Common Proverbs and Wise Sayings

Never sell your guard dog when you're poor, never abandon your wife when you're rich.
Marry for virtue, not for wealth; choose a wife for virtue, not for beauty.
Spitting on someone won't save them; lacking virtue is incurable and harmful.
Better to compete with a gentleman than to fight with a petty person.
Good and evil will eventually be rewarded; the King of Hell isn't coming for you yet.
Good medicine can't cure wrongful karma; kind words are hard to persuade fools.
Being unselfish earns good relationships everywhere; don't drink just because the wine is expensive.
A true gentleman doesn't speak in wine; a man of integrity handles money clearly.
Having wine and meat means brothers are close; in times of trouble, I've never seen a single person.
Deep roots are not shaken by the wind; a straight tree doesn't worry about the moon's shadow.
Don't criticize others when they are in difficulty; don't whip your horse when it's struggling.
A dragon in shallow water is preyed upon by shrimp; a tiger in a peaceful land is bullied by dogs.
A powerful raccoon cat is fiercer than a tiger; a phoenix that has lost its feathers is no better than a chicken.
A drop of water is like nectar when you're thirsty; after drinking, another cup is less appealing than none.
Knowing water and rivers but not their depth; knowing forests and birds but not people's hearts.
I'm not afraid of the three-eyed King of Horses, but I fear a person with two hearts.
A hero who falls from his horse dies; a person who drowns in the river is drowned by water.
Flowers are beautiful because of their color, but butterflies are attracted; birds are caught in cages because of their song.
Long illness leaves no filial children; long poverty leaves no virtuous wives.
Life is like birds roosting in the same forest; in times of great hardship, everyone flies away.
Things done without careful thought will surely lead to regret; patience can prevent worries.
Always arguing leads to mistakes; stepping back and thinking broadens the mind.
A gentleman's friendship is as plain as water; a petty person's friendship is like wine and meat.
Having a car in front of your house doesn't mean you're wealthy; having a mother at home is true fortune.
A filial child’s bowl of water by the bed is better than a mountain of ashes at the grave.
Poor in the bustling city, no one asks; rich in the remote mountains, distant relatives come.
Only when managing the household do you realize how expensive firewood and rice are; raising children makes you appreciate your parents' kindness.