Part 19
Mas vale rodear que no ahogar. _Better go about than be drowned._
Mas vale ruin asno que ser asno. _Better have a bad ass than to be your own ass._
Mas vale salto de mata que ruego de hombres buenos. _It is better to leap over the ditch than trust to the pleadings of good men._
Mas vale solo que mal acompañado. _Better be alone than in bad company._
Mas vale tarde que nunca. _Better late than never._
Mas vale tuerto que ciego. _Better one-eyed than stone blind._
Mas vale una abeja que mil moscas. _One bee is better than a thousand flies._
Mas vale un toma que dos te dare. _Better one “Take this,” than two “I will give you.”_
Mas vale vuelta de llave que conciencia de frayle. _A turn of the key is better than the conscience of a friar._
Mas val perder que mas perder. _It is better to lose than lose more._ (_The first loss is the best._)
Mas ven quatro ojos que dos. _Four eyes see more than two._
Mataras y matarte han, y mataran á quien te matare. _Kill and thou wilt be killed, and he will be killed who kills thee._
Mejor es dobrar que quebrar. _Better to bend than break._
Mejor me parece tu jarro mellado que el mio sano. _Your cracked jug seems better to me than my sound one._
Menea la cola el can, no por ti, sino por el pan. _The dog wags his tail, not for you but for your bread._
Mete mendigo en tu pajar, y hacer se te ha heredero. _Put a beggar into your barn and he will make himself your heir._
Meter aguja, y sacar reja. _To put in a needle and take out a bar._
Miedo guarda viña. _Fear guards the vineyard._
Mientra en mi casa me estoy, rey me soy. _In my own house I am a king._
Mientra la grande se abaja, la chica barre la casa. _Whilst the tall wench is stooping, the little one has swept the house._
Miguel, Miguel, no tienes abejas y vendes miel. _Miguel, Miguel, you have no bees, and yet sell honey._
Mirais lo que bebo, y no la sed que tengo. _You notice what I drink, and not the thirst I feel._
Mira que ates que desates. _See that you tie so that you can untie._
Mostrar primero la horca que el lugar. _To parade the gallows before the town._
Mucho sabe la zorra, pero mas el que la toma. _The fox is knowing, but more knowing he who catches him._
Muchos besan manos que quierian ver cortadas. _Many kiss hands they would fain see chopped off._
Mucho tiene que hacer quien ha de gustar a todos. _He has much to do who would please everybody._
Muda el lobo los dientes y no los mientes. _The wolf changes his teeth but not his disposition._
Muger, no te las cuento, mas doze morcillas hace un puerco. _I don’t count them to you, wife, but a hog makes twelve puddings._
Muger, viento, y ventura, presto se muda. _Women, wind, and fortune, soon change._
N.
Nace en la huerta lo que no siembra el hortelano. _In the garden more grows, than the gardener sows._
Nacenle alas a la hormiga para que se pierde mas aina. _The ant gets wings that she may perish the sooner._
Nadar y nadar, y á la orilla ahogar. _To swim and swim more, and be drowned on shore._
Nadie seria mesonero sino fuese por el dinero. _No one would be an innkeeper but for money._
Necio es, quien piensa que otro no piensa. _He is a fool who thinks that another does not think._
Necios y porfiados hacen ricos los letrados. _Fools and the perverse fill the lawyers’ purse._
Ni absente sin culpa, ni presente sin disculpa. _Absent, none without blame; present, none without excuse._
Ni buen frayle por amigo, ni malo por enemigo. _Neither a good friar for friend, nor a bad one for enemy._
Ni con cada mal al fisico, ni con cada pleito al letrado, ni con cada sed al jarro. _Go not with every ailment to the doctor, with every plea to the lawyer, or with every thirst to the can._
Ni do ni tomo, como judio en sábado. _I neither give nor take, like a Jew on the Sabbath._
Ni el anzuelo, ni la caña, mas el cebo las engaña. _It is not the hook or the rod, but the bait that lures._
Ni estoy al vado, ni á la puente. _I am neither at the ford nor the bridge._
Ni firmes carta que no leas, ni bebas agua que no veas. _Neither sign a paper without reading it, nor drink water without seeing it._
Ni hermosa que mate, ni fea que espante. _Neither handsome enough to kill, nor ugly enough to frighten._
Ni judio necio, ni liebre perezosa. _No Jew a fool; no hare lazy._
Ni perder derechos, ni llevar cohechos. _Lose no rights, and commit no extortions._
Ni rey traidor, ni papa descomulgado. _No king was ever a traitor, or pope excommunicated._
Ni sirvas á quien sirvió, ni pidas á quien pidió. _Neither serve one who has been a servant, nor beg of one who has been a beggar._
No asamos, y ya empringamos. _We are not roasting, and already we are basting._
No asoleges tu mijo á la puerta de tu enemigo. _Do not spread your corn to dry at an enemy’s door._ (Asturian.)
