Look before you leap - Idioms by The Free Dictionary Look before you leap - Idioms by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Acronyms . Look before you leap. Prov. Cliché Think carefully about what you are about to do before you do it. I'm not saying you shouldn't sign the lease for that apartment. I'm just saying you should look before you leap. Jill: I'm thinking about going to night school. Jane: Are you sure you can spare the time and the money? Look before you leap. See also: before , leap , look Look before you leap. something that you say in order to advise someone to think about possible problems before doing something If you're thinking of buying a house, my advice is, look before you leap. See also: before , leap , look look before you leap Think of the consequences before you act, as in You'd better check out all the costs before you buy a cellular phone-look before you leap . This expression alludes to Aesop's fable about the fox who is unable to climb out of a well and persuades a goat to jump in. The fox then climbs on the goat's horns to get out, while the goat remains trapped. [c.

1350] quotations collection - famous proverbs A bad cause requires many words. German Proverb A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. Arab Proverb A bird in the hand is worth two in a bush. English Proverb A broken hand works, but not a broken heart. Persian Proverb A cat has nine lives. Proverb of Unknown Origin A clear conscience is a soft pillow. German Proverb A close friend can become a close enemy. Ethiopian Proverb A closed mouth catches no flies. Italian Proverb A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs. German Proverb A courtyard common to all will be swept by none. Chinese Proverb A dimple on the chin, the devil within. Gaelic Proverb A dog is wiser than a woman; it does not bark at its master. Russian Proverb A drink precedes a story. Irish Proverb A drowning man is not troubled by rain. Persian Proverb A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees. William Blake "Proverbs of Hell" (1790) A forest is in an acorn.

Proverb of Unknown Origin A friend in need is a friend indeed English Proverb A friend's eye is a good mirror. Irish Proverb A good denial, the best point in law. Irish Proverb A good husband is healthy and absent. Japanese Proverb A hard beginning maketh a good ending. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) A healthy man is a successful man. French Proverb A hedge between keeps friendship green. French Proverb A hen is heavy when carried far. Irish Proverb A hound's food is in its legs. Irish Proverb A house without a dog or a cat is the house of a scoundrel. Portuguese Proverb A hungry man is an angry man. English Proverb A lie travels round the world while truth is putting her boots on. French Proverb A little too late, is much too late. German Proverb A loan though old is not gift. Hungarian Proverb A lock is better than suspicion. Irish Proverb A man does not seek his luck, luck seeks its man. Turkish Proverb A man is not honest simply because he never had a chance to steal.

Yiddish Proverb A man may well bring a horse to the water, but he cannot make him drink. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) A man should live if only to satisfy his curiosity. Yiddish Proverb A monkey never thinks her baby's ugly. Haitian Proverb A new broom sweeps clean, but the old brush knows all the corners. Irish Proverb A penny for your thoughts. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) A penny saved is a penny gained. Scottish Proverb A poor beauty finds more lovers than husbands. English Proverb A prudent man does not make the goat his gardener. Hungarian Proverb A rumor goes in one ear and out many mouths. Chinese proverb A silent mouth is melodious. Irish Proverb A single Russian hair outweighs half a Pole. Traditional Russian Saying A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. Greek Proverb A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Bible - Proverbs 15:1.

A son is a son till he gets him a wife, But a daughter's a daughter the rest of your life. Proverb of Unknown Origin A spoon does not know the taste of soup, nor a learned fool the taste of wisdom. Welsh Proverb A table is not blessed if it has fed no scholars. Yiddish Proverb A teacher is better than two books. German Proverb A thief believes everybody steals. Proverb of Unknown Origin A thorn defends the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom. Chinese proverb A throne is only a bench covered with velvet. French Proverb A trade not properly learned is an enemy. Irish Proverb A tree falls the way it leans. Bulgarian Proverb A white Christmas fills the churchyard. French Proverb A wise man hears one word and understands two. Yiddish Proverb A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion. Chinese Proverb A woman has the form of an angel, the heart of a serpent, and the mind of an ass. German Proverb A worthy woman is far more precious than jewels, strength and dignity are her clothing.

Bible - Proverbs 31 Act in the valley so that you need not fear those who stand on the hill. Danish Proverb Advice should be viewed from behind. Swedish Proverb Advice when most needed is least heeded. English Proverb After shaking hands with a Greek, count your fingers. Albanian Saying Age is honorable and youth is noble. Irish Proverb All is well that ends well. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) All things grow with time, except grief. Yiddish Proverb An angry man is not fit to pray. Yiddish Proverb An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Proverb of Unknown Origin An ass in Germany is a professor in Rome. Traditional German Saying An enemy will agree, but a friend will argue. Russian Proverb An Englishman will burn his bed to catch a flea. Turkish Proverb An ox remains an ox, even if driven to Vienna. Hungarian Proverb And old rat is a brave rat. French Proverb Anger can be an expensive luxury. Italian Proverb Anger is as a stone cast into a wasp's nest. Malabar Proverb Anger without power is folly.

