better safe than sorry

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛtɚ ˈseɪ̯f ðən ˈsɑɹi/, [ˈbɛɾɚ ˈse̞ɪ̯f ðən ˈsɑɹi]

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒɹi
• Hyphenation: bet‧ter safe than sor‧ry

Proverb

better safe than sorry

1. It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to act recklessly and suffer afterwards.
   • 1947 September and October, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 320:

     Moreover, apart from official restrictions, drivers do not a little easing of their engines on their own account, where they consider that the feel of the track makes this desirable; and they can hardly be blamed in consequence. It is better to be safe than sorry.

   • 1985, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (lyrics and music), “Take On Me”, in Hunting High and Low, performed by a-ha:

     But I'll be stumbling away / Slowly learning that life is OK / Say after me / It's no better to be safe than sorry

Translations

it is preferable to be cautious

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: който сам се пази и Бог го пази (kojto sam se pazi i Bog go pazi)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 小心駛得萬年船／小心驶得万年船 (xiǎoxīn shǐ dé wàn nián chuán)

• Faroese: betur fyrivarin enn eftirsnarin
• Finnish: parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraa, varmuus on aina paras, parempi katsoa kuin katua
• French: mieux vaut prévenir que guérir (fr)
• German: Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht
• Greek: κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε (el) (kállio gaïdouródene pará gaïdourogýreve)
• Hebrew: עדיף להיזהר מלהצטער
• Hungarian: jobb félni, mint megijedni (hu)
• Icelandic: það er betra að hafa vaðið fyrir neðan sig, allur er varinn góður
• Italian: la prudenza non è mai troppa, meglio prevenire che curare
• Japanese: 転ばぬ先の杖 (ja) (ころばぬさきのつえ, korobanu saki no tsue)
• Macedonian: подобро спречи, отколку лечи (podobro spreči, otkolku leči), двапати мери, еднаш сечи (dvapati meri, ednaš seči)
• Malay:

  Jawi: بيار لمبت اصلکن سلامت, ايڠت سبلوم کنا, جيمت سبلوم هابيس, سسل دهولو ڤنداڤتن, سسل کمودين تق برݢونا

  Rumi: biar lambat asalkan selamat, ingat sebelum kena, jimat sebelum habis, sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tak berguna

• Norwegian: bedre føre var enn etter snar (no)
• Polish: gdyby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała (pl), lepiej dmuchać na zimne, strzeżonego Pan Bóg strzeże (pl), żeby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała (pl)
• Portuguese: é melhor prevenir do que remediar
• Russian: бережёного бог бережёт (berežónovo bog berežót)
• Scottish Gaelic: 's fheàrr a bhith cinnteach na caillteach
• Serbo-Croatian: bolje sprečiti nego lečiti
• Spanish: más vale prevenir que curar, más vale prevenir que lamentarse
• Swedish: ta det säkra före det osäkra, man kan aldrig vara nog försiktig
• Urdu: دیر آئے درست آئے (der ā'ye durust ā'ye)

See also

• err on the side of caution
• better late than never
• play it safe
• prevention is better than cure