No ay ladron sin encubridor. _There is no thief without a receiver._
No compres asno de recuero, ni te cases con hija de mesonero. _Do not buy a carrier’s ass, or marry an innkeeper’s daughter._
No creais, marido, lo que veeredes, sino lo que yo os dixeré. _Don’t believe what you see, husband, but only what I tell you._
No da quien quiere, sino quien tiene. _Not he gives who likes, but who has._
No dé Dios tanto buen á nuestros amigos que nos desconoscan. _May God not so prosper our friends that they forget us._
No dice el umbral sino lo que oye al quincial. _The threshold says nothing but what it hears of the hinge._
No digais mal del año hasta que sea pasado. _Speak not ill of the year until it is past._
No diga la lengua por do pague la cabeza. _Let not the tongue utter what the head must pay for._
No diga nadie, de esta agua no beberé. _Let no one say, “Of this water I will not drink.”_
No digo quien eres, que tu te lo dirás. _I do not tell thee what thou art, thou wilt tell it thyself._
No entra en misa la campana, y á todos llama. _The bell does not go to mass, yet calls every one to it._
No es aquella gallina buena, que come en tu casa y pone en la agena. _It is a bad hen that eats at your house and lays at another’s._
No es de vero lágrimas en la muger, ni coxuear en el perro. _A woman’s tears and a dog’s limping are not real._
No es en mano del piloto que dexe el viento su soplo. _It is not in the pilot’s power to prevent the wind from blowing._
No es nada, sino que matan a mi marido. _It is nothing, they are only thrashing my husband._
No es tan bravo el leon como le pintan. _The lion is not so fierce as he is painted._
No falte cibo al palomar, que las palomas ellas se vernán. _Let there be no lack of food in the pigeon-house, and the pigeons will come to it._
No falte voluntad, que no faltará lugar. _Where there is no want of will, there will be no want of opportunity._
No habria palabra mala, si no fuese mal tomada. _There would be no ill word if it were not ill taken._
No hace poco quien su casa quema: espanta los ratones, y escalientase á la leña. _He does not a little who burns his house: he frightens the rats, and warms himself._
No hace tanto la zorra en un año como paga en un hora. _The fox does not do as much mischief in a year as it pays for in an hour._
No halla agua en la mar. _He cannot find water in the sea._
No hay bestia fiera que no se huelgue con su compañera. _There is no beast so savage but sports with its mate_.
No hay casa do no haya su calla! calla! _There is no house without its hush! hush!_
No hay cerradura, si es de oro la ganzua. _There is no lock, if the pick is of gold_.
No hay ladron sin encubridor. _If there were no receiver there would be no thief_.
No hay mejor bocado que el hurtado. _There is no choicer morsel than that which is stolen_.
No hay mejor remiendo que el del mismo paño. _There is no better patch than one off the same cloth_.
No hay olla tan fea que no halle su cobertera. _There is no pot so ugly but finds its cover_.
No hay pariente pobre. _No relation is poor_.
No hay peor burla que la verdadera. _There is no worse joke than a true one_.
