all’s for the best in the best of all pos- sible worlds

Everything that happens does so for a good reason, and things in general cannot be any better; generally used to present an optimistic worldview:
“The administrative departments were consuming miles of red tape in the cor- rectest forms of activity, and everything was for the best in the best of all possible worlds” (George Bernard Shaw, The Shew-
ing-up of Blanco Posnet, 1911). The proverb is a translation of a line from the French writer Voltaire’s philosophical tale Candide
(1759). In The Silver Stallion (1926), James Branch Cabell made the more cynical observation: “The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.”

all’s fair in love and war

Any action, however mean or unscrupulous, is per- missible in certain situations; often used to justify cheating or deception: “‘You opened the letter!’ . . . ‘How was I to read it if I hadn’t? All’s . . . fair in love and war, you know’” (Francis Edward Smedley, Frank Fairleigh, 1850). The proverb was first recorded, with different wording, in 1620. In modern use an extra word is often added to or substituted for part of the proverb, as in “All’s fair in love—an’ war—an’ politics” (George Ade, County Chairman, 1903).

all roads lead to Rome

There are many different ways to achieve the same result, or to come to the same conclusion: “All
roads lead to Rome: and even animal individuality throws a ray on human prob- lems” (J. S. Huxley, The Individual in the Animal Kingdom, 1912). The proverb was first recorded, with different word- ing, in Chaucer’s Prologue to Astrolabe (c.
1391). Compare the medieval Latin prov- erb “Mille vie ducunt hominem per secula Romam [A thousand roads lead man for- ever toward Rome].” In modern use other place-names are sometimes substituted for Rome.
Proverbs expressing similar mean- ing: there are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream; there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

all men are created equal

No person is born superior or inferior to another, so all should have equal rights: “Colonel Cathcart was infused with the democratic spirit: he believed that all men were cre- ated equal, and therefore spurned all men outside Group Headquarters with equal fervor” (Joseph Heller, Catch-22, 1955). The proverb comes from the Declara- tion of Independence (1776), in which Thomas Jefferson wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Proverbs expressing similar mean- ing: jack’s as good as his master; all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.

all is grist that comes to the mill

Every- thing, no matter how small or unpromis- ing, can be put to use: She carried a notebook and pencil with her wherever she went—for a writer, all is grist that comes to the mill. The proverb was first recorded, with slightly different wording, in 1655. It also occurs with my, his, her, and so on in place of the and in the figurative phrase grist to the mill, as in Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities (1859): “The clearance was effected
at last; the Stryver arrears were hand- somely fetched up; everything was got rid of until November should come with its fogs atmospheric, and fogs legal, and bring grist to the mill again.” Grist is grain brought to a mill to be ground.
Variant of this proverb: it’s all grist for the mill.
Proverb expressing similar meaning:
all is fish that comes to the net.

all is fish that comes to the net

Anything that comes along is accepted and turned to advantage: “I don’t know that she cares for one more than the other. There are a cou- ple of young Air Force chaps too. I fancy all’s fish that comes to her net at present”
(Agatha Christie, Murder in Mesopotamia,
1936). First recorded c. 1520, the proverb is sometimes applied to a particular person by substituting my, his, her, and so on for the, as in this example.
Proverb expressing similar meaning:
all is grist that comes to the mill.

all good things must come to an end

Nothing lasts forever; often said resignedly when a pleasant experience or sequence of events finally ends: We had had a wonderful vacation, but all good things must come to an end. The proverb was first recorded c. 1440: “Ye wote wele of all thing moste be an ende” (Partonope of Blois). The word good was probably not added until the 19th or early 20th century.

all fish are not caught with flies

In some circumstances different methods must be employed to achieve a desired end: The old man grinned and said something about all fish not being caught with flies. The proverb was first recorded in 1580 by John Lyly in Euphues and his England.

all commend patience, but none can endure to suffer

It is far easier to tell somebody else to be patient than to be patient yourself: She said I should wait and see, but it was difficult to take her advice—all commend patience, but none can endure to suffer. The proverb was first recorded in
1948 in a U.S. proverb collection.

all chiefs and no Indians

See too many chiefs and not enough indians.

all commend patience, but none can endure to suffer It is far easier to tell somebody else to be patient than to be patient yourself: She said I should wait and see, but it was difficult to take her advice—all commend patience, but none can endure to suffer. The proverb was first recorded in
1948 in a U.S. proverb collection.

