The most intelligent people disguise the fact that they are intelligent. Wise men do not wear nametags. The more people talk about their own skills, the more desperate they are—their work should speak for itself.

Meaning: No individual can do everything. The saying recognises limits of skill, time and capacity, encouraging cooperation or priorities without deciding that a particular person cannot learn, develop or take on a new challenge.

Meaning: Constant noise can get in the way of useful activity. The braying ass is an image of effort spent on display rather than the task, without proving that quiet people are always more capable or that speaking is wasted work.

Meaning: A task is soon finished when little remains to be done. The bald-head image emphasises the small amount of work, rather than establishing that quick completion proves unusual skill or that appearances reveal a person’s abilities.

Meaning: Avoid exposing yourself to a foreseeable difficulty without suitable protection. Bare feet and thorns make preparation concrete, without blaming someone who lacks resources or assuming that every hazard can be prevented.