Chinese Proverbs

Khalil Gibran Painting

All the flowers of all of the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.

A diamond with a flaw is worth more than a pebble without imperfections.

If your strength is small, don't carry heavy burdens. If your words are worthless, don't give advice.

Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes.

Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still.

Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.

There are three truths: my truth, your truth, and the truth.

A single conversation across the table with a wise man is worth a month's study of books.


If you are planning for one year, grow rice. If you are planning for 20 years, grow trees. If you are planning for centuries, grow men.

A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make home.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Not the cry, but the flight of the wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.

Happiness is like a sunbeam, which the least shadow intercepts, while adversity is often as the rain of spring.

If you wish your merit to be known, acknowledge that of other people.

Patience is power; with time and patience the mulberry leaf become silk.

Dig a well before you are thirsty.

Be the first to the field and the last to the couch.

Never was good work done without much trouble.

The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade.

When you cannot avoid, welcome.

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