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Proverbs

Dĩ hoà vi quý.

Literal Translation: Making peace is treasured.

(American) English Equivalient: Make love, not war.

Đồng thanh tương ứng, đồng khí tương cầu.

(American) English Equivalient: Birds of a feather flock together.

Meaning: Similar people often become friends.

Cái khó ló cái khôn.

(American) English Equivalient: Adversity is the mother of wisdom.

Meaning: Most of us seldom take the trouble to think. When they occur, crises and deadlocks have the advantage that they force us to think.

Tiền nào của đó.

Literal Translation: Like money, like stuff.

(American) English Equivalient: You get what you pay for.

Meaning: If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.

Ai làm nấy chịu.

(American) English Equivalient: Whoever sows wind shall harvest storm.

Meaning: Trouble once started can spark off a chain reaction, often resulting in a great trouble out of control.

Trèo cao, té nặng.

Literal Translation: The higher you climb, the greater you fall.

Meaning: Mistakes become more consequential the more influence you have.

Cười người hôm trước, hôm sau người cười.

Literal Translation: Laughs at others today, (and) tomorrow others will laugh at you.

(American) English Equivalient: He who laughs last, laughs longest.

Meaning: Minor successes or failures along the way are of no significance; the person who is ultimately triumphant is the only real winner.

Gần mực thì đen, gần đèn thì rạng.

Literal Translation: If near ink, you will be black, if near light, you will shine.

(American) English Equivalient: Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are.

Meaning: People are influenced by their environment.

Nước chảy đá mòn.

Literal Translation: Water flows, rock erodes.

(American) English Equivalient: Constant dripping wears the stone.

Meaning: A drop hollows out the stone by falling not twice, but many times; so too is a person made wise by reading not two, but many books.

Tay làm hàm nhai.

Literal Translation: The hand works, the mouth (is allowed to) chew.

(American) English Equivalient: He who does not work shall not eat.

Meaning: Without due effort, one is not entitled to the fruits of labor.

Sinh nghề tử nghiêp.

(American) English Equivalient: Live by the sword, die by the sword. 

Meaning: Those who engage in aggression or violence will meet their death in a similar way.

Phi thương,bất phú.

(American) English Equivalient: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Meaning: It is necessary to take risks in order to achieve something.

Hoạ vô đon chí.

Literal Translation: Misfortunes never come singly.

(American) English Equivalient: Misery loves company.

Tai vách, mạch rừng.

Literal Translation: The walls have ears.

Meaning: What you say may be overheard; used as a warning.

Xa mặt, cách lòng.

Literal Translation: Out of sight, out of mind.

(American) English Equivalient: Out of sight, out of mind.

Meaning: When someone or something is far away, we tend to forget about it.

Một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã.

Literal Translation: Blood is much thicker than water.

(American) English Equivalient: Blood is thicker than water.

Meaning: Relatives usually help each other more than strangers. The bonds of relationship are more binding than other bonds.

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