all cats are gray in the dark

dark People have no distinguishing features, and their appearance becomes unimportant, in the dark; sometimes used with reference to
a person’s choice of sexual partner: “You forgot that all cats are grey in the dark and so are uniformed policemen” (Jonathan Ross, Dark Blue and Dangerous, 1981). The proverb was first recorded in this form in 1596. It was used with sexual con- notations in a letter written by Benjamin Franklin in 1745: “And as in the dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal, and frequently superior.”
Variants of this proverb: all cats are black at night; at night all cats are gray.

all arts are brothers, each is a light to the other

other The arts should not be con- sidered as separate entities but as parts of one whole, each complementing and leading to a better understanding and appreciation of the others: Looking at a great painting can move me in the same way as listening to a fine piece of music—they say all arts are brothers. The proverb was first recorded in 1847. Variant of this proverb: all arts are
one, all branches on one tree.

all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others

In a society or orga- nization where all are supposedly equal, it is often the case that some have special privi- leges, or greater power than others: “Thus, even on the night of such personal triumph, Jason Gilbert was once again reminded that although all Harvard undergraduates are equal, some are more equal than oth- ers” (Erich Segal, The Class, 1985). Other words may be substituted for animals, as in the above quotation. The proverb comes from George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm
(1945), where it is the ultimate slogan of a supposedly egalitarian regime set up by the animals of a farm, which gradually becomes as tyrannical as the human one it replaced. Proverb expressing similar meaning:
all men are created equal.

alcohol will preserve anything but a secret

People have a tendency to talk too freely and become indiscreet when they are drunk: I hoped that he would not have too much to drink at the reception—I had told him about Kate’s pregnancy in confidence, and it’s well known that alcohol will preserve anything but a secret. The proverb is recorded as a regional expression in the United States.
Proverbs expressing similar mean- ing:drunkennessrevealswhatsoberness conceals; there’s truth in wine.

agree, for the law is costly

It is expen- sive to settle disputes in court because of the legal costs involved: “Come, agree, agree; the law’s costly” (Jonathan Swift, A Complete Collection of Polite and Ingenious Conversation, 1738). The proverb was first recorded in 1605 by William Camden in Remains Concerning Britain.

the age of miracles is past

Miracles no longer happen; used when some desirable occurrence seems highly unlikely: I didn’t expect the authorities to take any action in response to my complaint—the age of miracles is past. The proverb occurs in Shakespeare’s play All’sWell that EndsWell (2:3) in the form
“They say miracles are past,” which implies that it is of earlier origin.
Proverb expressing opposite mean- ing: wonders will never cease!

age before beauty

Older people have precedence over those who are younger and more attractive; said when standing back to let another person go first or when pushing in ahead of somebody: “Age before beauty,” she said as she stepped in front of the young woman at the head of the line. The proverb was first recorded in 1843. Face- tious retorts or extensions to the proverb include “Beauty before the beast,” “Grace before meat,” and “Pearls before swine.”

after dinner rest awhile, after supper walk a mile

mile It is best for the digestion to rest after a heavy meal and take some exercise after a light meal: “As the prov- erb says, for health sake, after dinner, or rather after supper, willingly then I’ll walk a mile to hear thee” (Philip Massinger, The Unnatural Combat, 1639). The proverb was first recorded in 1582 in a slightly differ- ent form, with talk in place of rest.
Variant of this proverb: after dinner sit awhile, after supper walk a mile.

after death the doctor

Help sometimes comes too late: “All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic/After his patient’s death: the King already/Hath married the fair lady”
(William Shakespeare, Henry VIII, 3:2). The proverb was first recorded c. 1385–90 by Geoffrey Chaucer in Troilus and Criseyde.

AFRICAN PROVERBS

Every African country has its heritage of sayings and proverbs. Some are known throughout the continent, while others are unique to particular countries. The following list includes some of the most colorful examples, many of them inspired by the wildlife and landscape of Africa.

The best trees grow on the steepest hills
By trying often, the monkey learns to jump from the tree
Do not blame God for having created the tiger, but thank him for not giving it wings
Even if the elephant is thin he is still the lord of the jungle
Even the best cooking pot will not produce food
Every beast roars in its own den
Fear is no obstacle to death
Goats cannot live in a herd of leopards
He on whose head we would break a coconut never stands still
The horizon will not disappear as you run towards it
Hunt in every jungle, for there is wisdom and good hunting in all of them
If there were no elephants in the jungle, the buffalo would be big
If they are offered winged ants, people will eat them
If you have escaped the jaws of the crocodile while bathing in the river, you will surely meet a leopard on the way
If you have five wives, then you have five tongues
Rain does not fall on one roof alone
The smaller the lizard the greater the hope of becoming a crocodile
The viper assumes the colors of his surroundings
When you chop off a snake’s head all you are left with is a piece of rope
Where the cattle stand together, the lion lies down hungry
Where there is no wealth there is no poverty