No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oir. _None so deaf as he that won’t hear_.
No hay placer que no enfade, y mas si cuesta de valde. _There is no pleasure but palls, and the more so if it costs nothing_.
No hay tal madre como la que pare. _There is no mother like the mother that bore us_.
No hay tal razon como la del baston. _There’s no argument like that of the stick_.
No hay tal testigo como buen moduelo de vino. _There is no such witness as a good measure of wine_.
No hiere Dios con dos manos. _God does not smite with both hands_.
No inventó la polvera. _He did not invent gunpowder_.
No juega Mosé, porque no tiene que. _Moses_ (i. e. _a Jew_) _does not play because he has not the means._
No lo quiero, no lo quiero, mas échadme lo en la capilla. _I don’t want it, I don’t want it, but put it into my hood_.
No mata la carga sino la sobrecarga. _It is not the load but the overload that kills_.
No me digas oliva hasta que me veas cogida. _Call me not olive till you see me gathered_.
No me llames bien hadada hasta que me veas enterrada. _Call me not fortunate till you see me buried_.
No piden todos para un santo. _All do not beg for one saint._
No quiebra delgado, sino gordo y mal hilado. _It is not the fine, but the coarse and ill-spun that breaks._
No se acuerda la suegra que fué nuera. _The mother-in-law does not remember that she was a daughter-in-law._
No seais hornéra si teneis la cabeza de manteca. _Be not a baker if your head is butter._
No se hacen las bodas de hongos á solas. _The wedding feast is not made with mushrooms only._
No se hacen tortillas sin romper huevos. _You can’t make pancakes without breaking eggs._
No se hizo la miel por la boca del asno. _Honey was not made for the mouth of the ass._
No se pierde todo lo que está en peligro. _All is not lost that is in danger._
No se queje del engaño quien por la muestra compra el paño. _Let him not complain of being cheated who buys cloth by the pattern._
No serás amado si de tí solo tienes cuidado. _You will not be loved if you care for none but yourself._
No se toman truchas á bragas enjutas. _Trouts are not caught with dry breeches._
Nos ollos de miña sogra vejo en quando o demo a toma. _I see by my mother-in-law’s eyes when the devil takes hold of her._ (Galician.)
No son palabras para mi tia, que aun de las obras no se fia. _Words will not do for my aunt, for she does not put faith even in deeds._
No son soldados todos los que van á la guerra. _All are not soldiers who go to the wars._
No te alegres de mi duelo, que quando el mio fuere viejo el tuyo será nuevo. _Do not rejoice at my grief, for when mine is old yours will be new._
No te tomes con el ollero, que del burro hace dinero. _Don’t scuffle with the potter, for he makes money by the damage._
No vive mas el leal que quanto quiere el traidor. _The loyal man lives no longer than the traitor pleases._
Nunca los ausentes se hallaron justos. _The absent were never in the right._
Nunca mucho costó poco. _Much never cost little._
Nunca pidas á quien tiene, sino á quien sabes que te quiere. _Never ask of him who has, but of him you know wishes you well._
O.
Obra de comun, obra de ningun. _What’s everybody’s business is nobody’s business._
Obres son amores, que no buenas razones. _Deeds are love, and not fine phrases._
O demo á os suyos quiere. _The devil is fond of his own._ (Galician.)
Ojos hay que de lagañas se enamoran. _There are eyes that fall in love with bleared ones._ (_Fancy surpasses beauty._)
Ojos que no ven, corazon que no quiebra. _If the eyes don’t see, the heart won’t break._
Olla de muchos mal mejida y peor cocida. _The stew mixed by many is ill-seasoned and worse cooked._ (_Too many cooks spoil the broth._)
Olla que mucho hierve, sabor pierde. _The stew that boils much loses favour._
O morirá el asno, ó quien le aguija. _Either the ass will die, or he that goads it._
Onza de estado, libra de oro. _An ounce of state to a pound of gold._
O rico, o pinjádo. _Either rich or hanged._
Oro es lo que oro vale. _That is gold which is worth gold._
Oveja harta de su rabo se espanta. _The full-fed sheep is frightened at its own tail._
Oveja que bala, bocado pierde. _The sheep that bleats loses a mouthful._
Ovejas bobas, por do va una, van todas. _Silly sheep, where one goes, all go._
P.
