You May Also Like / View all maxioms
 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman 
are alike.  
 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman 
are alike. 
 Thus when a barber and collier fight,
 The barber beats the luckless collier--white;
  The dusty collier heaves read more 
 Thus when a barber and collier fight,
 The barber beats the luckless collier--white;
  The dusty collier heaves his ponderous sack,
   And, big with vengeance, beats the barber--black.
    In comes the brick-dust man, with grime o'er spread,
     And beats the collier and the barber--red;
      Black, red, and white, in various clouds are toss'd,
       And in the dust they raise the combatants are lost. 
 Stir up the hornets.
 [Fr., Irriter les freslons.]  
 Stir up the hornets.
 [Fr., Irriter les freslons.] 
 So when two dogs are fighting in the streets,
 When a third dog one of the two dogs meets:
read more 
 So when two dogs are fighting in the streets,
 When a third dog one of the two dogs meets:
  With angry teeth he bites him to the bone,
   And this dog smarts for what that dog has done. 
 Did thrust (as now) in other's corn his sickle.
   - Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas,  
 Did thrust (as now) in other's corn his sickle.
   - Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas, 
 And the combat ceased, for want of combatants.
 [Fr., Et le combat cessa, faute de combattants.]  
 And the combat ceased, for want of combatants.
 [Fr., Et le combat cessa, faute de combattants.] 
 In excessive altercation, truth is lost.
 [Lat., Nimium altercando veritas amittitur.]  
 In excessive altercation, truth is lost.
 [Lat., Nimium altercando veritas amittitur.] 
 Contentions fierce,
 Ardent, and dire, spring from no petty cause.  
 Contentions fierce,
 Ardent, and dire, spring from no petty cause. 
 When individuals approach one another with deep purposes on both 
sides they seldom come at once to the matter read more 
 When individuals approach one another with deep purposes on both 
sides they seldom come at once to the matter which they have most 
at heart. They dread the electric shock of a too sudden contact 
with it.