Robert Christy, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. 1887.
Servant
A faithful servant is more than a mother.Tamil.
A good servant makes a good master.Italian.
A good servant must have good wages.
A servant and a cock should be kept but one year.
A servant is a paid enemy.
A servant is known by his master’s absence.
A servant knows more than he should tell.German.
A servant never yet miscarried through excess of respect.
A servant should know more than he tells.Latin.
A smiling boy seldom proves a good servant.
A young serving man—an old beggar.
An honest and diligent servant is an humble friend.
An honest and faithful servant is a jewel.Ben Jonson.
At a bridge, a plank, or a river, the servant foremost, the master behind.
At the end of one year the man has the habits of his master.Spanish.
Bad is a bad servant, but ’tis worse being without him.
By the servant the master is known.German.
Do not stuff your servant with bread and he won’t ask for cheese.Spanish.
Eat of your own and call yourself mine, i.e., be my servant and feed yourself.Portuguese.
Give a new servant bread and eggs, but after a year bread and a cudgel.
Grandfather’s servants are never good.
He can give little to his servant who licks his own trencher.
He is the devil’s valet; he does more than he is ordered.
He that would be ill served must keep plenty of servants.Italian.
He that would be well served must know when to change his servants.
He who has servants, has unavoidable enemies.Spanish.
If the servant grows rich and the master poor they are both good for nothing.German.
If you have a loitering servant set his dinner before him and send him on an errand.Spanish.
If you pay not a servant his wages he will pay himself.
If you would have a faithful servant and one that you like, serve yourself.Franklin.
If you would have a good servant take neither a kinsman nor a friend.
Many servants, little service.German.
Many servants, many enemies.German.
No silver, no servant.
Servants should put on patience when they put on livery.
Servants will not be diligent when the master’s negligent.
The lazy servant takes eight steps to avoid one.Spanish, Dutch.
The more servants the worse service.Dutch.
The servant holds a key to the closet that contains the family skeleton.
The servant of a king is a king.
The servant wench that has a mother in town swoons seven times a day.Spanish.
Three things are of equal worth: the old servant, dog and horse.German.
What enjoyment! to have little to eat and keep a servant.Spanish.
Who has many servants has many thieves.Dutch.