אין הנחתום מעיד על עיסתו
Ein ha-nachtom me’id al isato
The baker does not testify about his own dough.
Self-praise is no recommendation.
אין עשן בלי אש
Ein ashan bli esh
There is no smoke without fire.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
אל תסתכל בקנקן, אלא במה שיש בו
Al tistakel ba-kankan, ela be-ma she-yesh bo
Do not look at the jug, but at what is inside it.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
אל תקנה חתול בשק
Al tikne chatul ba-sak
Do not buy a cat in a sack.
Don’t buy a pig in a poke.
הוי זנב לאריות, ואל תהי ראש לשועלים
Hevei zanav la-arayot, ve-al tehi rosh la-shu’alim
Be a tail to lions, and do not be a head to foxes.
Better to be the smallest among the great than the greatest among the small.
טובה ציפור אחת ביד משתיים על העץ
Tova tzipor achat ba-yad mi-shtayim al ha-etz
One bird in the hand is better than two on the tree.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
כי בתחבולות תעשה לך מלחמה
Ki ve-tachbulot ta’ase lecha milchama
For by stratagems you shall wage war.
Use brains, not brawn.
Success in a conflict requires planning and strategy.
כל המרחם על אכזרים, סופו להתאכזר על רחמנים
Kol ha-merachem al achzarim, sofo lehit’achzer al rachmanim
Whoever shows mercy to the cruel will ultimately act cruelly toward the merciful.
Mercy to the guilty can be cruelty to the innocent.
Misplaced compassion toward aggressors may expose innocent people to harm.
הכה בברזל בעודו חם
Hake ba-barzel be-odo cham
Strike the iron while it is hot.
Strike while the iron is hot.
מה ששנוא עליך, אל תעשה לחברך
Ma she-sanu alecha, al ta’ase le-chavercha
What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.
Do not do to others what you would not want done to you.
מרוב עצים לא רואים את היער
Merov etzim lo ro’im et ha-ya’ar
Because of the many trees, one cannot see the forest.
You can’t see the forest for the trees.
נאה דורש, נאה מקיים
Na’e doresh, na’e mekayem
One who preaches well also practices well.
Practice what you preach.
Usually said approvingly of someone whose actions match their words.
סנונית אחת אינה מבשרת את בוא האביב
Snunit achat eina mevaseret et bo ha-aviv
One swallow does not herald the arrival of spring.
One swallow does not make a summer.
A single example is not enough to establish a general pattern.
על דאטפת אטפוך, וסוף מטיפייך יטופון
Al de-ateft atfuch, ve-sof metifayich yetufun
Because you drowned others, they drowned you; and in the end, those who drowned you will be drowned.
What goes around comes around.
An Aramaic saying written in Hebrew letters, expressing successive retribution.
צוחק מי שצוחק אחרון
Tzochek mi she-tzochek acharon
The one who laughs last is the one who laughs.
He who laughs last laughs best.
צרות באות בצרורות
Tzarot ba’ot bitzrorot
Troubles come in bundles.
When it rains, it pours.
רחוק מהעין, רחוק מהלב
Rachok me-ha-ayin, rachok me-ha-lev
Far from the eye, far from the heart.
Out of sight, out of mind.
תפסת מרובה – לא תפסת
Tafasta merube – lo tafasta
You grasped a great deal – you grasped nothing.
He who chases two rabbits catches neither.
Trying to accomplish too much may result in accomplishing nothing.
לא כל יום פורים
Lo kol yom Purim
Not every day is Purim.
Every day can’t be a holiday.
Purim is associated with celebration, feasting and merriment.
כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה
Kol Yisrael arevim ze ba-ze
All Israel are responsible for one another.
All for one and one for all.
ערבים means both “responsible for” and “guarantors for.”
ואהבת לרעך כמוך
Ve-ahavta le-re’acha kamocha
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
A biblical commandment.