German Proverb As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Bible - Proverbs 26:11 As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Bible - Proverbs 23:7 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Bible - Proverbs 25:25. As mad as a March hare. Proverb of Unknown Origin As proud as a peacock. Proverb of Unknown Origin As sluttish and slatternly as an Irishwoman bred in France. Traditional Irish Saying As the best wine makes the sharpest vinegar, the truest lover may turn into the worst enemy. Proverb of Unknown Origin As the big hound is, so will the pup be. Irish Proverb As we live, so we learn. Yiddish Proverb Be neither intimate nor distant with the clergy. Irish Proverb John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) Better give a penny then lend twenty. Italian Proverb John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) Better no doctor at all than three.

Polish Proverb Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know. English Proverb Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Chinese Proverb Better wear out shoes than sheets. Scottish Proverb Between the devil and the deep blue sea. Proverb of Unknown Origin Beware of a silent dog and still water. German Proverb Black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love. (About coffee.) Turkish proverb Blood is thicker than water. English Proverb (17th Century) Both your friend and your enemy think you will never die. Irish Proverb Butter would not melt in her mouth. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) Call on God, but row away from the rocks. Indian Proverb Children are poor men's riches. English Proverb Children should be seen and not heard. Proverb of Unknown Origin Children suck the mother when they are young and the father when they are old. English Proverb. Choose neither a woman nor linen by candlelight. Italian Proverb Climb mountains to see lowlands. Chinese Proverb Clogs to clogs in three generations. English Proverb Clouds gather before a storm.

Proverb of Unknown Origin Commit a sin twice and it will not seem a crime. Jewish Saying Did hogs feed here or did Lithuanians have a feast here? Traditional Polish Saying Do not be born good or handsome, but be born lucky. Russian Proverb Do not blame God for having created the tiger, but thank him for not having given it wings. Indian Proverb Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped. African proverb Do not rejoice at my grief, for when mine is old, yours will be new. Spanish Proverb Do not speak of secrets in a field that is full of little hills. Hebrew Proverb Do not talk Arabic in the house of a Moor. Oriental Proverb Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead. Chinese Proverb Don't imitate the fly before you have wings. French Proverb Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Proverb of Unknown Origin Eat well, drink in moderation, and sleep sound, in these three good health abound. Latin Proverb Epigrams succeed where epics fail.

Persian Proverb Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. Bible - Proverbs 17:28 Even a small thorn causes festering. Irish Proverb Every ass loves to hear himself bray. Proverb of Unknown Origin Every cloud has a silver lining. English Proverb Every dog hath its day. English Proverb Every garden may have some weeds. English Proverb Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven. Yiddish proverb Everyone loves justice in the affairs of another. Italian Proverb Everyone pushes a falling fence. Chinese Proverb Evil enters like a needle and spreads like an oak tree. Ethiopian Proverb Evil is sooner believed than good. Proverb of Unknown Origin Experience is a comb which nature gives to men when they are bald. Eastern Proverb Fame is a magnifying glass. English Proverb Feather by feather the goose can be plucked. French Proverb Fine feathers make fine birds. English Proverb Flattery makes friends and truth makes enemies. Spanish Proverb Fortune is a woman; if you neglect her today do not expect to regain her tomorrow.

French Proverb Fortune is blind, but not invisible. French Proverb Friends are like fiddle strings, they must not be screwed too tight. English Proverb Friends are lost by calling often and calling seldom. French Proverb Friendship is a furrow in the sand. Tongan Proverb Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he'll eat forever. Chinese Proverb Give neither counsel nor salt till you are asked for it. Italian Proverb Give the devil his due. English Proverb Glutton: one who digs his grave with his teeth. French Proverb God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. Jewish Proverb God gives the nuts, but he doesn't crack them. German proverb God heals, and the physician takes the fee. French Proverb God help the rich man, let the poor man beg! Old English Proverb God help the rich, the poor can look after themselves. Old English Proverb Going to law is losing a cow for the sake of a cat. Chinese Proverb Good advice is often annoying, bad advice never. French Proverb Good as drink is, it ends in thirst. Irish Proverb Good luck beats early rising.

Irish Proverb Gray hairs are death's blossoms. English Proverb Half a loaf is better than none. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) Haste makes waste. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) Have a horse of your own and then you may borrow another's. Welsh Proverb He is not wise that is not wise for himself. English Proverb He lied like an eyewitness. Russian Insult He makes his home where the living is best. Latin Proverb He that can't endure the bad will not live to see the good. Jewish Proverb He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned. French Proverb (14th century) He that is rich will not be called a fool. Spanish Proverb He that lives on hope will die fasting. North American Proverb He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. Bible - Proverbs 28:20. He that marries for money will earn it. American Proverb He that plants thorns must never expect to gather roses. English Proverb He that seeks trouble never misses.

