Proverb

[kashwalah]

proverb illustrating the importance of thinking before you act

[Quizmonster]

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. This has been asked and answered several times here recently.

[kempie]

If you first searched the site
The answer you find might

[rojash]

Look before you leap

[Diamondson]

One favoured by crossword compilers is, A stitch in time saves nine.

[kashwalah]

please no more, but thank you!

[shammydodger]

If your mother's a witness, don't do it!

[Azimov]

I'm seriously not being pedantic QM, given our recent conversation, but "Fools rush in..." isn't a proverb, it's a quote from my favourite poem, Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" which also gives us "A little learning is a dangerous thing, drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring" and "To err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine."

[kempie]

A quotation is not exempt from being classed as a proverb, adage. maxim, aphorism, apothegm - call it what you will - but the main difference is that it can be attributed to a particular person.

[Azimov]

You make an interesting point Kempie!
What makes a proverb a proverb?

[Quizmonster]

Thanks for that, Kempie. I'm perfectly well aware, Az, that the quotation is from Pope, but that does not preclude its being a proverb. I'd imagine that every single proverb in existence started as a quotation...ie something someone said/wrote.
As far as I'm concerned, "a little learning is a dangerous thing" is also now a proverb. It certainly fits "a short, pithy saying in common and recognised use". That's TOED's definition of a proverb and I'd claim that certainly applies to the answer I provided here,too.
The key reason for my offering that answer was that - when this question first appeared on AnswerBank some days ago - it was presented in such a way that the answer had to fit the following word and letter patterns...5, 4, 2, 5, 6, 4, 2, 5. Given that, what response would you have given here?

[Azimov]

I stand corrected QM.
If I was presented with the question in the form you describe, in all honesty, I probably would have failed to answer it at all! lol

However the answer I gave to the question here was what first came to mind, even before reading the replies.

I do agree now though, your answer qualifies and I apologise if you felt I was being picky, again!

I'm not nearly as abrasive as you think! lol

[Quizmonster]

I'm sure you're not, Az. We'll get along just fine. I have to say, though, that reading everything on an answer-page before committing oneself is a good idea. Cheers