איזהו עשיר? השמח בחלקו
Eizehu ashir? Ha-same’ach be-chelko
Who is rich? The one who is happy with his portion.
Contentment is true wealth.
איזהו חכם? הלומד מכל אדם
Eizehu chacham? Ha-lomed mi-kol adam
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
A wise person can learn from anyone.
איזהו גיבור? הכובש את יצרו
Eizehu gibor? Ha-kovesh et yitzro
Who is mighty? The one who conquers his inclination.
He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.
יצרו refers to one’s impulses, urges or harmful inclinations.
אם אין אני לי, מי לי?
Im ein ani li, mi li?
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
You must stand up for yourself.
This stresses personal responsibility and self-reliance.
ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי?
Ve-im lo achshav, eimatai?
And if not now, when?
There’s no time like the present.
אמור מעט ועשה הרבה
Emor me’at va-ase harbe
Say little and do much.
Actions speak louder than words.
אכול ושתו כי מחר נמות
Achol ve-shato ki machar namut
Eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.
Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
A biblical expression encouraging enjoyment in the face of uncertainty, sometimes with a critical or fatalistic implication.
אם אין אני לי, מי לי? וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני? ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי?
Im ein ani li, mi li? U-chshe-ani le-atzmi, ma ani? Ve-im lo achshav, eimatai?
If I am not for myself, who is for me? And when I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, when?
God helps those who help themselves; no man is an island; there’s no time like the present.
מצא מין את מינו
Matza min et mino
A kind found its own kind.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Said when two people with similar personalities, interests, or faults find each other.
כל אהבה שהיא תלויה בדבר, בטל דבר – בטלה אהבה; ושאינה תלויה בדבר, אינה בטלה לעולם
Kol ahava she-hi tluya be-davar, batel davar – batla ahava; ve-she-eina tluya be-davar, eina betela le-olam
Any love that depends on something – when that thing ceases, the love ceases; but love that does not depend on something never ceases.
True love endures.
It distinguishes self-interested or conditional love from lasting, unconditional love.
כל הפוסל במומו פוסל
Kol ha-posel be-mumo posel
Whoever disqualifies another does so through his own defect.
The pot calling the kettle black.
People often condemn in others the very faults they themselves possess.
עבר יומו, בטל קרבנו
Avar yomo, batel korbano
Its day has passed; its sacrifice is void.
Too little, too late.
The proper time for doing something has already passed.
לכל זמן, ועת לכל חפץ תחת השמים
La-kol zman, ve-et le-chol chefetz tachat ha-shamayim
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.
To everything there is a season.
חזית איש מהיר במלאכתו? לפני מלכים יתייצב
Chazita ish mahir bi-melachto? Lifnei melachim yityatzev
Have you seen a person skilled in his work? Before kings he shall stand.
A good workman is known by his work.
Exceptional ability eventually earns recognition and advancement.
לעולם יאכל אדם פחות מן הראוי לו לפי ממונו, וילבש כראוי לו, ויכבד אשתו ובניו יותר מן הראוי לו
Le-olam yochal adam pachot min ha-ra’ui lo lefi mamono, ve-yilbash ka-ra’ui lo, vi-chabed ishto u-vanav yoter min ha-ra’ui lo
A person should always eat less than what is appropriate to his means, dress according to his means, and honor his wife and children beyond his means.
Cut your coat according to your cloth.
Live modestly yourself, maintain a respectable appearance, and be especially generous toward your family.
על ראש הגנב בוער הכובע
Al rosh ha-ganav bo’er ha-kova
On the thief’s head, the hat is burning.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
A guilty person’s nervous behavior often exposes them.
אין דבר העומד בפני הרצון
Ein davar ha-omed bifnei ha-ratzon
Nothing stands in the way of the will.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
קנה חכמה מה טוב מחרוץ, וקנות בינה נבחר מכסף
Kno chochma, ma tov me-charutz; u-knot bina nivchar mi-kesef
Acquiring wisdom – how much better than gold; acquiring understanding is preferable to silver.
