Character.

Meaning: Wanting more does not by itself produce a worthwhile gain. Desire must not be mistaken for the work or judgment needed to obtain something.

Meaning: A good example or upbringing does not guarantee the same qualities in the next generation. The cow and calf distinguish the parent from the offspring, without making a child’s conduct a simple verdict on either person’s worth.

Meaning: Cowardice is pictured as avoiding being noticed, especially where a person does not want an action or refusal scrutinised. The saying can question evasiveness, but choosing privacy or feeling afraid does not by itself establish cowardice or wrongdoing.

Meaning: Clever manipulation may fail to deliver a lasting benefit. Craft here suggests scheming, rather than the skill of making something well.

Meaning: The saying values honesty above other skills, presenting trustworthy conduct as an achievement in itself. Technical ability is more useful when people can also rely on how it is exercised.

Meaning: Clever avoidance does not turn an inaccurate account into a truthful one. Consider whether an answer addresses the substance of the question rather than merely finding words that sidestep it.

Meaning: The person or part making the most noise may be contributing least or functioning poorly. The creaking wheel invites a distinction between attracting attention and doing useful work, without treating every complaint as worthless.

Meaning: Damaged trust or reputation may be harder to repair than to preserve. The broken glass pictures that fragility, warning about consequences without claiming that one mistake permanently destroys someone’s credibility or makes rebuilding trust impossible.

Meaning: Cruelty is condemned by imagining it as something the devil enjoys. The image expresses moral disapproval of causing suffering, without providing evidence about supernatural beings or deciding the facts of a particular dispute.

Meaning: Hostile words can bring consequences back to the speaker. Chickens returning to roost picture that rebound, without establishing that curses have supernatural power or that every misfortune is deserved.

Meaning: A harmful habit or convention deserves to be broken rather than preserved. The joke compares breaking a custom with cutting into a good cake, challenging the idea that keeping something intact is always a virtue.

Meaning: Unkindness can hurt deeply, especially when it comes from someone whose care you expected. Recognise the emotional effect of a cruel or dismissive act rather than judging harm only by visible damage.

Meaning: A person may seek divine help during danger and neglect that relationship once the danger passes. The saying questions gratitude or commitment that disappears as soon as the immediate need is over.

Meaning: The saying advises winning a mother’s goodwill when seeking a relationship with her daughter. It treats family approval as useful, but such approval cannot replace the daughter’s own wishes and consent.

Meaning: Actions provide the useful result that words may only promise. Look for what has actually been done rather than judging commitment solely by an impressive statement of intention.

Meaning: The value of a life can be considered through its actions rather than its length alone. The saying honours worthwhile conduct, without reducing someone’s worth to productivity or supplying one universal measure of a good life.

Meaning: The saying encourages developing the qualities needed for an aspiration rather than relying on wanting it. It should not imply that basic care, dignity or fair opportunities must be earned through achievement.

Meaning: Once someone has accepted a difficult companion or arrangement, they must decide how to handle the consequences. The devil aboard a ship exaggerates the trouble introduced by an earlier choice.

Meaning: Strong pressure can make a person feel they have little choice about moving forward. The devil driving supplies a forceful image of compulsion, while leaving room to examine the choices that remain.

Meaning: Practical circumstances may require limited accommodation with something a person dislikes. Holding a candle to the devil represents reluctant assistance, but the saying does not make every compromise acceptable.

Meaning: A promise made during trouble may be abandoned when the trouble passes. The devil’s wish to become a monk disappears as soon as he feels well again.

Meaning: Accepting a friend’s hospitality can mean allowing for the effort and imperfections behind it. The kitchen image asks a guest to appreciate the meal without inspecting every detail of its preparation.

Meaning: A little careful judgement can be worth more than a great deal of cleverness. Knowing when and how to act may matter more than finding an impressive response.

Meaning: The saying calls disease a tax that pleasure may bring. It gives enjoyment the image of a later cost without specifying the activity or a proven connection.