The best things in life are free. We don’t have to pay for the things that are really valuable, like love,
friendship and trust.
A stitch in time saves nine. Repair something as soon as it is damaged as the repair to be done is
still small. However, if you do it later, you might have a much bigger and more expensive repair job to
do. Do it now and you’ll only need one stitch; do it later and you’ll need nine stitches! (Why “nine” and
not eight or ten? Because “nine” rhymes with “time.”)
Still waters run deep. Some rivers have rough surfaces with waves. That’s usually because the
water is shallow and there are rocks near the surface. Deep rivers, on the other hand, have no rocks
near the surface; hence, the water is smooth and still. Similarly, people who are calm and tranquil on
the outside, often have a strong, “deep” personality.
He teaches ill, who teaches all. The unusual structure of this proverb may make it difficult to
understand. However, if the structure is changed to “He who teaches all teaches ill,” it sounds easier
to comprehend. The word “ill” here means “badly.” Hence, it means that a teacher who teaches
students everything, does not teach well. A good teacher allows students to discover some things for
themselves.
Better untaught than ill taught. This proverb drops the verb phrase “to be.” It is better understood
as “It is better not to be taught at all, than to be taught badly.” It’s better not to learn something than to
learn it badly. This idea is echoed in poet Alexander Pope’s famous line: “A little learning is a
dangerous thing.”
Don’t cross your bridges before you come to them. Don’t worry about problems before they
arrive.
Soon learnt, soon forgotten. Something that is learned easily is also forgotten easily.
Even a worm will turn. Everybody will revolt if driven too far. Even the lowest of animals will revolt
and hit back at some point. Even a worm, the simplest of animals, will defend itself.
It was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. There is a limit to everything. We can load the
camel with lots of straw, but too much of it will break the camel’s back. It is only a single straw that
breaks its back—the last straw. This can be applied to many things in life, like when people often say,
“That’s the last straw!” to mean that they will not accept any more of something (i.e., bad attitude).
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Many women have won a man’s love by
cooking delicious meals for him. They fed his stomach and found love in his heart.
If the stone falls upon the egg, alas for the egg! If the egg falls upon the stone, alas for the
egg! Life just isn’t fair, and this realistic Arabic proverb recognizes that. No matter what, the stone will
always break the egg.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If one has the determination to do something, he can always
find the path or the means to do it.
Marry in haste, and repent at leisure. If one gets married quickly, without thinking carefully, he/she
may be sorry later—and he/she will have plenty of time to be so
If you wish good advice, consult an old man. Old people have a lot of experience. If you want to
get good advice or recommendations, ask an old person, not a young one.
The best advice is found on the pillow. If one has a problem, he may find the answer after a good
night’s sleep. People also often say: “I’ll sleep on it.”
All clouds bring not rain. We can rephrase this as “Not every cloud brings rain.” Sometimes there
may be many clouds in the sky, but it won’t rain. The same is sometimes true with problems, or what
we think are problems.
You can’t tell a book by its cover. One needs to read a book to know if it’s good or bad. One
cannot know what it’s like by just looking at the front or back cover. This proverb applies to everything
- especially people - not only books.
Live and let live. This proverb suggests that one should not interfere in other people’s business. One
should live his own life and let others live their lives.
Birds of a feather flock together. “Birds of a feather” literally means “birds of the same type.” The
whole proverb means that people of the same type (i.e., attitude, personality) stay together. They
seldom go with people not of their type or kind.
Tell me who you go with and I’ll tell you who you are. Similar to “Birds of a feather...,” this proverb
suggests that people of like minds stick together.
the key figures prominent in the Romantic Movement. 
Keep this information safe, for at the end of this course you will be required to differentiate between historical Romanticism in English Literature and a more contemporary English Literature – with the focus on South African English Literature.
Keep in mind that you have to acknowledge and cite all the sources you have used, for your work will be subject to a plagiarism test.