Paga lo que debes, sabrás lo que tienes. _If you pay what you owe, what you’re worth you’ll know._
Paga lo que debes, sanarás del mal que tienes. _Pay what you owe, and be cured of your complaint._
Pagase el rey de la traicion, mas no de quien la hace. _The king likes the treachery, but not the traitor._
Palabra de boca, piedra de honda. _A word from the mouth, a stone from a sling._
Palabras azucaradas por mas son amargas. _Sugared words generally prove bitter._
Palabra y piedra suelta no tiene vuelta. _A word and a stone once launched cannot be recalled._
Palo de ciego, que sáca polvo de debajo de agua. _A blind man’s stroke, which raises a dust from beneath water._
Panadera erades antes, aunque ahora traeis guantes. _You used to be a baker, though now you wear gloves._
Pan ageno caro cuesta. _Another’s bread costs dear._
Papel y tinta, y poca justicia. _Paper and ink and little justice._
Para azotar el perro, que se come el hierro. _If you want to beat a dog, say he eat your iron._
Para cada jueves no hay un par de orejas. _There is not a pair of ears for every Jew._
Para el mal que hoy se acaba no es remedio el de mañana. _To-morrow’s remedy will not ward off the evil of today._
Para los desdichados se hizo la horca. _The gallows was made for the unlucky._
Pariente a la clara el hijo de mi hermana. _My sister’s son is a kinsman beyond dispute._
Parto malo, y hija en cabo. _A bad labour, and a daughter after all._
Pasa la fiesta, y el loco resta. _The feast passes and the fool remains._
Paz y paciencia, y muerte con penitencia. _Peace and patience, and death with penitence._
Pedir sobrado por salir con lo mediano. _Ask too much to get enough._
Pedra de ygreja oro goteja. _A church stone drops gold._ (Galician.)
Pelean los ladrones y descubrense los hurtos. _When thieves fall out the thefts come to light._
Penséme santiguar, y quebréme el ojo. _I thought to cross myself, and I put out my eye._
Pensé que no tenia marido, y comime la olla. _I thought I had no husband, and I eat up the stew._
Pereza, llave de pobreza. _Sloth is the key of poverty._
Perro alcucero nunca buen conejero. _A kitchen-dog is never a good rabbit-hunter._
Perro ladrador nunca buen mordedor. _A barking dog was never a good biter._
Perro lanudo, muerto de hambre, y no creido de ninguno. _A shock dog is starved and nobody believes it._
Perro que lobos mata, lobos le matan. _The dog that kills wolves, is killed by wolves._
Peso y medida quitan al hombre fatiga. _Weight and measure save a man toil._
Pícame Pedro, y yo me lo quiero. _Peter pinches me, and I like it._
Piedra movediza nunca moho la cubija. _A rolling stone gathers no moss._
Piensa el ladron que todos son de sa condicion. _The thief thinks that all men are like himself._
Piensan los enamorados que tienen los otros los ojos quebrados. _Lovers think that others have no eyes._
Pierde el mes lo suyo, pero no el año. _The month loses its own, but not the year._
Piés que son duchos de andar, no pueden quedos estar. _Feet that are used to move cannot remain quiet._
Planta muchas veces traspuesta ni crece ni tredra. _A tree often transplanted neither grows nor thrives._
Pobreza no es vileza, ma es ramo de picardia. _Poverty is no sin, but it is a branch of roguery._
Poca barba, poca verguenza. _Little beard, little modesty._
Poca hiel hace amarga mucha miel. _A little gall embitters much honey._
Poco á poco se va léjos. _Little by little one goes far._
Poco daño espanta, y mucho amansa. _A little loss frightens, a great one tames._
Pollino que me lleve, y no caballo que me arrastre. _Give me the ass that carries me in preference to the horse that throws me._
Por amor del bou, llepa lo llop el jou. _For love of the ox the wolf licks the yoke._ (Catalan.)
