It is too late to lock the stable when the horse has been stolen
It is useless to take precautions after something has happened that could have been foreseen and guarded against. The French version is, 'After... Read more →
It is the unexpected that always happens
Another version of this is Nothing is so certain as the unexpected. A similar French proverb is: 'Nothing is certain but uncertainty.' The state... Read more →
It is no use spoiling the ship for a ha’p’orth of tar
This teaches the folly of false economy; of failing to achieve one's purpose by trying to save in a small detail; of marring an effect in order... Read more →
It is no use crying over spilt milk
It was a great pity that it happened, but there's nothing we can do about it now. Don't bewail the past. What's done cannot be undone.
It is never too late to mend
Here 'to mend' means 'to reform, to mend one's ways'. It is never too late to turn over a new leaf and lead a better life.
It is love that makes the world go round
Love brings children into the world and so keeps human life from becoming extinct.
It is ill waiting for dead men’s shoes
To wait for dead men's shoes is to wait for the death of a person with the expectancy of succeeding to his possessions or office. This sometimes... Read more →
It is ill striving against the stream
It is easier to adapt ourselves to circumstances than to fight against them.
It is ill jesting with edged tools
It is dangerous to play with sharp tools. Similarly it is dangerous to meddle with anything that may get you into trouble. For example, to take... Read more →
It is good fishing in troubled waters
Trout and other fish are more easily caught when the surface of the water is disturbed. Figuratively, 'to fish in troubled waters' is to take... Read more →