English Proverb (17th century) He that spareth his rod hateth his son. Bible - Proverbs 24 He that winna be ruled by the rudder maun be ruled by the rock. Scottish Proverb He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever. Chinese proverb He who cannot agree with his enemies is controlled by them. Chinese proverb He who comes with a story to you brings two away from you Irish Proverb He who could foresee affairs three days in advance would be rich for thousands of years. Chinese Proverb He who does not know one thing knows another. Kenyan Proverb He who gets a name for early rising can stay in bed until midday. Irish Proverb He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything. Arabian Proverb He who has once burnt his mouth always blows his soup. German Proverb He who holds the ladder is as bad as the thief. German Proverb He who knows nothing, doubts nothing. Spanish Proverb He who leaps high must take a long run. Danish Proverb He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.

Chinese Proverb He who serves two masters has to lie to one. Portuguese Proverb He who sups with the devil has need of a long spoon. English Proverb He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom. English Proverb He who would eat in Spain must bring his kitchen along. Traditional German Saying He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star. William Blake "Proverbs of Hell" (1790) Heaven lent you a soul Earth will lend a grave. Chinese Proverb Honesty is the best policy. English Proverb How many will listen to the truth when you tell them? Yiddish Proverb Hygiene is two thirds of health. Lebanese Proverb If a man be great, even his dog will wear a proud look. Japanese Proverb If a man deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceives me twice, shame on me. Italian Proverb If all pulled in one direction, the world would keel over. Yiddish Proverb If God lived on earth, people would break his windows. Jewish Proverb If rich people could hire other people to die for them, the poor could make a wonderful living.

Yiddish Proverb If the patient dies, the doctor has killed him, but if he gets well, the saints have saved him. Italian Proverb If two men ride a horse, one must ride behind. Proverb of Unknown Origin If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. Chinese Proverb If you believe everything you read, better not read. Japanese proverb If you bow at all bow low. Chinese Proverb If you do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn. Irish Proverb If you love him, don't lend him. Polish Proverb If you take big paces you leave big spaces. Burmese Proverb If you want to be criticized, marry. Irish Proverb If you wish to die young, make your physician your heir. Romanian Proverb If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words. Chinese Proverb In a calm sea every man is a pilot. Spanish Proverb In America half an hour is forty minutes. German Proverb In baiting a mousetrap with cheese, always leave room for the mouse.

Greek Proverb In love, there is always one who kisses and one who offers the cheek. French Proverb Instinct is stronger than upbringing. Irish Proverb It is a bad hen that does not scratch herself. Irish Proverb It is a bold mouse that nestles in the cat's ear. English Proverb It is a long road that has no turning. Irish Proverb It is an equal failing to trust everybody, and to trust nobody. English Proverb (18th century) It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Proverb of Unknown Origin It is better to be a male for one day than a female for ten. Kurdish Proverb It is better to be born a beggar than a fool. Spanish Proverb It is better to conceal one's knowledge than to reveal one's ignorance. Spanish Proverb It is better to exist unknown to the law. Irish Proverb It is better to sit down than to stand, it is better to lie down than to sit, but death is the best of all. (About laziness) Indian Proverb It is hard to pay for bread that has been eaten. Danish Proverb It is not a secret if it is known by three people.

Irish Proverb It is not enough to run, one must start in time. French Proverb It is not fish until it is on the bank. Irish Proverb It is not the horse that draws the cart, but the oats. Russian proverb It is sweet to drink but bitter to pay for. Irish Proverb It is the good horse that draws its own cart. Irish Proverb It is the quiet pigs that eat the meal. Irish Proverb It takes time to build castles. Rome wan not built in a day. Irish Proverb It's an ill wind that blows no good. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) It's not a matter of upper and lower class but of being up a while and down a while. Irish Proverb Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come. Chinese Proverb Keep a thing for seven years and you'll find a use for it. Irish Proverb Kill not the goose that lays the golden eggs. English Proverb Lack of resource has hanged many a person. Irish Proverb Let your heart guide your head in evil matters. Spanish Proverb Life is a bridge.

Cross over it, but build no house on it. Indian Proverb Life without a friend is death without a witness. Spanish Proverb Like a fish out of water. Latin Saying Like a lame man's legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Bible - Proverbs 26:7 Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout. Irish Proverb Little pitchers have big ears. Proverb of Unknown Origin Live with wolves, and you learn to howl. Spanish Proverb John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) Look down if you would know how high you stand. Yiddish Proverb Love enters a man through his eyes, woman through her ears. Polish Proverb Love makes the time pass. Time makes love pass. French Proverb Love me, love my dog. John Heywood "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) Love your neighbors, but don't pull down the fence. Chinese proverb Love, pain, and money cannot be kept secret; they soon betray themselves. Spanish Proverb Luck has a slender anchorage. English Proverb When Should You Say "I Love You" for the First Time?