Wisdom is better than riches.
כי ברוב חכמה רוב כעס, ויוסיף דעת יוסיף מכאוב
Ki ve-rov chochma rov ka’as, ve-yosif da’at yosif mach’ov
For with much wisdom comes much vexation, and whoever increases knowledge increases pain.
Ignorance is bliss.
Greater understanding can also bring greater awareness of suffering and problems.
צרת רבים חצי נחמה
Tzarat rabim, chatzi nechama
The trouble of many is half a consolation.
A trouble shared is a trouble halved.
Knowing that others share the same difficulty can make it easier to bear.
אילני סרק קולם הולך
Ilanei srak, kolam holech
Barren trees – their sound travels far.
Empty vessels make the most noise.
People with little knowledge or substance are often the loudest.
אין חכם כבעל ניסיון
Ein chacham ke-va’al nisayon
There is no one as wise as a person of experience.
Experience is the best teacher.
לא הביישן למד ולא הקפדן מלמד
Lo ha-baishan lamed, ve-lo ha-kapdan melamed
The shy person does not learn, and the overly strict person does not teach.
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask remains a fool forever.
דברי חכמים בנחת נשמעים
Divrei chachamim be-nachat nishma’im
The words of the wise are heard in quiet.
A soft answer turns away wrath.
Calmly expressed wisdom is more effective than shouting.
סייג לחכמה שתיקה
Siyag la-chochma shtika
A fence around wisdom is silence.
Silence is golden.
Knowing when not to speak is part of wisdom.
בור ששתית ממנו אל תזרוק בו אבן
Bor she-shatita mimenu, al tizrok bo even
Do not throw a stone into a well from which you have drunk.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Do not harm or insult a person or institution from which you have benefited.
אל יתהלל חוגר כמפתח
Al yithalel choger ki-mefate’ach
Let not one who puts on his armor boast like one who takes it off.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Do not boast of victory before the struggle has even begun.
חושך שבטו שונא בנו
Chosech shivto, sone beno
He who spares his rod hates his son.
Spare the rod and spoil the child.
An ancient statement advocating firm discipline; it should not automatically be read as modern approval of corporal punishment.
שלח לחמך על פני המים, כי ברוב הימים תמצאנו
Shalach lachmecha al pnei ha-mayim, ki ve-rov ha-yamim timtza’enu
Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it.
Cast your bread upon the waters.
Generosity or a worthwhile investment may eventually bring an unexpected return.
טובים השניים מן האחד
Tovim ha-shnayim min ha-echad
Two are better than one.
Two heads are better than one.
סייג לחכמה שתיקה
Siyag la-chochma shtika
A fence around wisdom is silence.
Silence is golden.
Knowing when not to speak is part of wisdom.
אמור לי מי הם חבריך ואומר לך מי אתה
Emor li mi hem chaverecha, ve-omar lecha mi ata
Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are.
A man is known by the company he keeps.
מי שהולך לישון עם כלבים, שלא יתפלא אם הוא קם עם פרעושים
Mi she-holech lishon im klavim, she-lo yitpale im hu kam im par’oshim
Whoever goes to sleep with dogs should not be surprised if he wakes up with fleas.
Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.
The people one associates with influence one’s conduct and reputation.
אל תדון את חברך עד שתגיע למקומו
Al tadun et chavercha ad she-tagia li-mkomo
Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place.
Don’t judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.
The source also gives the older form אל תדין.
סוף גנב לתלייה
Sof ganav li-tliya
A thief’s end is hanging.
Crime doesn’t pay.
Wrongdoing will eventually bring punishment.
יצא מרצע מן השק
Yatza martze’a min ha-sak
The awl came out of the sack.
The cat is out of the bag.
Something concealed has been exposed.
נתנו לחתול לשמור על השמנת
Natnu la-chatul lishmor al ha-shamenet
They gave the cat the cream to guard.
