120 Old Sayings Still Relevant Today
Many sayings have persisted through the centuries because they continue to capture universal truths about human nature and the world we live in. The article “120 old sayings still relevant today” explores timeless phrases that have proven resilient in the face of changing eras.
The article is organized into sections based on categories like relationships, work ethics, and wisdom. Readers will find familiar words of advice alongside sayings they may be less familiar with. By grouping related sayings, the article aims to show the enduring themes that have guided many generations.
Whether it’s “Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “All that glitters is not gold,” the phrases explored offer perspective that rings true even in modern times. With each section offering a dozen or more relevant sayings, readers are sure to discover wisdom and insights applicable to twenty-first century life. Both young and old will gain an appreciation of the enduring lessons embedded in words handed down over the centuries.
1. Words of wisdom from the past
Well done is better than well said – Benjamin Franklin
Haste makes waste – English Proverb
Knowledge is power – Francis Bacon
Look before you leap – English Proverb
A penny saved is a penny earned – Benjamin Franklin
Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today – Benjamin Franklin
All that glitters is not gold – William Shakespeare
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall – Bible
A stitch in time saves nine – English Proverb
Charity begins at home – English Proverb
You can’t judge a book by its cover – English Proverb
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – Benjamin Franklin
Lookers-on see most of the game – English Proverb
Easy come, easy go – English Proverb
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – English Proverb
Better late than never – English Proverb
Too many cooks spoil the broth – English Proverb
A bird in hand is worth two in the bush – English Proverb
Slow and steady wins the race – Aesop’s Fables
Experience is the best teacher – Ancient Greek Proverb
2. Timeless advice from our ancestors
“It’s better to be thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt.” – Abraham Lincoln
“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.” – Stanley Baldwin
Timeless advice from our ancestors
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese proverb
“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” – Greek proverb
“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” – Swedish proverb
“Don’t let the past steal your present.” – unknown
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.” – Bill Keane
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot
“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” – Napoleon Hill
“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” – William Penn
“Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.” – John Lennon
“A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.” – English proverb
“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese proverb
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” – Aristotle
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy
“You can learn new things at any age.” – Anonymous
“Well done is better than well said.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“All things come to those who wait.” – Thomas Hobbes
3. Proverbs that stand the test of time
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. – Ancient European proverb
United we stand, divided we fall. – Aesop
Look before you leap. – Ancient European proverb
Who laughs last, laughs best. – German proverb
You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. – Ancient European proverb
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. – John Heywood
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. – Benjamin Franklin
Good things come to those who wait. – Thomas Fuller
Slow and steady wins the race. – Aesop
Haste makes waste. – Ancient European proverb
Better late than never. – Ancient European proverb
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. – Anonymous
Strike while the iron is hot. – Anonymous
Actions speak louder than words. – English proverb
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. – Benjamin Franklin
Pride comes before a fall. – Bible
Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind. – Bible
Too many cooks spoil the broth. – Anonymous
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Bible
Time and tide wait for no man. – Geoffrey Chaucer
4. Age-old lessons we can still learn
Slow and steady wins the race. – Source unknown
A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. – Source unknown
Look before you leap. – Source unknown
Don’t cast pearls before swine. – Matthew 7:6
Better late than never. – Source unknown
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. – Source unknown
Many hands make light work. – Source unknown
Pride comes before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18
Haste makes waste. – Source unknown
The early bird gets the worm. – Source unknown
United we stand, divided we fall. – Aesop’s Fables
Actions speak louder than words. – Biblical reference
A penny saved is a penny earned. – Benjamin Franklin
When there’s a will there’s a way. – Source unknown
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. – Source unknown
All that glitters is not gold. – Merchant of Venice
Experience is the best teacher. – Source unknown
Time and tide wait for no man. – Geoffrey Chaucer
Changes aren’t permanent, but change is. – Heraclitus
Good things come to those who wait. – Source unknown
5. Traditional knowledge that remains true
Slow and steady wins the race. – Aesop’s fable of the Tortoise and the Hare
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. – English proverb
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. – English proverb
Look before you leap. – English proverb
All that glitters is not gold. – early English proverb
The grass is always greener on the other side. – English proverb
Experience is the mother of wisdom. – early English proverb
Pride comes before a fall. – English proverb from the Bible
The early bird catches the worm. – English proverb
Time and tide wait for no man. – English proverb
Straws show which way the wind blows. – early English proverb
Too many irons in the fire. – English proverb
Variety is the spice of life. – early English proverb
You reap what you sow. – early English proverb
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. – early English proverb
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. – English proverb from Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Criticism
No man is an island. – John Donne, Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1624)
When the cat’s away, the mice will play. – early English proverb
A leopard cannot change its spots. – Biblical proverb from Jeremiah 13:23, which was in use in early modern English
East or west, home is best. – Scottish or English proverb
6. Ageless guidance for modern lives
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. – English Proverb
Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. – Victor Hugo
However hard the past, the future is still ours to win. – Unknown
No matter how beautiful or tough the path, if you’re walking it with a friend, the scenery is lovely. – Unknown
If you want to be happy, be. – Leo Tolstoy
My friend, if your dream doesn’t scare you, it isn’t big enough. – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power. – Mary Frances Budz
Take one day at a time and soon you will be taking leaps and bounds. – Steve Maraboli
Blessings come in strange disguises. – Anonymous
Gratitude turns what we have into enough. – Unknown
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. – Winston Churchill
The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. – Mark Twain
Where there’s life, there’s hope. – Danish Proverb
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. – Barack Obama
Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today. – Will Rogers
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. – Martin Luther King Jr.
Fall seven times, stand up eight. – Japanese Proverb
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. – John Wooden
We accept the love we think we deserve. – Stephen Chbosky
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. – John Quincy Adams
Conclusion
In conclusion, this selection of 120 old sayings continues to resonate because it encapsulates timeless wisdom from our predecessors. While times change, human nature remains consistent. These quotes offer valuable guidance on relationships, work ethic, handling life’s ups and downs, and more. Reflecting on their meaning can help impart perspective and insight to navigate modern challenges. Though from different eras, the messages within still apply. I encourage readers to ponder these words, absorb their lessons, and allow them to positively impact your decisions and outlook even today.
