Appearances are deceptive

Russian translation

Внешность обманчива.

Variants

Appearances often deceptive.
Appearances may be deceitful.

Synonyms

Judge not of men and things at first sight.
A fair face may hide a four heart (soul).
All is not gold that glitters.

Comparison

Наружность обманчива.
Личиком гладок, да делами гадок.
Не все [то] золото, что блестит.

Examples

"What do you think, mon ami?" He looked half ashamed, half excited. "The diamond of Miss Marvell, it has been stolen." " What?" I cried springing up. "And what about the 'full of the moon' now?" Poirot hung his head. "When did this happen?" " This morning, I understand." I shook my head sadly. "If only you had listened to me . You see I was right." "It appears so, mon ami," said Poirot cautiously. "Appearances are deceptive, they say, but it certainly appears so." (Christie)

"Dear me! Dear me!" he said at last. " Well, now, who would have thought it? And how deceptive appearances may be, to be sure! Such a nice young man to look at! It is a lesson to us not to trust our own judgement, is it not, Lestrade?" (Doyle)

The hard fact was, circumstances rarely misled, and appearances were always full of truth. Neither he nor Miss Poulter, by credible or incredible claims on a more impressive background, would change the fact that people of worldly consequence are not obliged to earn their living as professional hostesses at a hotel, nor as private tutors. (Cozzens)

It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible. (Wilde)