Por donde fueres, haz como vieres. _Wherever you may be, do as you see done._
Por donde menos se piensa salta la liebre. _The hare starts from where it is least expected._
Por donde va la mar, vayan las arenas. _Where the sea goes let the sands go._
Por do quiera hay su legua de mal camino. _Whatever way you take there is a league of bad road._
Por do salta la cabra, salta la que la mama. _Where the goat leaps, leaps that which sucks her._
Por el alabado dejé el conocido, y vi me arrepentido. _I left what I knew for what I heard praised, and repented._
Por el hilo se saca el ovillo. _By the thread we unwind the skein._
Por falta de hombres buenos, á mi padre hicieron alcalde. _For the want of worthy men they made my father alcade._
Porfia mata la caza. _Perseverance kills the game._
Por la calle de despues se va á la casa de nunca. _By the street of “By-and-by” one arrives at the house of “Never.”_
Por las haldas del vicario sube el diablo al campanario. _The devil gets into the belfry by the vicar’s skirts._
Por mucho madrugar, no amanece mas aina. _For all one’s early rising, it dawns none the sooner._
Por mucho que corra la liebre, mas corre el galgo, pues la prende. _Fast as the hare runs, the greyhound outruns her, since he catches her._
Por no gastar lo que basta, lo que era excusado se gasta. _Through not spending enough, we spend too much._
Por nuevas no peneas, hacerse han viejas, y saber las has. _Do not fret for news, it will grow old and you will know it._
Por oir misa, y dar cebada, nunca se perdió jornada. _Nothing is lost on a journey by stopping to pray or to feed your horse._
Por ser rey, se quiebra toda ley. _Every law is broken to become a king._
Por si o por no, señor marido, ponéos la capilla. _Whether it be so or not, husband, put on your hood._ (_He had told her there was a new law that every man with horns should wear a hood._)
Por sol que haga no dexes tu capa en casa. _However bright the sun may shine, leave not your cloak at home._
Por soto no vayas tras otro. _In a wood don’t walk behind another._
Por temor, no pierdas honor. _Do not lose honour through fear._
Por turbia que esté, no digas, de esta agua no beberé. _However foul it be, never say, Of this water I will not drink._
Por un punto se pierde un zapato. _For want of a nail the shoe is lost._
Por viejo que sea el barco, pasa una vez el vado. _Old as is the boat it may cross the ferry once._
Por vuestra alma vayan esos pater nosters. _Let those pater nosters be for your own soul._ (_Ironical, against swearing_).
Pregonar vino, y vender vinagre. _To cry up wine, and sell vinegar._
Prenda que come, ninguno la tome. _Let no one take a pawn that eats._
Primero son mis dientes que mis parientes. _My teeth before my relations._
Posesion, y buena razon, y lanza en puño. _Possession and good right, with lance in hand._
Potros cayendo, y mozos perdiendo, van asesando. _Colts by falling, and lads by losing, grow prudent._
Puerco fiado, gruñe todo el año. _A pig bought on credit grunts all the year._
Puerco fresco, y vino nuevo, Christianillo al cimenterio. _Fresh pork and new wine, send a Christian to the churchyard._ (_Kill a man before his time._)
Puerta abierta al santo tienta. _An open door tempts a saint._
Puesque la casa se quema, calentémonos todos. _Since the house is on fire, let us warm ourselves._
Pues tenemos hogaças, no busquemos tortas. _Since we have loaves let us not look for cakes._
Puridad de dos, puridad de Dios; puridad de tres, de todos es. _A secret between two is God’s secret, a secret between three is everybody’s._
Puteria ni hurto nunca se encubren mucho. _Whoredom and thieving are never long concealed._
Q.
