A slight move in one part may affect the whole situation.
墙倒众人推。
If a man once falls， all will tread on him.
If the ox falls， whet your knife.
When a dog is drowning， every one offers him drink.
When a man is going down hill， everyone will give him a push.
When the tree is fallen， everyone runs to it with his axe / hatchet（短柄小斧）.
热烈欢迎胜过盛宴款待。
Welcome is the best dish.
热烈欢迎是最好的款待。
Welcome is the best cheer.
人多就安全。
There is safety in numbers.
人多力量大。
The voice of the people is the voice of the God
人多主意多。人多心不齐。
Many men have many minds.
Many men， many minds.
So many men， so many minds.
柔能克刚。
Small rain lays great dust.
Soft words win hard hearts.
Willows are weak， yet they bind other wood.
柔能克刚。婉言释怒。
A gentle answer quietens anger.
A soft answer is a specific cure for anger.
A small rain may alley a great storm.
Small rain lays great winds.
A soft answer turns away wrath.
如果不能有最好的，就充分利用现有的。
If you cannot have the best， make the best of what you have.
三十六计，走为上计。
One pair of heels is often worth two pairs of hands.
善始好，善终更好。
Good to begin well， better to end well.
善始善终。
Such beginning， such end / ending.
So begun， so done.
善始则能善终。
A good beginning makes a good ending.
商量太多，反而犹豫不决。
Too much consulting confounds.
少想没有的，多想拥有的。知足常乐。
Think not on what you lack as much as on what you have.
舍本逐末。只追求形式，不注重内容。
Grasp the shadow and let go the substance.
慎始为上。
Beware beginnings.
慎思不是拖延。
Deliberating is not delaying.
生气时，张嘴之前数十下；发怒时，张嘴之前数一百。
When angry， count ten before you speak； if very angry， count a hundred.
十赊不如一现。
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush / wood.
适度是个宝。
Measure is treasure.
适度是最好的规则。中庸之道最可贵。
Moderation in all things is the best of rules.
事不过三。
The third time pays for all.
事后诸葛亮。
Everybody is wise after the event.
A word before is word two behind.
After counsel is a fool’s counsel.
After-wit is everybody’s wit.
After-wit is a fool’s wit.
Counsel after action is like rain after harvest.
It is easy to be wise after the event.
It is easy to prophesy after the event.
事实胜于雄辩。
A single fact is worth a shipload of arguments.
Actions speak louder than words.
Facts speak louder than words.
The effect speaks， the tongue needs not.
事实是不可改变的。
Facts are stubborn (things).
事事及时做，一天胜三天。
To him that does everything in its proper time， one day is worth three.
是就是，非就非。
Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay.
手急心不急。
Make haste slowly.
首要事情首先做。
First thing first.
疏忽是最大的敌人。
Security is the greatest enemy.
顺其自然。
As a tree falls， so shall it lie.
Leave well / enough alone.
Let well / enough alone.
Take the weather as it comes.
Take the world as one finds it.
Take things as they come / are.
Take things as you find them.
随机应变，因地制宜。
Adjust to changing circumstances and adapt to local conditions.
贪多嚼不烂。
He that does most at once does least.
He that grasps at too much holds nothing fast.
Little sticks kindle the fire， great ones put it out.
Many irons in the fire， part / some must cool.
甜言蜜语没有用。
Kind words butter no parsnips.
条条大路通罗马。
There are more ways to the wood than one.
徒劳无益。
It is ill fishing before the net.
It is in vain to cast your net where there is no fish.
It is lost labor to sow where there is no soil.
It is no use pumping a dry well.
It is use less to flog a dead horse.
退一步，海阔天空。
Draw back to take a better leap.
拖延并不是拒绝。
Delays are not denials.
拖延误事。
Delays are dangerous.
Delay breeds danger.
万事宜早不宜迟。
Better early than late.
亡羊补牢，为时已晚。
When the horse is stolen， you lock the stable door.
When the house is burned down， you bring water.
亡羊补牢，为时已晚。特洛伊人变聪明，为时已晚。
The Trojans become wise too late
亡羊补牢，未为迟也。
A little fire is quickly trodden out.
A stitch in time saves nine.
By timely mending saves much spending.
It is never too late to mend.
Lock the barn door after the horse is stolen.
Never too late to mend.
Never too late to repent.
When the calf is stolen， the farmer mends the stall.
未雨绸缪。居安思危。
Although the sun shines， leave not thy cloak at home.
Cast an anchor to windward.
Have not your cloak to make when it begins to rain.
In fair weather prepare for foul.
In prosperity think of adversity.
Keep something against a rainy day.
Lay by something for a rainy day.
Let us not forget the tempest in the calm or sickness in the moment of health.
Light your lamp before it becomes dark.
Lock the barn door after the horse is stolen.
Prepare for a rain day.
Study sickness while you are well.
While it is fine weather mend your sail.
The way to be safe is never to be secure.
未雨绸缪，临危不惧。
Be vigilant when nothing happens； be calm when something crops up.
问题抓关键。
Take the bull by the horns.
勿失良机。
A man must make his opportunity as oft as he finds it.
Make hay while the sun shines.
Make not balk（犹豫）of good ground.
物尽其用。洗脚水倒在稻田里。
Make a hog（公猪）or a dog of a thing.
Make a kirk（苏格兰教堂）or a mill of it.
Make much of what you have.
稳扎稳打，无往不胜。
Slow and sure / steady wins the race.
Slow but sure wins the race.
习惯是第二天性。
Custom is a second nature.
Habit is a second nature.
习俗使我们的一切都和谐。
Custom reconciles us to everything.
习俗是无知的向导。
Custom is the guide of the ignorant.
细水长流。缓行才能远行。要学会保存实力。
Who goes slowly goes far.
Who hastens in the beginning seldom goes far.
He that runs fast will not run long.
险能克险。
Dangers are overcome by dangers.
向大海泼水，徒劳无益。
It is aimless to cast water into the sea.
小马可驯，老马难驭。
A colt you may break， but an old horse you never can.
小人不能担重任。小船不能远航。
Little boats must keep the shore.
小事要做好，也得有诀窍。
There’s reason in roasting of eggs.
小题大做，无济于事。
Mickle ado， and little help.
小问题不处理，就会引发大问题。
Who repairs not his gutters repair s his whole house.
小心即大勇。
Discretion（谨慎）is the better part of valor（英勇）.
新的没到手，旧的先别扔。
Don’t throw away the old shoes till you’ve got new ones.
Don’t throw out your dirty water before you get in fresh.
新官上任三把火。
A bride is diligent for three days.
A new broom sweeps clean.
New brooms sweep clean.
行动起来，不要空谈。
Deeds， not words.
许多不幸让我们学会了沉默。