Set a fox to guard the henhouse.
Someone is entrusted with protecting the very thing they are likely to take.
אל יתהלל חוגר כמפתח
Al yithalel choger ki-mefate’ach
Let one who puts on his armor not boast like one who takes it off.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Do not boast of success before the undertaking is finished.
אין חכם כבעל ניסיון
Ein chacham ke-va’al nisayon
No one is as wise as a person with experience.
Experience is the best teacher.
לא בוכים על חלב שנשפך
Lo bochim al chalav she-nishpach
One does not cry over milk that has been spilled.
Don’t cry over spilt milk.
אין עשן בלי אש
Ein ashan bli esh
There is no smoke without fire.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
עברנו את פרעה, נעבור גם את זה
Avarnu et Par’o, na’avor gam et ze
We survived Pharaoh; we will survive this too.
This too shall pass.
A humorous reassurance that the present difficulty can also be overcome.
הדג מסריח מהראש
Ha-dag masri’ach me-ha-rosh
The fish stinks from the head.
A fish rots from the head down.
Problems in an organization commonly begin with its leadership.
ההר הוליד עכבר
Ha-har holid achbar
The mountain gave birth to a mouse.
Much ado about nothing.
Great expectations or commotion produce a very small result.
החיים הם לא פיקניק
Ha-chayim hem lo piknik
Life is not a picnic.
Life isn’t a bed of roses.
מצאו ש״ג
Matz’u shin-gimel
They found a gate guard.
ש״ג is an abbreviation for a low-ranking military gate guard. The expression means that a minor employee has been made the scapegoat.
הדשא של השכן ירוק יותר
Ha-deshe shel ha-shachen yarok yoter
The neighbor’s grass is greener.
The grass is always greener on the other side.
אצבע קלה על ההדק
Etzba kala al ha-hedek
A light finger on the trigger.
To be trigger-happy.
Said of someone who resorts to force or drastic action too readily.
הלילה עוד צעיר
Ha-layla od tza’ir
The night is still young.
The night is young.
חבר נבחן בעת צרה
Chaver nivchan be-et tzara
A friend is tested in a time of trouble.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
כבדהו וחשדהו
Kabdehu ve-chashdehu
Respect him and suspect him.
Trust, but verify.
Treat others respectfully without abandoning reasonable caution.
כל התחלות קשות
Kol ha-hatchalot kashot
All beginnings are difficult.
The first step is the hardest.
כלב נובח לא נושך
Kelev nove’ach lo noshech
A barking dog does not bite.
Barking dogs seldom bite.
כלב נובח ושיירה עוברת
Kelev nove’ach ve-shayara overet
The dog barks and the caravan passes.
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
Criticism and noise need not stop continued progress.
מטאטא חדש מטאטא טוב
Matate chadash metate tov
A new broom sweeps well.
A new broom sweeps clean.
נכנס יין, יצא סוד
Nichnas yayin, yatza sod
Wine entered; a secret came out.
In vino veritas.
Alcohol loosens the tongue and causes people to reveal what they normally conceal.
סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה
Sof ma’ase be-machshava techila
The end of an action lies in thought at the beginning.
Look before you leap.
Think through the desired result before acting.
עד החתונה יעבור
Ad ha-chatuna ya’avor
It will pass by the wedding.
A humorous reassurance, especially to a child, that a minor injury or problem will soon heal.
על טעם וריח אין להתווכח
Al ta’am va-re’ach ein lehitvake’ach
There is no arguing about taste and smell.
There’s no accounting for taste.
עם האוכל בא התיאבון
Im ha-ochel ba ha-te’avon
Appetite comes with eating.
Appetite comes with eating.
Beginning an activity often increases one’s desire for more.
צוחק מי שצוחק אחרון
Tzochek mi she-tzochek acharon
The one who laughs last is the one who laughs.
He who laughs last laughs best.
