Beautiful French Proverbs

,, Il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences. "

Literal translation:  “One should not trust appearances.”

Meaning:   This saying is the English equivalent of “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” or “Looks can be deceiving.” It means that you should get to know someone before you make judgments about him/her. In short, “Don’t make assumptions.”

Usage: This saying is most commonly used to refer to people, particularly those whose appearance seems to be en décalage (mismatched) with their profession. For example: A big, burly man may in fact be a ballerina and that scruffy dude you always see at the bus stop might be a world-renowned opera singer. You might want to get a job that lets you use French, but maybe other people don’t think you even seem like the type to learn French. You never know, so don’t judge.

,, Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais. "

Literal translation: “A badly acquired good never benefits.”

Meaning: In English, the saying goes, “Ill gotten goods seldom prosper,” or “Crime doesn’t pay,” meaning it’s best to be honest because dishonesty doesn’t get you anywhere.

Usage: While this saying explicitly refers to theft, it can be extended to other dishonest behavior, such as lying to get a promotion at work, or sabotaging an adversary’s progress

,, Mangez bien, riez souvent, aimez beaucoup. "

Literal translation: “Eat well, laugh often, love abundantly.”

Meaning: This saying is analogous to “Live life to the fullest” or carpe diem (seize the day)! 
Notice how mangez bien (eat well) is the first thing on the list. See, what did I tell you? Eating really is central to French culture. Just one more reason why cooking to learn French is a great idea. 

Usage: This saying can be used to console that friend of yours (we all have that friend) who worries obsessively about the future or dwells on the past:
Ne te stresse pas ! Mange bien, ris souvent, aime beaucoup ! (Don’t stress! Eat well, laugh often, love abundantly!)