Proverbs to Impress your Friends

In this post , we are going to look at thematic proverbs. The first theme we have chosen is work.

Proverbs Related to Work

Charlotte feels that a woman’s work is never done. She is constantly doing the housework. She spends all day cleaning, washing, ironing (planchando) and cooking. Last week, her sister, Janet, told Charlotte that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” (click here to watch the video ) Janet  thinks her sister should go out more and do other things apart from the housework, because she believes Charlotte is a very boring person.

Yesterday, Charlotte decided to go out to the cinema, so she asked her two teenage sons to help her with the housework. She told them that “many hands make light work”. Unfortunately,(por desgracia ) her sons were not interested in helping her. Although they had nothing better to do, they were soon causing mischief.(diabluras) While they were playing football in the garden they broke the next-door neighbour’s window. From the kitchen, Charlotte said to herself angrily that the devil finds work for idle hands.

Later, Jack and Harold went  round with a new piece of glass and tools (herramientas ) to repair the broken window. After trying to repair the window without success, (éxito) they complained (quejaron) that the tools they had were no good.(  no valían para nada ) The next-door neighbour replied that “a bad workman always blames his tools”.

English Proverb	Spanish Equivalent
A woman’s work is never done. [El trabajo de una mujer no se acaba nunca.]	El trabajo de la casa no se acaba nunca.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. [Sólo trabajo y ninguna diversión hacen que Jack sea un aburrido.]	Hay que dejar tiempo para el esparcimiento.
Many hands make light work. [Muchas manos hacen que el trabajo sea ligero.]	El trabajo compartido es más llevadero.
The devil finds work for idle hands. [El diablo encuentra trabajo para las manos ociosas.]	El ocio es la madre de todos los vicios.
A bad workman always blames his tools. [El mal trabajador siempre culpa a las herramientas.]	Para el mal oficial, no hay herramienta buena.

Are you ready for the proverb test?  You need to find the most suitable (apropiado ) proverb that could be used in each of the following situations:

1.          Everybody in the family is helping to paint the house.

2.          Anne realized that looking after a house and family meant she never had a moment’s rest.

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SOLUTIONS

1. Many hands make light work .2.A woman’s work is never done.