Been dating my girl for 10 days and she’s already said it. I win! Regan Shedd This website is really helpful I love LovePanky.com it is really helping me on how to ask out this guy I like at my high school Tyler Shields I have liked him ever since elementary school always thinking about him and I see him everywhere I go and he is really sweet and nice and has a great smile and beautiful blue eyes.. I always think I am not pretty enough for him or maybe he is to good for me or is afraid and shy… Either way but I always remember that you are beautiful inside and out Tyler Shields and all of you in the world… I hope he soon realizes.. Regan Shedd Well I don’t mean ask him out but I mean become friends and get to know each other I am too afraid to ask him out. Vanessa I told my boyfriend last night that I think I am falling in love with him… his response was – I really like you a lot, but I don’t think I know what love is….

Now let me also say that prior to me saying that – I had been thru his phone and found where hs is texting a girl – he makes ref to sex, and how hot she is…but he also discuss’ our relationship with her – and she gives him advice- I just want to know – if he is tryihng to get a response from her who might be an old girlfriend to see if she is still interested? I asked him if there was anyone he may be interested in- possibly someone who may have gotten away? He says no… HOw do I deal with this without breaking the trust issue with me snooping thru his phone? Jane I have been with my bf for two months. Everything is great. We get along really well, we stay at each others houses most days, meet one another’s family, all of it mainly. I know he really likes me, but I am not sure if I should say I love you. He is a little shy and has had some bad past relationships. Should I say it or should I wait a while for him to say it? Iain Vanessa, It sounds like the trust issue has already been broken by you going through his phone. Also, he hasn’t told you anything about this other girl . .

.? Secrets and lack of trust. Did you tell him you loved him because your frightend of losing him? ( not that it’s got anything to do with me and anyway, I’ve got my own problems. I only came on here to find out the best superglue to use to seal my lips instead of blurting out “I love you” way to soon to the most gorgeous and incredible woman that’s ever walked on this . . . or any other . . planet . . .ever!! ) anna I started dating this guy a week ago we’ve known each other for a couple of months but he’s already stated that he wants us to be exclusive and has told me he really likes me and that the ball is in my hands now. I really do love every minute with him and we have always been really caring towards each other. My question is… when would it be ok for me to tell him I love him? Is it too soon and should I wait longer before I say it? Char I’ve never Told any guy that I loved them, I guess since I haven’t really loved anyone yet .

But I’m still in high school and I understand ” love” is something silly for teenaged girls to worry about do much but hear me out. My boyfriend and I have been together for about 4 months and we have know each other since he moved from Massachusetts to New Jersey in 4th grade – We are both juniors in high school now and have been friends since. In 4th grade he fell in love with me and had a huge crush on me until 7th grade. So I know him really well, I know he cares a lot about me, and I’m usually the one who strays away from anything romantic.( Like holding hands) But I really think I’m in love with him. I can see myself spending the rest of my life with him and we have talked about it ( not seriously ) I don’t know if it’s too early to say it and I love what we have and so does he. Is it too early ???? Joe I’ve been with my GF for 2 years.

She constantly says she “loves” XYZ about me and that she “loves” that I do XYZ, but….never says “I love you.” I told her I loved her after 4 months and she said it back. Since then she never says it back, so I stopped saying it. I told her I find this odd, having grown up in a family that expresses love verbally all the time (her family does too.) She’s only said it one other time about 8 months ago on vacation. She always talks about moving in together, marriage, and starting a family. Heck she says I love you to all her friends and my friends as well. Her family says I love you to me too. We have a great relationship other than this one thing and when I bring it up I get crickets and feel weak for saying anything. Not hearing “I love you” is about to be a deal breaker on an otherwise great relationship. Kaycey Me and my bf will have been dating for 3 weeks as of tomorrow. I’ve been thinking that I love him for the past week. Last night he actually saved my life and that kind of sealed it.

