A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

NOTHING is for ever

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  1984 Defense Electronics 144/2 Nothing is forever, and political-military alliances are less forever than most. 1992 MIEDER Dict. American Proverbs 433 Nothing can last for ever. 2001 Times 7 Nov. 16 Mr Blair may treat Parliament’s support as unconditional, but nothing is for ever. ■ change
  

There is NOTHING new under the sun
With allusion to ECCLESIASTES i. 9 (AV) There is no new thing under the sun.

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  1592 G. DELAMOTHE French Alphabet II. 7 Under the large Cope of heauen, we see not a new thing. 1664 A. BRADSTREET Works (1867) 53 There is no new thing under the sun. 1801 T. JEFFERSON Writings (1904) X. 229 We can no longer say there is nothing new under the sun. 1850 C. KINGSLEY Alton Locke I. xviii. There is nothing new under the sun; all that, is stale and trite to a septuagenarian, who has seen where it all ends. 2002 Times 4 Jan. 16 Cliche is the element in which political hacks live and move and have our being. Not just situation cliche. There is nothing new under the sun in politics. ■familiarity; novelty
  

NOTHING should be done in haste but gripping a flea

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  a 1655 N. L’ESTRANGE in Anecdotes & Traditions (1839) I. 55 A grave gentleman in this Kingdome us’d this phrase often: ‘Do nothing rashly, but catching of fleas.’ 1678 J. RAY English Proverbs (ed. 2) 151 Nothing most be done hastily but killing of fleas. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 261 Nothing to be done in haste, but gripping of Fleas. . . Spoken when we are unreasonably urged to make haste. 1927 J. BUCHAN Witch Wood xii. What’s the need o’ hurry when the body’s leg is still to set. As my auld mither used to say, naething suld be done in haste but grippin’ a flea. 1969 B. LEHANE Compleat Flea i. ‘Do nothing hastily but catching of fleas,’ warns a wary proverb.