Birds of a feather flock together

Liông kau liông, hōng kau hōng, ún-ku ê kau tòng-gōng

Usually negative. Literally: The dragons pairs with a dragon, the phoenix with a phoenix, the hunchback with the idiot.

The pot calling the kettle black

Ku chhiò pih bô bóe

Literally: “The turtle laughing at the terrapin for having no tail.”

Related post here.

Like father, like son

Iú kī hū, pit iú kî chú

Literally: You have the father, you must also have his son.

Related entry here.

Like a frog in a well

Kó͘-chéⁿ chúi-ke, m̄ chai thiⁿ lōa tōa

Literally: a frog in a well doesn’t know how big the sky is.

(i.e., “ignorant of the wider world or bigger picture.”)

You can’t judge a book by its cover

Lâng put khó māu-siòng, hái-chúi put khó táu-liông

Literally: You can’t judge a person by his appearance, (like) you can’t measure the sea by liters.

Every rose has its thorn

Múi chi̍t lúi môe-kùi-hoe lóng ū chhì

This is from English, not Taiwanese. Which, of course, brings us to:

Múi chi̍t lúi môe-kùi-hoe lóng ū chhì, chiū chhin-chhiūⁿ sī múi chi̍t ê khāu-bò͘·-ì lóng chhiùⁿ chi̍t-tè pi-siong ê koa.

Every rose has its thorn, just like every cowboy sings a sad, sad song.

Wolf in sheep’s clothing

Moa iûⁿ-á-phôe ê iá-lông

Literally: A wild wolf with a sheepskin over its shoulders

Better to be lucky than good

Chhian-kin la̍t8, m̄7 ta̍t8-tit sì-niú miā

Literally: One thousand pounds of strength isn’t worth four ounces of luck.

Hypocritical behavior (especially by a religious figure or other do-gooder)

Chhùi liām keng, chhiú bong leng.

Literally: The mouth recites sutras, (while) the hand gropes a breast.

Consider the lilies of the field

Chi̍t8-ki chháu, chi̍t8-tiám lō͘·

Literally: One blade of grass (gets) one drop of dew.

The English proverb I have as this proverb’s equivalent come from the Sermon on the Mount. The whole saying goes, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” In other words, as it’s usually used in Taiwan, “you’ll find a job or livelihood, so don’t worry.”