Qual el dueño tal el perro. _As is the master, so is his dog._
Qual el tiempo, tal el tiento. _As are the times, so are the manners._
Qual es el rey, tal es la grey. _As is the king, so are his people._
Quando á tu hija le viniere su hado, no aguardes que venga su padre del mercado. _When a good offer comes for your daughter, don’t wait till her father returns from market._
Quando ayunque, sufre, quando mazo, tunde. _When you are an anvil, bear; when you are a hammer, strike._
Quando comieres pan reciente, no bebas de la fuente. _When you eat new bread, don’t drink water._
Quando Dios amanece, para todos amanece. _When God gives light he gives it for all._
Quando Dios no quiere, el santo no puede. _When God will not the saint cannot._
Quando Dios quiere, con todos vientos llueve. _When God pleases it rains with every wind._
Quando Dios quiere en sereno llueve. _When God pleases, it rains in fair weather._
Quando el bazo crece el cuerpo enmagrece. _When the spleen increases, the body diminishes._
Quando el cosario promete misas y cera, con mal anda la galera. _When the corsair promises masses and candles, it goes ill with the galley._
Quando el diablo reza, engañarte quiere. _When the devil says his prayers he wants to cheat you._
Quando el Español canta, ó rabia, ó no tiene blanca. _When the Spaniard sings, he is either mad or has no money._
Quando el guardian juega á los naypes, qué haran los frayles? _When the prior plays cards, what will the monks do?_
Quando el hierro está encendido, entonces ha de ser batido. _When the iron is hot, then is the time to strike._
Quando el necio es acordado, el mercado es ya pasado. _When the fool has made up his mind the market is over._
Quando el rio no hace ruido, ó no lleva agua, ó va muy crecido. _When the river makes no noise, it is either dried up or much swollen._
Quando el viejo no puede beber la huesa le pueden hacer. _When an old man cannot drink, prepare his grave._
Quando el villano está en el mulo, ni conoce á Dios, ni al mundo. _Set a peasant on horseback, and he forgets both God and man._
Quando el villano está rico, no tiene pariente, ni amigo. _When a peasant gets rich, he knows neither relations nor friends._
Quando en verano es invierno, y en invierno verano, nunca buen año. _When the summer is winter, and the winter summer, it is a sorry year._
Quando fueres á casa, agena llama defuera. _When you go to a strange house knock at the door._
Quando fueres por camino, no digas mal de tu enemigo. _When you are on the road speak not ill of your enemy._
Quando la criatura dienta la muerte la tienta. _When the child cuts its teeth, death is on the watch._
Quando la mala ventura se duerme, nadie la despierte. _When ill-luck sleeps, let no one wake her._
Quando llueve en Agosto, llueve miel y mosto. _When it rains in August, it rains honey and wine._
Quando llueve en Febrero, todo el año es tempero. _When it rains in February, it will be temperate all the year._
Quando no dan los campos, no han los santos. _When the fields yield not, the saints have not._
Quando os pedimos, Dueña os decimos; quando os tenemos, como queremos. _When we ask a favour, we say, Madam; when we obtain it, what we please._
Quando pobre, franco; quando rico, avaro. _When poor, liberal; when rich, stingy._
Quando te dieren el anillo, pon el dedillo. _When they offer you a ring, hold out your finger._
Quando te dieren la vaquilla, acude con la soguilla. _When they give you the calf, be ready with the halter._
Quando todos te dijeren que eres asno, rebuzna. _When every one says you are an ass, bray._
Quando una puerta se cierra, ciento se abren. _When one door shuts, a hundred open._
Quando un lobo come á otro, no hay que comer en el soto. _When one wolf eats another, there is nothing to eat in the wood._
Quando uno ne quiere, dos no barajan. _Two cannot fall out if one does not choose._
Quando vieras tu casa quemar, llegate á escalentar. _When thou seest thy house in flames, go warm thyself by it._
Quando zuga el abeja miel torna, y quando el araña ponzoña. _When the bee sucks, it makes honey, when the spider, poison._