Mind.

Meaning: Long-established habits can be difficult to change. The saying states this too absolutely: it does not show that older people are incapable of learning or that every new attempt will fail.

Meaning: Strong anger or agitation can carry a person into actions they would not choose calmly. The runaway horse suggests losing direction under an emotion, while allowing that feelings may reveal a concern worth addressing.

Meaning: Patience is valuable but not equally available in every person or situation. Recognise the effort it may require instead of assuming that everyone can wait calmly under the same pressure.

Meaning: Writing can be a tool for developing and working through ideas. The plough image presents thought as something cultivated through effort, without claiming that writing is the only way to think or contribute.

Meaning: An unshowy appearance can coexist with a pleasing quality. Pepper’s dark colour is contrasted with the flavour the speaker values.

Meaning: A picture can communicate without a living voice. The saying imagines a still image as a silent speaker whose meaning is encountered by looking rather than listening.

Meaning: When a decision can wait, step away and reconsider it after a pause. Distance from the immediate pressure may help you see the options more clearly.

Meaning: A small provocation can quickly stir a person who reacts readily. The small pot heating gives a compact image to a short temper.

Meaning: A demand for status can conflict painfully with limited resources. The saying exposes that tension but should not be used to deny dignity to people in need.

Meaning: Material strain can weigh on a person’s expression and mood. The wrinkled purse and face make the connection visible without defining everyone’s experience.

Meaning: Quietness may leave room for reflection, but it does not reveal how much someone is thinking. The saying favours thought over excessive speech while offering no reliable measure of intelligence or attention.

Meaning: An unpleasant experience can make someone wary even of a harmless reminder. Recognise why caution has increased, while checking whether the present situation carries the same risk as the earlier one.

Meaning: Self-interest can interfere with a person’s judgement about themselves. The small obstruction in the eye suggests a distorted view, while leaving room for healthy self-respect and for fair criticism of an actual decision.

Meaning: Feeling distressed about an obligation does not by itself meet it. When you can, seek a practical next step or suitable help rather than expecting worry alone to change what remains owed.

Meaning: The way a person speaks may offer clues to their thoughts and priorities. Listen to what they actually say while recognising that speech is only a partial picture of someone’s mind.

Meaning: Do not choose a response that harms your own interests mainly to express spite. Check whether an angry refusal or retaliatory act serves a worthwhile purpose or merely makes the situation worse for you.

Meaning: Too many people directing the same task without clear roles can make the result worse. Conflicting instructions and repeated changes may matter more than the amount of effort contributed.

Meaning: Attend to the difficulties of the present without treating every possible future problem as already here. The saying limits the burden of anticipation, without discouraging useful preparation or promises of future support.

Meaning: The saying joins talk about the devil with the appearance of his imp. It makes a coincidence between a topic and an arrival sound like a mischievous response.

Meaning: The saying makes sweetness seem sour to someone whose taste is lost. It contrasts a thing’s usual description with an observer’s altered experience.

Meaning: The saying pictures visible tears ending quickly. A careful reading separates that outward change from the feelings and needs that may continue underneath.

Meaning: A person’s silence does not show that they have no thoughts or objections. The saying recognises that speaking can feel difficult, without allowing an observer to know exactly what another person privately thinks.

Meaning: A considered life includes reflection as well as daily activity. The saying presents thinking as a connection between what one does and what one understands.

Meaning: Something attractive can come with difficulties or risks that deserve attention. The rose and its thorns pair appeal with a limitation, without making enjoyment foolish or predicting that every desirable choice will cause harm.