על ראש הגנב בוער הכובע
Al rosh ha-ganav bo’er ha-kova
The hat is burning on the thief’s head.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
A guilty person often exposes themselves through nervous behavior.
טוחנים מים
Tochanim mayim
They are grinding water.
To engage repeatedly in pointless discussion or activity without producing anything.
פרצה קוראת לגנב
Pirtza koret la-ganav
A breach calls to the thief.
Opportunity makes the thief.
Poor security or easy opportunity can tempt people into wrongdoing.
לא כל הנוצץ זהב הוא
Lo kol ha-notzetz zahav hu
Not everything that glitters is gold.
All that glitters is not gold.
The source also contains the variant לא כל דבר שנוצץ הוא זהב.
התפוח לא נופל רחוק מהעץ
Ha-tapu’ach lo nofel rachok me-ha-etz
The apple does not fall far from the tree.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
נחיה ונראה
Nichye ve-nir’e
We shall live and see.
Time will tell.
מכל מלמדיי השכלתי
Mi-kol melamdai hiskalti
From all my teachers I gained understanding.
You can learn something from everyone.
Originally a biblical expression.
תפסת מרובה – לא תפסת
Tafasta merube – lo tafasta
You grasped a great deal –you grasped nothing.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Trying to take on too much may cause the whole effort to fail.
אין חדש תחת השמש
Ein chadash tachat ha-shemesh
There is nothing new under the sun.
There’s nothing new under the sun.
דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה
Derech eretz kadma la-Tora
Proper conduct preceded the Torah.
Basic decency and civilized behavior come before scholarship or religious learning.
הלך הזרזיר אצל העורב
Halach ha-zarzir etzel ha-orev
The starling went to the raven.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Usually said negatively about two people who suit one another because they share the same faults.
הסנדלר הולך יחף
Ha-sandlar holech yachef
The shoemaker goes barefoot.
The shoemaker’s children go barefoot.
A professional may neglect the same need in their own life that they address for others.
מן הפח אל הפחת
Min ha-pach el ha-pachat
From the trap into the pit.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
אין סומכים על הנס
Ein somchim al ha-nes
One does not rely on a miracle.
God helps those who help themselves.
One should take practical precautions rather than expect supernatural rescue.
הקש ששבר את גב הגמל
Ha-kash she-shavar et gav ha-gamal
The straw that broke the camel’s back.
The last straw that broke the camel’s back.
רצונו של אדם – כבודו
Retzono shel adam – kevodo
A person’s wish is his honor.
Respecting a person includes respecting their expressed wishes and choices.
הזאב שבע והכבשה שלמה
Ha-ze’ev save’a ve-ha-kivsa shlema
The wolf is satisfied and the sheep remains whole.
A compromise or solution that satisfies one side without harming the other.
להוסיף שמן למדורה
Lehosif shemen la-medura
To add oil to the bonfire.
Add fuel to the fire.
מי שטרח בערב שבת יאכל בשבת
Mi she-tarach be-erev Shabbat yochal be-Shabbat
Whoever labored on the eve of the Sabbath will eat on the Sabbath.
As you sow, so shall you reap.
Preparation and work must precede enjoyment of their results.
מרוב עצים לא רואים את היער
Me-rov etzim lo ro’im et ha-ya’ar
Because of the many trees, one cannot see the forest.
You can’t see the forest for the trees.
אין אדם נתפס בשעת צערו
Ein adam nitpas bi-sh’at tza’aro
A person is not held accountable in a moment of distress.
Words or actions spoken in intense grief should not be judged by ordinary standards.
אינו יודע בין ימינו לשמאלו
Eino yode’a bein yemino li-smolo
He does not know between his right and his left.
He doesn’t know his right hand from his left.
כל הפוסל במומו פוסל
Kol ha-posel be-mumo posel
Whoever disqualifies another does so through his own defect.
The pot calling the kettle black.
People frequently condemn in others the faults they themselves possess.