I want to tell him but I’m scared it’s too soon and it will scare him away. We both want to spend every minute with each other and like each other a lot but I’m sick of saying “I really like you” when I truly mean “I love you”. sophie So.. I’m 22 and my boyfriend is 23. We’ve been together for almost 9 months and we still havent said i love you. I know you guys might think its way to long, but the thing is that he has never said to to anyone before. We have talked baout this (before we were dating), how “love” was a super big deal for him, and that it meant something for the long run (maybe not marriage, but something serious for sure). I’ve said i love you to my ex boyfriend, so i know what “love” truly is. The thing is, it’s been way too long and im completely in love with him and i wish i had the guts to tell him.. but i’m terrified he might not feel the same. He also dated his ex gf for 8 months and never said i love you to her.. so this is a normal thing for him i guess..

but how long am i supposed to wait?! I actually do think he loves me but is just scared. Should i just give it a shot and tell him? renee i think it all just depends on the situation, really. my boyfriend and i have only been together for a month and a half and he said ‘i love you’ first on our 1 month. and we both realized we were falling in love at the 2 week mark. and the reason behind that i think is the fact that two weeks into our relationship we had to start doing long distance. on his last night with me we had sex for the first time, and when he drove home that night he told me he had to pull over because he was crying. and that’s when he realized. but he didn’t wanna say anything because it’s my first relationship and i was scared of falling so quickly in love. but i feel so secure now. so i guess what i’m getting at here is that it just depends on the situation. Gramaw JOE: it sounds like your g.f. has an issue about your relationship that is holding her back for some reason. The fact that she DOES express love freely with family and friends, etc. has got to be extremely frustrating for you.

And the mixed message is just as frustrating, given that she HAS professed her love at least twice. It might be helpful for you to look at things from a different perspective. Love is a verb. It is an action word. We may forget what someone says to us, and we may forget what someone does for us, but we will never forget how someone makes us feel. Words alone can’t make you feel anything; it is the action behind the words that matter. Given that, how does she make you feel with her actions and deeds? Is her behavior toward you loving? Does she act as if her love for you is unconditional? If so, she loves you and you know it without being told. Granted, we all like to HEAR it from time to time, but, well, you are hearing it from time to time. It would be far worse to hear “I love you” on a daily basis yet never feel loved because your partner doesn’t act lovingly. You say that the relationship is “otherwise” perfect. It sounds to me, then, like you are a lucky man. On the other hand, is it even conceivable to you that her behavior is all an act?

When she mentions marriage, do you have the slightest hint that she is talking out of obligation and duty? Some people just aren’t comfortable saying “I love you” on a frequent basis unless it is a social norm (as in the case of the “I love you, too” that comes at the end of a phone call with Mom or Sis or BFF). Some people reserve the “I love you’s” for only those times when s/he feels it profoundly. And, some people don’t say it because they don’t feel it or they are unsure of their commitment to you. In your case, you have to decide what makes more sense. She either loves you, or she doesn’t, or she is unsure of committing to you. I suspect that you know the answer. One more note, Joe: You said that you stopped telling her that you love her because she doesn’t say it to you. That’s silly. Express yourself openly and honestly to her. Your behavior shouldn’t be a reaction to her behavior; it should be a true expression of your own feelings. Emotional maturity requires that type of honesty. Without it, your relationship will fail. VANESSA: Your bf is testing the waters with you and with another girl.

He is not committed to either of you at this point, but he is also not in love with you. Either break things off with him, or take a step back and give him some space to figure things out. It’s not “bad” when a person is unsure and/or when a person likes more than 1 person at a time (Have you ever watched Bachelor or Bachelorette?!) But, once the “I love you’s” are said, it means exclusivity. My advice to you is to give him space. You might say, “I may be falling in love with you and I know you don’t feel the same way at this point. So what do you think about the idea of taking a break to date other people so that we can each decide for ourselves how we truly feel?” NIKKI: yes, you missed “the moment”. Plan a romantic dinner and TELL HIM how you feel. Honestly. allu i am 16 yrs old . I and my boyfriend are dating since 10 months, he had always texted me I LOVE U but he had said face 2 face in the 9th month on the road near my home. i was really very suprised n i ran.

he overtook me and saw my expression that i was really shy. he too is a shyful person. He went to a another school for some exhibition and a girl proposed to him. He shared it with me but as i belive him i didnt take care of that even though we 16 he is very good looking n is building his body. The girls are really watching him n r giving huge comments in school. our relationship is a secret. i want to give a kiss in his cheeks n want to say i love him .how can i make it special? plzzzzzz help tessa ALLU: Why is your relationship a secret? If you’ve been dating for nine months surely something has to be known. But besides that factor, if all the girls are giving him attention, and he’s telling you about it then he truly feels and cares for you. I don’t THINK you have anything to worry about from his side. If the girls commenting towards him, and giving him the wrong attention bother you then maybe you should take them aside, only and separately, and tell them what is really going on.

