As They Say In Zanzibar. David Crystal
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not heal a bruise CHINA
16 Between two points one cannot draw more than one straight line DENMARK
17 Two things make one either greater or smaller, praise and shadows GERMANY
18 Three are too many and two are too few BELGIUM
19 There must be a valley between two hills GERMANY
20 Everything has two handles GREECE
21 It takes two hands to clap INDIA
22 The basket that has two handles can be carried by two EGYPT
23 Two pieces of meat confuse the mind of the fly NIGERIA
24 A bull does not enjoy fame in two herds ZAMBIA
25 When two elephants struggle, it is the grass that suffers ZANZIBAR
26 A loaded gun frightens one; an unloaded one two MONTENEGRO
27 Take a second look; it costs you nothing CHINA
28 It takes two to make a quarrel ENGLAND
29 Two’s company; three’s a crowd ENGLAND
30 You cannot jump over two ditches at the same time NETHERLANDS
31 Before going to war say one prayer; before going to sea, two; before getting married, three POLAND
32 A small bed will not hold two persons NIGERIA
33 No one can paddle two canoes at the same time SOUTH AFRICA
34 The only insurance against fire is to have two houses NIGERIA
35 A needle cannot hold two threads or a mind two thoughts ETHIOPIA
36 The one who hunts two rats will catch neither UGANDA
37 The one who hunts two hares will catch neither FRANCE
38 A dollar in the bank is worth two in the hand USA
39 Two swords cannot be kept in one sheath INDIA
40 Two wrongs do not make a right ENGLAND
41 The second word makes the fray JAPAN
42 The first blow does not hurt like the second ZANZIBAR
43 To read a book for the first time is to make the acquaintance of a new friend; to read it a second time is to meet an old one CHINA
44 A fault denied is twice committed FRANCE
45 Who lends to a friend loses twice FRANCE
46 The one who strikes first, strikes twice BELGIUM
47 Those who see the wolf shout; those who see it not, shout twice BULGARIA
48 A good song can be sung twice ESTONIA
49 Those who stumble twice over the same stone are fools LATIN
50 Under trees it rains twice SWITZERLAND
51 They give twice who give quickly TURKEY
52 Dawn does not come twice to wake us SOUTH AFRICA
53 Those who cut their own firewood have it warm them twice USA
54 Don’t chew your tobacco twice USA
55 Lightning never strikes twice in the same place ENGLAND
56 You can’t expect both ends of a sugar cane to be as sweet CHINA
57 The water is the same on both sides of the boat FINLAND
58 It’s a poor rule that doesn’t work both ways ENGLAND
59 The sun shines on both sides of the hedge ENGLAND
60 No needle is sharp at both ends CHINA
61 You can’t look into a bottle with both eyes TOGO
62 A canoe is paddled on both sides NIGERIA
63 Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet NAMIBIA
64 Don’t burn your candle at both ends ENGLAND
65 The rat has a double stomach NEW ZEALANDSee also: 9 ONE OF TWO
13 THREE – THIRD
1 A sly rabbit will have three openings to its den CHINA
2 A guest and a fish after three days are poison FRANCE
3 Three glasses of wine drive away the evil spirits, but with the fourth they return GERMANY
4 Three are too many and two are too few BELGIUM
5 Every word has three explanations and three interpretations IRELAND
6 Three kinds of men fail to understand women – young men, old men, and middle-aged men IRELAND
7 If they do not open after three knocks, do not wait POLAND
8 After three days without reading, talk becomes flavourless CHINA
9 One servant is a servant; two servants are half a servant; three servants are no servant at all POLAND
10 Three brothers, three fortresses PORTUGAL
11 Three sorts of people are always to be found, soldiers, professors, and women GERMANY
12 Go fishing for three days and dry the nets for two CHINA
13 Let the guests at table be three or four – at the most five GREECE
14 God preserve us from pitch-forks, for they make three holes SWITZERLAND
15 Before marrying live wildly for three years POLAND
16 A kind word warms for three winters CHINA
17 The dog on three legs ain’t always lame USA
18 Two’s company; three’s a crowd ENGLAND
19 Before going to war say one prayer; before going to sea, two; before getting married, three POLAND
20 No doctor is better than three GERMANY
21 Transgressions should never be forgiven a third time CHINA
22 The third strand makes the cable NETHERLANDS
14 FOUR OR MORE
1 Those who can read and write have four eyes ALBANIA
2 Four horses cannot overtake the tongue CHINA
3 Let the guests at table be three or four – at the most five GREECE
4 Three glasses of wine drive away the evil spirits, but with the fourth they return GERMANY
5 A fifth wheel in the wagon hinders more than helps FRANCE
6 The one who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; the one who does not ask a question is a fool forever CHINA
7 If you want to be acquainted with the past and the present, you must read five cartloads of books CHINA
8 It is better to follow no saint than six INDIA
9 Poverty is the sixth sense GERMANY
10 Seven days is the length of a guest’s life MYANMAR
11 Turn your tongue seven times before speaking FRANCE
12 For the diligent, a week has seven days; for the slothful, seven tomorrows GERMANY
13 Fall down seven times, get up eight JAPAN
14 A stitch in time saves nine ENGLAND
15 If bravery is ten, nine is strategy TURKEY
16 A smile will gain you ten more years of life CHINA
17 Those who have to go ten miles must regard nine as only halfway GERMANY
18 Among the ten fingers there are long and short CHINA
19 Truth is greater than ten goats NIGERIA
20 If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want