לא הכובע קובע ולא המעיל מועיל
Lo ha-kova kove’a ve-lo ha-me’il mo’il
It is not the hat that determines, nor the coat that improves.
Clothes do not make the man.
The Hebrew is a rhyming expression.
להכניס ראש בריא למיטה חולה
Lehachnis rosh bari le-mita chola
To put a healthy head into a sickbed.
Don’t borrow trouble.
To involve oneself unnecessarily in a problematic or dangerous situation.
חכם אחרי מעשה
Chacham acharei ma’ase
Wise after the event.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty.
Said critically of someone who knows what should have been done only after the outcome is known.
אל תהיה צודק – תהיה חכם
Al tihye tzodek – tihye chacham
Do not be right – be wise.
Insisting on one’s legal or moral right may be less sensible than avoiding danger or needless conflict.
אדם ניכר בכיסו, בכוסו ובכעסו
Adam nikar be-chiso, be-koso u-ve-cha’aso
A person is recognized by his pocket, his cup, and his anger.
Character is revealed through financial behavior, conduct while drinking, and behavior when angry.
לתכריכים אין כיסים
La-tachrichim ein kisim
Burial shrouds have no pockets.
You can’t take it with you.
Material possessions cannot accompany a person after death.
עדיף לפשוט נבלה בשוק ולא להצטרך לבריות
Adif lifshot nevela ba-shuk ve-lo lehitzarech la-briyot
It is better to skin a carcass in the marketplace than to need other people’s support.
Even unpleasant honest work is preferable to depending unnecessarily on charity.
נותנים – קח, מרביצים – תברח
Notnim – kach; marbitzim – tivrach
When they give – take; when they hit – run.
A humorous piece of practical advice: accept benefits and avoid needless harm.
אין ידיד נאמן כמו כסף מזומן
Ein yadid ne’eman kmo kesef mezuman
There is no faithful friend like ready cash.
A cynical saying about the security and influence provided by cash.
גמלא לא תיפול שנית
Gamla lo tipol shenit
Gamla will not fall a second time.
A modern historical slogan expressing determination not to allow a tragedy like the Roman destruction of Gamla to recur.
ציפיות יש רק בכריות
Tzipiyot yesh rak ba-kariyot
There are expectations only on pillows.
A pun: ציפיות means both “expectations” and “pillowcases.” It advises against relying on expectations.
שאיפות יש רק בג׳וינט
She’ifot yesh rak ba-joint
Aspirations exist only in a joint.
A slang pun: שאיפות means both “aspirations” and “inhalations” or “puffs.”
אל תשווה בין מחט לתחת
Al tashve bein machat la-tachat
Do not compare a needle with a backside.
Don’t compare apples and oranges.
A deliberately crude rhyme used when two things are not reasonably comparable.
כשהתותחים רועמים, המוזות שותקות
Kshe-ha-totachim ro’amim, ha-muzot shotkot
When the cannons roar, the Muses are silent.
War and violence suppress art, culture, and intellectual life.
כשהחתול ישן, העכברים חוגגים
Kshe-ha-chatul yashen, ha-achbarim chogegim
When the cat sleeps, the mice celebrate.
When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
ברומא תהיה רומאי
Be-Roma tihye Romai
In Rome, be a Roman.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
ללשון אין עצמות
La-lashon ein atzamot
The tongue has no bones.
The tongue moves freely: people can say almost anything, including words that cause great harm.
הסוסים כבר ברחו מהאורווה
Ha-susim kvar barchu me-ha-urva
The horses have already escaped from the stable.
It is no use shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.
The unwanted event has already happened, so attention must turn to its consequences.
נולד עם כפית זהב בפה
Nolad im kapit zahav ba-pe
He was born with a golden spoon in his mouth.
Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth.
יד רוחצת יד
Yad rochetzet yad
One hand washes the other.
One hand washes the other.
