Small ills are the fountains of most of our groans Men trip not on mountains, they stumble on stones

Similar sayings:

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones
Small men think they are small; great men never know they are great Small men think they are small; great men never know they are great
Illness comes in by mouth; ills come out by it Illness comes in by mouth; ills come out by it
Man must be sharpened on man, like knife on stone Man must be sharpened on man, like knife on stone
Don’t waste too many stones on one bird Don’t waste too many stones on one bird

Chinese sayings and proverbs