Sarah Okay, so I’m 16, and here’s my input: I said I love you to my boyfriend this past Wednesday, actually I specifically said “I am in love with you.” It had been a month, and he did say it back (almost immediately). It was the best thing that could’ve happened. Being able to get that out, and knowing prior to the confession that it was mutual, it was incredible. My suggestion for the amount of time to wait wouldn’t be a actual amount of time. I would say, when you’re sure you’re past the infatuation stage, and you’re positive of your feelings, and you can tell they have the same ones, then go ahead! It’s different for everyone. Just wait until you’re sure that it’s not just infatuation. kailey ok me and my boyfriend have always text i love you but when he said it to me after school one day i freaked out i started studding and i couldnt think strait and i dont know why because we always said it over text ……… we didnt talk for like a week bc it was really weird ………..

after a bout a week we started teting again and he said it once more but i said it back and i didnt freak …………. so again he said it but before school but right as he said it the belll rang so i was home free i thought ……… at lunch thats what everyone was talking about was that i was afraid of loving him and …………… finally he said “if you dont love me-” then just say so i blurted out “i love you” and then i became scared bc if a teacher heard it we both would of been in trouble …….. do you think i did the right thing ? Heather Feather Since when is it the mans job to control the direction the relationship is going? What kind of Neanderthal sexist bullshit is that?? Get Wisdom | Desiring God Scripture: Proverbs 4:1–13 Topic: Wisdom I believe all men have this in common: that they want to be happy. They do not all agree on what brings the greatest happiness, but they do all long to have it. And this longing is not bad. It is good. Evil consists in trying to find happiness in ways that displease and dishonor God.

Goodness consists in finding happiness in ways that please and honor God. We can conceive of a world in which we might be called upon to do right at the expense of our ultimate happiness. But that is not the world in which we live. God has established this world in such a way that doing good through faith in Christ always leads to greater happiness eventually. We do not live in a world where we must choose between our eternal happiness and God's glory! God has created this world and its moral laws in such a way that the more we choose to glorify God, the happier we will be. God Made Us to Be Eternally Happy Of course this does not mean that there is no discipline, no self-denial. "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:34, 35). But it is clear from Jesus' words that self-denial is a means to saving our lives. This means simply that we must stop seeking our happiness in one way and start seeking it in another.

Therefore what sets Christians off from the world is not that we have given up on the universal quest for happiness, but that we now seek our happiness from a different source and in different ways. We have learned from Jesus, who "for the joy set before him endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2), that the joy we seek may require that we choose to suffer for Christ's sake. Yet we must never become self-pitying because "the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). Nor can we ever become proud since we know that "suffering produces patience, and patience produces approvedness, and approvedness produces hope" (Romans 5:3, 4)—hope that God will restore our happiness one hundredfold (Mark 10:30). So you can't boast in your sufferings since they are all bringing about our greater happiness in God. So I take it to be a great and wonderful and liberating truth that God made us to be eternally happy. And I find great help in viewing the Bible as God's guidebook to joy.

We ought to view the Bible as a divine prescription for how to be cured of all unhappiness. The medicine it prescribes is not always sweet, but the cure it brings is infinite and eternal joy at God's right hand (Psalm 16:11). The point of my message this morning is that we should "get wisdom." We should bend all our efforts to become wiser tomorrow than we are today. And I speak not just to students and graduates, but to us all. Graduation today at Bethel gives me an occasion to say something that applies to us all, namely, that formal education is only one stage in the process of becoming a wise person. So much of life has been professionalized and institutionalized that we easily slip into the notion that it is the responsibility of some profession or some institution to impart to us wisdom. You can see this tendency in the fact that continuing education in many spheres is thought of entirely in terms of taking courses from professionals in institutions. The implication seems to be that wisdom and understanding are something you purchase with tuition and class fees, rather than being a daily, lifelong process of growth.

But what I want to stress this morning is that we should never be content with the wisdom we attained through formal education, and we should not think that the only way to grow in our understanding is by taking more courses. When the wise man says in Proverbs 4:5, "Get wisdom, get insight," he does not mean, "Go to school, take more courses." That might be part of God's plan for you. But for most of us it is not. Yet the command comes to us all: "Get wisdom!" What does this mean? How shall we do it? And why is it so important? What Is the Importance of Getting Wisdom? Let's begin by asking why is it so important? We have already seen that all men seek happiness, and that this is not bad but good. Now the reason that getting wisdom is important is that it is the practical knowledge by which we gain this true and lasting happiness. Proverbs 3:13 says, "Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gets understanding." Proverbs 24:13–14 says, "My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off." In other words, by means of wisdom you can make your way into a hope-filled future. It is the key to lasting happiness. Proverbs 19:8 says, "He who gets wisdom loves himself." In other words, do yourself a favor: Get wisdom! Get wisdom! Proverbs 8:32–36 sums it all up beautifully. Here wisdom herself is speaking and she says, "And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways . . . Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death." If we do not make it our aim to "get wisdom," we will suffer injury and finally death. Therefore, the command, "Get wisdom; get insight," is very important.

