A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

A horse cannot gain weight if not fed with extra fodder during the night; a man cannot become wealthy without earnings apart from his regular salaries.

So long as a man is angry he cannot be in the right

If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.

Slander cannot destroy an honest man - when the flood recedes the rock is there