Wilful waste makes woeful want.浪费招致贫困。
此谚语有意识地连用四个w辅音(声母)开头的词,而且两个形容词wilful与woeful还用同样的词尾,waste与want开头与结尾的辅音完全相同。这样产生双声叠韵效果。
劝告人们不要浪费的谚语还有:
Waste not, want not.
不浪费,不缺少。(此句也可改作No waste,no want,但这样waste和want就变成名词。)
It is too late to spare when the bottom is bare.
待罐见底再节约已太晚了。
Saving is getting.
节约等于增加收入。
浪费的反面就是节约,关于节约的谚语可参阅:From saving comes having.及Industry is fortune's right hand, and frugality her left.