As Proverbs 16:16 puts it, "To get wisdom is better than gold; to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." It is a matter of life and death. The ultimate, eternal happiness that all people long for will only be found by those who first "get wisdom." I say that ultimate and eternal happiness is what wisdom will bring, because I want to emphasize that not all happiness comes from true wisdom. Proverbs 15:21 says, "Folly is a joy to him who has no sense." Our thirst for happiness is insatiable in this world, and if we do not have the wisdom to seek it in God, then we will find whatever substitutes we can in the world. Terrorists may find it in shooting presidents and popes. Executives may find it in climbing the corporate ladder. Athletes in breaking world records. Scholars in publishing books. Gamblers may find it in Reno. Musicians in selling a million records. The sources where people seek happiness apart from God are countless: drink, drugs, sex, suntans, television, tubing, eating, talking, walking, etc., etc. But the happiness that these things bring is not true and lasting.

It is not ultimate and eternal. It is not the joy for which we were made. And, therefore, it leaves us unsatisfied, frustrated, incomplete, knowing that there must be something more. But that ultimate and eternal happiness that we crave is only found by wisdom. Therefore it is supremely important that we "get wisdom." What Is Wisdom? Now what is it? What are the characteristics of the person who has it? The first characteristic you all know: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Proverbs 9:10). The wisdom that leads to life and ultimate joy begins with knowing and fearing God. You may recall from two weeks ago in the message, "A Woman Who Fears the Lord Is to Be Praised," that fearing the Lord means fearing to run away from him. It means fearing to seek refuge, and joy, and hope anywhere other than in God. It means keeping before our eyes what a fearful prospect it is to stop trusting and depending on God to meet our needs.

The fear of the Lord is, therefore, the beginning of wisdom not only in the sense that it is the first step in a wise way to live, but also in the sense that all the later characteristics of wisdom flow from the fear of the Lord like a river flows from a spring. Let's look at some examples. Proverbs 11:2 says, "When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom." The wise person is characterized by humility. The person who is proud does not fear the Lord, who hates a haughty spirit, and therefore can't get to first base in wisdom. But the person who fears the Lord is humble, because he depends on God for everything and fears to take credit himself for what God does. Humility, in turn, is foundational for the other aspects of godly wisdom because humility is teachable and open to change and growth. The proud person does not like to admit his errors and his need for growth. But the humble person is open to counsel and reason, and ready to be corrected and follow truth. Humility, unlike pride, does not recoil when commanded to do something.

And this is essential for the advancement of wisdom, because Moses taught us that wisdom consists in knowing and doing the commandments of God. Deuteronomy 4:5–6, "Behold I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord my God commanded me that you should do them . . . Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples." And Jesus said the same thing about his own words, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon a rock" (Matthew 7:24). A good definition of godly wisdom, therefore, would be: hearing and doing God's Word. God's Word is a divine prescription for how to be finally cured of all unhappiness. Wisdom is the practical knowledge of how to attain that happiness. Therefore, wisdom is hearing and doing the Word of God. But the only people who will do this are the people who are humbly relying on God for help and who fear to seek happiness anywhere but in him. Therefore, the fear of the Lord is the beginning and spring of all true wisdom. But something more has to be said about the nature of this wisdom.

It is not enough to say it is a humble hearing and doing of God's Word, because God's Word does not address itself specifically to every human dilemma. A famous example from Solomon's life will illustrate (1 Kings 3:16–28). One day two prostitutes came to King Solomon. One of them said, "My lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and we each gave birth to a son last week. And one night while she was asleep, she rolled over on her son and smothered it. So she got up at midnight and took my living son from me while I slept and left me with her dead son. When I woke in the morning and looked closely, I could tell it was not my son." But the other woman said, "No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours." And so they argued before the king. Then the king said, "You both say the living child is yours.

I will settle the matter; bring me a sword." So a sword was brought and the king said, "Divide the living child in two and give half to the one woman and half to the other." But the woman whose son was alive yearned for her son and said, "No, my lord, give her the child and by no means slay it." And the other said: "It shall be neither mine nor yours, divide it." Then the king said, "Give the living child to the first woman. She is its mother." The story concludes with this observation: "And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to render justice" (1 Kings 3:28). There was no biblical command to tell Solomon what to do when two harlots claim the same baby. Therefore, wisdom must go beyond knowing and doing the Word of God. Wisdom must include a sensitive, mature judgment or discernment of how the fear of the Lord should work itself out in all the circumstances not specifically dealt with in the Bible.

There has to be what Paul calls in Romans 12:2 a "renewing of the mind" which is then able to examine and approve the will of God. He calls this a "spiritual wisdom" in Colossians 1:9, "We have not ceased to pray for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Of course the wisdom which follows God's Word and the wisdom which discerns the way to act when there is no clear word from God are not separate. It is precisely by saturating our minds and hearts with God's Word that we gain the spiritual wisdom to guide us in all situations. So in summary, when the Bible says, "Get wisdom," it is referring to that practical knowledge of how to attain true and lasting happiness. It begins with the fear of the Lord and consists in humbly hearing and doing God's will perceived both in Scripture and in the unique circumstances of the moment. Such wisdom is essential because the person who has it finds life and joy, but the person who doesn't finds death and misery. Therefore, "Get wisdom! Get wisdom!" How Can We Get Wisdom?

