Time.

Meaning: Postponing a needed action can allow a problem to grow or an opportunity to close. Consider the consequences of waiting rather than assuming that delay preserves every option.

Meaning: The phrase marks the coincidence of someone arriving just as they are being discussed. Its devil image is a playful figure of speech in this use, not evidence of supernatural causation or a judgement that the arriving person is wicked.

Meaning: The saying uses St. Bartholomew as a calendar marker for the arrival of cold dew. It associates an observance with a seasonal condition.

Meaning: Death is possible at any age, while old age makes the end of life impossible to ignore. The contrast is a reminder of mortality.

Meaning: Enjoyable conversation can make time feel shorter. The saying praises the experience of good company and engaging talk, without claiming that conversation changes the clock or suits everyone in the same way.

Meaning: A first offering can receive a welcome that later offerings do not share. The meal image suggests the advantage of arriving before appetite or interest is satisfied, rather than proving that every first attempt is good.

Meaning: The saying makes the ash leafing before the oak a sign of past or future drought. Its broad time window lets the same observation refer backward or forward.

Meaning: The saying claims that dry May followed by wet June brings things into good order. The musical phrase gives the weather sequence an image of harmony.

Meaning: Beginning a task earlier can allow its result to arrive earlier. The sowing-and-mowing image connects preparation with timing, but an early start is useful only when conditions suit the task; speed alone does not guarantee readiness or quality.

Meaning: Starting early can help you obtain an opportunity before others reach it. Timely preparation or action may matter as much as waiting for ideal conditions.

Meaning: The saying combines a reminder that things finish with a playful double meaning of “end.” Its joke lightens the observation rather than providing a precise rule about how every experience concludes.

Meaning: A series of small removals can amount to a substantial loss. Plucking the goose one feather at a time pictures gradual depletion that may be missed when each change is considered separately.

Meaning: February is pictured as building an icy bridge that March breaks. The months become makers and destroyers of a temporary winter crossing.

Meaning: The saying imagines February filling ditches with dark rainwater or white snow and favours the white form. It assigns value to contrasting winter conditions.

Meaning: A few dependable friendships can matter more than a large circle of casual contacts. Give close relationships enough attention rather than assuming that every acquaintance offers the same trust.

Meaning: An early start is presented as a sign of diligence and a chance to make progress. Five o’clock gives the general praise of effort a memorable concrete hour.

Meaning: The saying declares flooding in May harmful. Its absolute wording gives an unwelcome seasonal event a single verdict.

Meaning: It is easier to pose questions than to answer every one well. The saying points to the effort and limits of answering, rather than proving that difficult questions or curious people are foolish.

Meaning: Being first or already well placed can help someone obtain an opportunity. The leading-dog image values position and timely action, without proving that the first participant always wins or that speed outweighs preparation and fairness.

Meaning: Knowing about a possible difficulty beforehand gives you a chance to prepare. A useful warning can change how you act instead of leaving you to respond unready.

Meaning: Circumstances and outcomes can change over time. Avoid treating either present success or present difficulty as a permanent description of what your life must be.

Meaning: Make considered use of favourable circumstances while they are available. A real opportunity can be worth acting on, but an appealing appearance or urgent offer does not by itself show that it is suitable.

Meaning: The saying predicts Sunday sorrow for someone who sings on Friday. It turns enjoyment on one day into an omen about another.

Meaning: The saying treats Friday as a sign of Sunday and Sunday as a sign of the whole week. It extends a short observation into a much longer expectation.