The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (449 page)
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punished
To the PURE all things are pure
With allusion to
TITUS
i. 15 (AV) Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure.
1854
Early Engagements
ii.
Would that our earth were more frequently brightened and purified by such spirits … ‘To the pure all things are pure.’
1895
Woman who Did
vii.
Herminia, for her part, never discovered she was talked about. To the pure all things are pure.
1941
Death in Ecstasy
xvi.
How dare you suggest such a thing? .. Maurice Pringle burst out laughing … Look. To the pure all things are pure.
1979
Leaven of Malice
iv.
Perhaps I had been oversensitive … To the pure, after all, all things are pure.
virtue
TITUS
i. 15 (AV) Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure.
1854Early Engagements
ii.
Would that our earth were more frequently brightened and purified by such spirits … ‘To the pure all things are pure.’
1895
Woman who Did
vii.
Herminia, for her part, never discovered she was talked about. To the pure all things are pure.
1941
Death in Ecstasy
xvi.
How dare you suggest such a thing? .. Maurice Pringle burst out laughing … Look. To the pure all things are pure.
1979
Leaven of Malice
iv.
Perhaps I had been oversensitive … To the pure, after all, all things are pure.
virtueNever PUT off till tomorrow what you can do today
The proverb is often humorously reversed (see quots. 1869 and 1980). Cf. mid 14th-cent. Fr.
le bien que tu peus faire au matin
,
n'attens pas le soir ne l'endemain
, do not wait for the evening or the next day (to do) the good which you can do in the morning.
c
1386
Tale of Melibee
l. 1793
An olde proverbe .. seith that ‘the goodnesse that thou mayst do this day, do it, and abide nat ne delaye it nat til to-morwe.’
1616
Adages
42
Deferre not vntill to morrow, if thou canst do it to day.
1633
Familiar Letters
5 Sept. (1903) II. 140
Secretary Cecil .. would ofttimes speak of himself, ‘It shall never be said of me that I will defer till to-morrow what I can do to-day.’
1749
Letter
26 Dec. (1932) IV. 1478
No procrastination; never put off til to-morrow what you can do to-day.
1869
John Ploughman's Talk
vii.
These slow coaches think that to-morrow is better than to-day, and take for their rule an old proverb turned topsy-turvy—‘Never do to-day what you can put off till tomorrow.’
1980
Harold Nicolson
xv.
Lord Sackville was .. a lovable, easy-going but indolent peer whose philosophy is best summarized in one of his pet sayings: ‘Never do today what you can possibly put off until tomorrow.’
1998
Washington Times
15 Jan. C2
Do not dally, Americans. Do not put off to tomorrow what you can do today.
efficiency and inefficiency
;
procrastination
le bien que tu peus faire au matin
,
n'attens pas le soir ne l'endemain
, do not wait for the evening or the next day (to do) the good which you can do in the morning.
c1386
Tale of Melibee
l. 1793
An olde proverbe .. seith that ‘the goodnesse that thou mayst do this day, do it, and abide nat ne delaye it nat til to-morwe.’
1616
Adages
42
Deferre not vntill to morrow, if thou canst do it to day.
1633
Familiar Letters
5 Sept. (1903) II. 140
Secretary Cecil .. would ofttimes speak of himself, ‘It shall never be said of me that I will defer till to-morrow what I can do to-day.’
1749
Letter
26 Dec. (1932) IV. 1478
No procrastination; never put off til to-morrow what you can do to-day.
1869
John Ploughman's Talk
vii.
These slow coaches think that to-morrow is better than to-day, and take for their rule an old proverb turned topsy-turvy—‘Never do to-day what you can put off till tomorrow.’
1980
Harold Nicolson
xv.
Lord Sackville was .. a lovable, easy-going but indolent peer whose philosophy is best summarized in one of his pet sayings: ‘Never do today what you can possibly put off until tomorrow.’
1998
Washington Times
15 Jan. C2
Do not dally, Americans. Do not put off to tomorrow what you can do today.
efficiency and inefficiency;
procrastination
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