# Dueling Proverbs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 7, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953 "2004-10-07T00:53:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/1 "2004-10-07T00:53:35Z")
Ah, proverbs! Morality for the lazy. How else can you sum up the wisdom of the ages in one pithy phrase? Unfortunately, they’re not always consistant. For example, there’s “Haste makes waste”, but, “He who hesitates is lost”. “Business before pleasure”, but “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. So, how many other dueling proverbs can you find? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/2 "2004-10-07T01:19:00Z")
**Out of sight, out of mind** vs **Absence makes the heart grow fonder**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/3 "2004-10-07T01:19:06Z")
(Similar to the first pair you quoted) “Look before you leap” “The race is to the swift” ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/4 "2004-10-07T02:32:56Z")
“Two heads are better than one” vs. “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/5 "2004-10-07T03:11:55Z")
“Live by the sword, die by the sword” vs. “Be careful, you’ll put your eye out with that thing!” ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/6 "2004-10-07T03:18:58Z")
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” vs “The nail that sticks up gets pounded down.” ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/7 "2004-10-07T03:23:36Z")
Tomorrow is another day vs. Live each day as if it were your last. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/8 "2004-10-07T03:57:39Z")
You do realize that not all of those proverbs quoted are diametrically opposed? Also, they don’t intend to explain the universe or even make a coherent worldview for anyone to follow, so expecting them to is kind of pointless. But whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/9 "2004-10-08T00:32:35Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#): > > Also, they don’t intend to explain the universe or even make a coherent worldview for anyone to follow, so expecting them to is kind of pointless. I know…it’s just a game, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/10 "2004-10-08T00:50:10Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > Ah, proverbs! Morality for the lazy. How else can you sum up the wisdom of the ages in one pithy phrase? Unfortunately, they’re not always consistant. How about “Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds?” ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/11 "2004-10-08T02:00:14Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > How about “Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds?” The devil is in the details! ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/12 "2004-10-08T02:28:31Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > How about “Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds?” > [@squeegee](#): > > The devil is in the details! With these two quotes in mind, I’d just like to point out that the proverb is: “A **foolish** consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds”. ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/13 "2004-10-08T03:17:18Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > With these two quotes in mind, I’d just like to point out that the proverb is: “A **foolish** consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds”. And I’d like to point you to this [page](http://www.aboutemerson.com/selfreliance.htm) which contains the text of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay _Self-Reliance_: > [@](#): > > A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of **little** minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-proverbs/267953/14 "2004-10-08T03:24:56Z")
“They also serve who only stand and wait”, but “if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Although “the pen is mightier than the sword”,“actions speak louder than words.” “Children should be seen and not heard”, yet “out of the mouths of babes ofttimes come gems.”