Robert Christy, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. 1887.

Honey

A drop of honey catches more flies than a hogshead of vinegar.German.

A little gall spoils (or embitters) a great deal of honey.French, Italian, Spanish.

Cover yourself with honey and the flies will have at you.

He buys honey dear who has to lick it off thorns.Dutch.

He is a very bad manager of honey who leaves nothing to lick off his fingers.French.

He that licks honey from a nettle pays too dear for it.

He who would gather honey must bear the stings of bees.Dutch.

Honey cloys.Latin.

Honey in the mouth saves the purse.Italian.

Honey is not for asses.French, Dutch.

Honey is sweet but the bee stings.French, Dutch.

Honey is too good for a bear.

It is not by saying “honey, honey” that sweetness comes into the mouth.Turkish.

Make yourself honey and the flies will devour you.Italian.

Michael, Michael, you have no bees and yet you sell honey.Spanish.

Where there is honey there are bees.Latin.

Where there is honey, there will the flies swarm.Plautus.

Who has eaten the honey? He who has a fly on his umbrella.Modern Greek.