English French Literal translation; U2 B# b7 r, A
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Il vaut mieux aller au moulin qu'au médecin. It's better to go to the mill than to the doctor.
2 ^+ U8 r& X3 z4 d0 g( I% c A bad workman blames his tools. à mauvais ouvrier point de bons outils. To a bad worker no good tools.8 I H: ~0 {, x3 ]) r
Beggars can't be choosers. Nécessité fait loi. Necessity makes law
& ^' I& w1 u6 m& i) c$ e8 l Clothes don't make the person. L'habit ne fait pas le moine. The habit doesn't make the monk.
+ ^. {& R5 }# H9 ]2 K% p Don't judge a book by its cover. Il ne faut pas juger les gens sur la mine. One shouldn't judge people on their appearance.
% r( W# }5 D% r Do your work well and never mind the critics. Bien faire et laisser dire. Do well and let (them) speak.
) l' {; [8 A n7 a- F1 i Every Jack has his Jill. Il n'est si méchant pot qui ne trouve son couvercle. There's no such mean jar that can't find his lid.
6 e# o1 n- m/ L Givers of advice don't pay the price. Les conseilleurs ne sont pas les payeurs. Dispensers of advice are not the payers.
! g6 N" u9 t7 S5 _* n5 a! p- y A guilty conscience needs no accuser. Qui s'excuse, s'accuse. He who excuses himself accuses himself.
2 P1 f9 `2 M1 W+ w& M, J2 d- r+ [ Heaven helps those who help themselves. Aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera. Help yourself, heaven will help you.& t1 K& S; N4 s. g! A7 D
Honor to whom honor is due. à tout seigneur tout honneur.( E4 k, H. g# P5 A! W
In the kingdom of the blind the one-eyed man is king. Au royaume des aveugles les borgnes sont rois.: F+ U# w" L; p5 y+ u5 g9 Z
It's better to talk to the organ-grinder than the monkey. Il vaut mieux s'adresser à Dieu qu'à ses saints. It's better to address God that his saints.8 J* J# j6 \8 F9 [
A man's home is his castle. Charbonnier est ma?tre chez lui. A coalman is master at home.; h- T! h" w! ~5 s5 l5 f/ Y% |
The miser's son is a spendthrift. à père avare fils prodigue. To a stingy father prodigal son.
$ X# I: \# ~0 [ New converts are the most pious. Quand le diable devient vieux, il se fait ermite. When the devil gets old, he turns into a hermit.( _; R' e6 Z- F1 z
No man is a prophet in his own country. Nul n'est prophète en son pays.
" J G' r# u/ N" |/ W+ L Opportunity makes a thief. L'occasion fait le larron.
* q' K/ K. o! { The rich man is the one who pays his debts. Qui paie ses dettes s'enrichit. He who pays his debts gets richer.
, D/ [, C5 w0 j. M/ t# D; U Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Il ne sert à rien de déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul. It serves no purpose to undress Peter to dress Paul.3 g: i- I ?5 b! j" x
The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot. Les cordonniers sont toujours les plus mal chaussés. Shoemakers are always the worst shod.
, h, E$ c0 Q5 p' N3 { The sky is the limit. Tout soldat a dans son sac son bat?n de maréchal. Every soldier has his marshall's baton in his bag.
8 x) Q ]: O3 t$ r: | To err is human L'erreur est humaine The error is human
! K( ]/ f% e. i. w/ \ To know a friend is to respect him. Comme on conna?t ses saints, on les honore. As one knows his saints, one honors them.
/ z8 u: c8 @7 _7 D$ I8 t7 y Too many cooks spoil the broth. Autant de têtes, autant d'avis. Deux patrons font chavirer la barque. So many heads, so many opinions. Two bosses capsize the boat
5 V: l. d- p- H The tree is known by its fruit. C'est au pied du mur qu'on voit le ma?on. It's at the foot of the wall that you see the mason.
z) ]7 k( r; L! S A word to the wise is enough. à bon entendeur, salut. To a good listener, safety.6 ~, r; ?$ k/ {/ U3 u5 l/ L
You can tell an artist by his handiwork. à l'oeuvre on reconna?t l'artisan. By his work one recognizes the workman. |