Now finally I want to mention five biblical instructions for how to get this wisdom. First, desire wisdom with all your might. Proverbs 4:8 says, "Prize her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you for your embrace." These are not cheap words. To prize something and to embrace someone are signs of intense desire and love. Wisdom must be valuable for us. We must be willing to sell all in order to buy it: "Seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure" (Proverbs 2:4). Blessed is the graduate who walks through the commencement line more hungry for wisdom than when he entered school, for he shall be satisfied. Second, since wisdom is found in the Word of God, we must apply ourselves in study and meditation to know the Word and do it. "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." (Psalm 19:7). Therefore, we must devote ourselves to know and understand the testimonies of the Lord.

And here I commend not only faithful Bible study, but also regular reading of great books on theology and biblical interpretation, books that distill the wisdom of the greatest students of the word over the past 1900 years. Now, I know what you are thinking: I don't have the time or the ability to get anywhere in books like that. So I want to show you something really encouraging. When this was shown to me about four years ago by my pastor, it changed my life. Most of us don't aspire very high in our reading because we don't feel like there is any hope. But listen to this. Suppose you read about 250 words a minute and that you resolve to devote just 15 minutes a day to serious theological reading to deepen your grasp of biblical truth. In one year (365 days) you would read for 5,475 minutes. Multiply that times 250 words per minute and you get 1,368,750 words per year. Now most books have between 300 and 400 words per page.

So if we take 350 words per page and divide that into 1,368,750 words per year, we get 3,910 pages per year. This means that at 250 words a minute, 15 minutes a day, you could read about 20 average sized books a year! When I heard that, I went home, analyzed my day, and set aside the 15 minutes just before supper to read Jonathan Edwards' big book, Original Sin. And I did it in a couple of months. Then I turned to something else. I was absolutely elated: reading that I thought never could get done was now getting done in a 15 minute slot that would have been wasted anyway. Therefore, I encourage you, there is hope. Choose some classics that you've always wanted to read (St. Augustine's Confessions, or City of God; John Calvin's Institutes; Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians, or Bondage of the Will; John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress; Jonathan Edwards' Religious Affections; etc.), and set aside 15 minutes, maybe just before you go to sleep, to read.

You will not be the same person next year at this time. Your mind will be stretched, your heart enlarged, your zeal more fervent. Above all, you will have grown in wisdom. And it may not be long until someone says of you: "The words of his mouth are as deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a gushing spring" (Proverbs 18:4). The third thing we should do to get wisdom is pray. Solomon was not born a wise man. He prayed for wisdom and God said, "Because you have asked this and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold now I do according to your word" (1 Kings 3:11). And Daniel admitted that in himself he had no wisdom (Daniel 2:30), but he said, "To thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for thou hast given me wisdom and strength, and hast made known to me what we asked of thee" (2:23).

And we have seen how Paul prayed that the churches might be given "spiritual wisdom" (Colossians 1:9) and that they might have "a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of God" (Ephesians 1:17). And finally, James puts it as clearly as we could wish: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God" (James 1:5). The wisdom that leads to true and lasting happiness is not natural or inborn. It is supernatural. It is a gift of God. Therefore, if we would "get wisdom," we must pray. The fourth biblical instruction for how to get wisdom is to think frequently of your death. Or to put it another way, think of the shortness of this life and the infinite length of the next. Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." There is scarcely any thought that will purge our priorities of vain and worldly perceptions like the thought of our imminent death. O how cleansing it is to ponder the kind of life we would like to look back on when we come to die. There is great wisdom in such meditation.

Therefore, think often of your dying. Finally, there is one last, absolutely essential thing to do if you would "get wisdom": you must come to Jesus. He said to the people of his day, "The queen of the south will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold something greater than Solomon is here" (Matthew 12:42). What an understatement. Greater than Solomon indeed! Solomon spoke God's wisdom. Jesus is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30). Others had spoken truth; he is the truth. Others had pointed the way to life; he is the way and the life (John 14:6). Others had given promises, but "all the promises of God find their yes in him" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Others had offered God's forgiveness; Jesus bought it by his death. Therefore, in him are "hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). To know and love and follow this Jesus is to own the treasure of ultimate and eternal happiness.

Therefore, the command, "Get wisdom," means first and foremost "Come to Jesus! Come to Jesus!" in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom. John Piper ( @JohnPiper ) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books , including A Peculiar Glory . More Resources

Question: According to the proverb, what are you supposed to do ‘before you leap’?
Answer: Look