Mutual assistance, sometimes implying an exchange of favors or improper mutual protection.
משנה מקום משנה מזל
Meshane makom, meshane mazal
One who changes place changes fortune.
Moving to a new place may bring a change in circumstances or luck.
מים גנובים ימתקו
Mayim gnuvim yimtaku
Stolen waters will taste sweet.
Forbidden fruit is sweetest.
Forbidden things can appear especially attractive precisely because they are forbidden.
שכן קרוב עדיף על אח רחוק
Shachen karov adif al ach rachok
A nearby neighbor is preferable to a distant brother.
A good neighbor is better than a distant relative.
Practical closeness may matter more than family ties at a distance.
מרוב מלחים טבעה הספינה
Me-rov malachim tav’a ha-sfina
Because of too many sailors, the ship sank.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Too many people directing a task can cause it to fail.
בין הפטיש לסדן
Bein ha-patish la-sadan
Between the hammer and the anvil.
Between a rock and a hard place.
התחיל מרגל שמאל
Hitchil me-regel smol
He started with the left foot.
Get off on the wrong foot.
לטנגו צריכים שניים
Le-tango tzrichim shnayim
Two are needed for a tango.
It takes two to tango.
לא דובים ולא יער
Lo dubim ve-lo ya’ar
Neither bears nor forest.
None of the alleged story is true; the whole account is invented.
לקבל על מגש של כסף
Lekabel al magash shel kesef
To receive on a silver platter.
Be handed something on a silver platter.
To obtain something without having to work for it.
פה קבור הכלב
Po kavur ha-kelev
Here the dog is buried.
There’s the rub.
This is the hidden cause, central difficulty, or essential point.
אי אפשר לקפוץ מעל הפופיק
I efshar likpotz me-al ha-pupik
It is impossible to jump above one’s navel.
A person cannot exceed certain inherent or practical limitations.
אחריי המבול
Acharai ha-mabul
After me, the flood.
After me, the deluge.
A selfish attitude of indifference toward what happens after one leaves or dies.
נפל בין הכיסאות
Nafal bein ha-kisa’ot
He fell between the chairs.
Fall through the cracks.
To be overlooked because responsibility is divided between different people or institutions.
לקירות יש אוזניים
La-kirot yesh oznayim
The walls have ears.
Walls have ears.
לאכול את העוגה ולהשאיר אותה שלמה
Le’echol et ha-uga u-lehash’ir ota shlema
To eat the cake and leave it whole.
Have your cake and eat it too.
To demand two mutually incompatible advantages.
המתחיל במצווה, אומרים לו גמור
Ha-matchil be-mitzva, omrim lo: gmor
To one who begins a good deed, they say: finish it.
Finish what you start.
מצווה here means a worthy act or religious obligation.
בור כרה ויחפרהו, וייפול בשחת יפעל
Bor kara va-yachperehu, va-yipol be-shachat yif’al
He dug a pit and hollowed it out, and fell into the ditch he made.
He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself.
The source quotes only the beginning; the continuation supplies the proverbial meaning.
דין פרוטה כדין מאה
Din pruta ke-din me’a
The judgment of a small coin is like the judgment of a hundred.
A small case deserves the same honest and careful application of justice as a large one.
יגעת ומצאת – תאמין
Yagata u-matzata – ta’amin
You labored and found – believe it.
Seek and you shall find.
Achievement can be believed when it is preceded by genuine effort.
זורע רוח יקצור סופה
Zore’a ru’ach yiktzor sufa
Whoever sows wind will reap a storm.
Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.
הדרך לגיהינום רצופה כוונות טובות
Ha-derech le-Gehinom retzufa kavanot tovot
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Good intentions do not excuse harmful results or replace action.
במקום שאין אנשים, השתדל להיות איש
Be-makom she-ein anashim, hishtadel lihyot ish
In a place where there are no people, strive to be a person.
Where nobody behaves decently or accepts responsibility, strive to be the person who does.