it."

- Norwegian proverb.

25. "It’s too late to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted."

- Norwegian proverb.

26. "Wrath often consumes what God gives husbands."

- Icelandic proverb.

27. "If a blind man leads another, they both fall together."

- Swedish proverb.

28. "He is little suited to be a baker, whose head is made of butter."

- Danish proverb.

29. "Too much ale and a man’s heart is laid open for all to see."

- 'The Saga Of Olaf Haraldsson'.

30. "Short is the life of the proud."

- 'The Saga Of Hrafnkel Freysgothi'.

Amazing European Proverbs

These proverbs from the continent of Europe provide some more words of wisdom and advice for us.

31. "Not to feel one’s misfortunes is not human, not to bear them is not manly."

- Roman proverb.

32. "Where there are two friends with one purse, one sings, the other weeps."

- Spanish proverb.

33. "One fool may ask more questions than seven wise men can answer."

- German proverb.

34. "A danger foreseen is half avoided."

- English proverb.

35. "Rather have a little one for your friend, than a great one for your enemy."

- Italian proverb.

36. "Tell your friend your secret, and he will set his foot on your neck."

- Spanish proverb.

37. "Woe to the stranger when trouble comes, for there will be no friend to take his part."

- Irish proverb.

38. "The best things in life are free."

- English proverb.

39. "Beware of an oak, it draws the stroke; avoid an ash, it counts the flash; creep under the thorn, it can save you from harm."

- Dutch proverb.

40. "A sheep’s bite is never more than skin deep."

- Italian proverb.

41. "Nothing looks more like a man of sense than a fool who holds his tongue."

- German proverb.

42. "By blackening another you do not whiten yourself."

- Romanian proverb.

43. "Throwing your cap at a bird is not the way to catch it."

- Portuguese proverb.

44. "Speaking without thought is like shooting without taking aim."

- Spanish proverb.

45. "Speak well of your friend; of your enemy, neither well nor ill."

- Italian proverb.

46. "It is no excuse for sin if we have sinned for the sake of a friend."

- Roman proverb.

47. "A lazy shepherd is a wolf’s friend."

- Welsh proverb.

48. "Prosperity comes through vigilance, energy, and wise counsel."

- Roman proverb.

49. "In times of prosperity friends will be plenty, in times of adversity, not one in twenty."

- English proverb.

50. "One has always strength enough to bear the misfortunes of one’s friends."

- French proverb.

Awesome African Proverbs

African proverbs have deep wisdom and never shy away from the truth. They are very inspirational. These proverbs wisdom quotes tell us everything we need to know about life.

51. "Surely the worth of a man lies in two of his smallest parts – his heart and his tongue."

- Egyptian proverb.

52. "The rain is not a friend to anyone, whether rich or poor, good or evil."

- Yoruban proverb.

53. "Three things in the world worth having: courage, good sense, caution."

- Hausa proverb.

54. "A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride."

- African proverb.

55. "The old woman looks after the child to grow its teeth and the young one, in turn, looks after the old woman when she loses her teeth."

– Akan proverb.

56. "A family is like a forest, when you are outside it is dense, when you are inside you see that each tree has its place."

- African proverb.

57. "Crawling on hands and knees has never prevented anyone from walking upright."

- Kenyan proverb

58. "As soon as the monkey has climbed a tree, it will start abusing from its elevated position."

- Namibian proverb.

59. "A child’s lie is like a dead fish in a pond that in the end, always comes to the surface, explains his mother."

- Luo proverb.

60. "A man’s greatest support is not the gods but his own two arms."

- Yoruban proverb.

Popular Indian And Asian Proverbs

The wisdom held in Indian and Asian proverbs has made a mark on everyone. Here are some quotes from Asia and India for you.

61. "A man in this world without learning is as a beast of the field."

- Indian proverb.

62. "He who has knowledge has power."

- Persian proverb.

63. "Labor is bitter but the bread it buys is sweet."

- Indian proverb.

64."By committing foolish acts, one learns wisdom."

- Singhalese proverb.

65. "If you forsake a certainty and depend on an uncertainty, you will lose both the certainty and the uncertainty."

- Indian proverb.

66. "Those who know do not speak, those who speak do not know."

- Japanese proverb.

67. "You can often find in a river what you cannot find in the ocean."

- Indian proverb.

68. "When you’re thirsty it’s too late to think about digging a well."

- Japanese proverb.

69. "Life is not a series of pleasant choices, but of problems that call for strength, determination, and hard work."

- Indian proverb.

70. "Once I had strength but no wisdom; now I have wisdom but no strength."

- Persian proverb.

'Book Of Proverbs' Quotes That Are Full Of Wisdom

'The Book Of Proverbs' is the name of the third section of the original Hebrew Bible. This book is part of the Old Testament. As a testimony to its name, 'The Book Of Proverbs' and its Bible scriptures offers plenty of wisdom and inspirational words. Take a look.

71. "The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate."

- Proverbs 8:13.

72. "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him."

- Proverbs 14:31.

73. "Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out."

- Proverbs 24:19–20.

74. "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."

- Proverbs 11:25.

75. "One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry, everything bitter is sweet."

- Proverbs 27:7.

76. "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked."

- Proverbs 25:26.

77. "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."

- Proverbs 31:8–9.

78. "My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights."

- Proverbs 3:11–12

79. "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

- Proverbs 16:3.

80. "All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast."

- Proverbs 15:15.

81. "Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense."

- Proverbs 12:11.

82. "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body."

- Proverbs 16:24.

83. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

- Proverbs 1:7.

84. "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter."

- Proverbs 24:11.

85. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."

- Proverbs 18:21.

86. "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent."

- Proverbs 10:19.

87. "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle."

- Proverbs 23:4–5.

88. "Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out."

- Proverbs 10:9.

89. "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

- Proverbs 12:18.

90. "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls."

- Proverbs 25:28.

More Beautiful Proverbs To Inspire

Here are some wise quotes and inspirational proverbs from all around the world that will help you whenever you are in need of some inspirational words.

91. "The same dog that bit you in the morning will bite you in the evening."

- Jamaican proverb.

92. "He who never visits your home does not want you to visit his."

- Mexican proverb.

93. "If you go to bed without supper, you will rise without having slept."

- Yiddish proverb.

94. "The hunter does not rub himself in oil and lie by the fire to sleep."

- Nigerian proverb.

95. "The chameleon changes color to match the earth; the earth doesn’t change color to match the chameleon."

- West African proverb.

96. "Tell me and I’ll forget; show me, and I may not remember; involve me, and I’ll learn."

- Native American proverb.

97. "Do not wrong or hate your neighbor for it is not he that you wrong but yourself."

- Native American proverb.

98. "Some people put the best outside, some keep the best inside."

- Jamaican proverb.

99. "Don’t be too sweet lest you be eaten up; don’t be too bitter lest you be spewed out."

- Yiddish proverb.

100. "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you."

- Maori proverb.

101. "The one who cares for the tree must also care for its branches."

- Mexican proverb.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for proverbs quotes, then why not take a look at these purpose driven life quotes or quirky quotes for more meaningful quotes to share with friends and family?

*Do you know where this quote originated? Please email us to let us know at hello@kidadl.com.