Rodgers Dictionary of Proverbs
Don’t butter the skillet before catching the
fish.
Don’t buy a boat that is under water.
Don’t buy a cat in a sack.
Don’t buy a cow to get a glass of milk.
Don’t buy a pig in a poke.
Don’t buy houses near convents nor
dwellings near abbeys.
Don’t buy the house, buy the neighborhood.
Don’t buy the salt if you haven’t licked it
yet.
Don’t call a man honest just because he
never had the chance to steal.
Don’t call a man who has a field in Valgonu
“poor.”
Don’t call in the doctor after the funeral.
Don’t call me a little olive until you’ve
picked me.
Don’t call the alligator “big-mouth” till you
have crossed the river.
Don’t call the alligator a big-mouth till you
have crossed the river.
Don’t care lost his corn patch.
Don’t carry all your eggs in one basket.
Don’t carry your head too high, the door is
low.
Don’t cast your pearls before swine.
Don’t catch any bugs.
Don’t celebrate promises, and don’t fear
threats.
Don’t celebrate someone’s departing unless
you know who will succeed him.
Don’t celebrate until you are across the
brook.
Don’t change horses in mid stream.
Don’t change horses while crossing a
stream.
Don’t chat on the phone, a talker is a great
find for a spy.
Don’t clean your fish before you catch it.
Don’t climb a tree to catch a fish.
Don’t close the barn door after the horse
runs away.
Don’t compromise your beliefs for money.
Don’t confide secrets to your wife, don’t rent
if your house has a pergola, don’t have
cops as a godfathers.
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Don’t confront water and fire.
Don’t consider your reputation and you
may do anything you like.
Don’t cough in a hiding place.
Don’t count the many times a man falls but
those times he rises up.
Don’t count what they get, they count what
they don’t get.
Don’t count your chickens before they
hatch.
Don’t cross the bridge till you come to it.
Don’t cross the brook for water.
Don’t cross the stream to find water.
Don’t cross the water unless you see the
bottom.
Don’t cross your bridges before you come to
them.
Don’t crow till you’re out of the woods.
Don’t cry “Hurra!” till you are over the
ditch.
Don’t cry at somebody else’s grave.
Don’t cry before you are hurt.
Don’t cry fish before they’re caught.
Don’t cry fried fish before they are caught.
Don’t cry herrings till they are in the net.
Don’t cry holloa! till you’re out of the bush.
Don’t cry over spilled milk.
Don’t cry over spilt milk.
Don’t cry till you are out of the wood.
Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle.
Don’t cut off the monkey’s tail before it is
dead.
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.
Don’t cut your cactus in a neighbor’s
garden.
Don’t dance on a volcano.
Don’t delay today’s work until tomorrow.
Don’t demand your rights until you have
the power.
Don’t despise a man under a cape nor a
woman in tatters.
Don’t despise someone for telling the truth.
Don’t dig a hole for someone else, as you
will fall into it yourself.
Don’t dig your grave with your own knife
and fork.