A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

oak see also GREAT oaks from little acorns grow; LITTLE strokes fell great oaks; a REED before the wind lives on, while mighty oaks do fall.
obedience see the FIRST duty of a soldier is obedience.
He that cannot OBEY cannot command
Cf. SENECA De Ira II. xiv. nemo regere potest nisi qui et regi, no one can rule unless he can also be ruled.

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  a 1500 tr. T.a Kempis’ De Imitatione Christi (1893) xxiv. No man surely comaun- dith but he that hath lerned to obeye. 1581 G. PETTIE tr. S. Guazzo’s Civil Conversation III. 48^V Those onely knowe well how to commaund, which know well howe to obaye. 1734 B. FRANKLIN Poor Richard’s Almanack (Aug.) He that cannot obey, cannot command. 1850 H. MELVILLE White Jacket vi. As the only way to learn to command, is to learn to obey, the usage of a ship of war is such that midshipmen are constantly being ordered about by the Lieutenants. 1972 S. CLOETE Victorian Son ix. I did not mind the army because I knew I must learn to obey before I could command. ■ obedience; rulers and ruled
  

OBEY orders, if you break owners
A nautical proverb; for the meaning see quot. 1924.

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  1782 W. GORDON Letter 30 Nov. in Proceedings of Massachusetts Hist. Society (1930) LXIII. 476 You will be safe, though you break orders that would break your owners. 1823 J. F. COOPER Pilot vii. The old rule runs, ‘Obey orders, if you break owners.’ 1924 R. CLEMENTS Gipsy of Horn iii. What could be sounder than ‘Obey orders, if you break owners’—meaning, do as you’re told, even if you know it’s wrong. 1976 J. R. L. ANDERSON Death on North Sea iv. I was brought up on the old sea maxim, ‘Obey orders if you break owners.’ ■ obedience
  

odd see there is LUCK in odd numbers.