A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs Comprising French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and Danish, with English Translations and a General Index

Part 21

Chapter 214,135 wordsPublic domain

Si tienes médico amigo, quitale la gorra y envialo á casa de tu enemigo. _If you have a friend who is a doctor, make your bow and send him to the house of your enemy._

Si uno dos y tres te dicen que eres asno, ponte un rabo. _If one, two, three say you are an ass, put on a tail._

Sobre brevas vino bebas. _Drink wine upon figs._

Sobre gusto no ha disputa. _There is no disputing about taste._

Sobre peras vino bebas, y sea tanto que naden ellas. _After stuffing pears within, drink old wine until they swim._

Sobre un huevo pone la gallina. _The hen lays upon an egg._

So el sayal, hay al. _Under the sackcloth there is something hid._

Soltero, pavon; desposado, leon; casado, asno. _Bachelor, a peacock; betrothed, a lion; married, an ass._

So mi manto al rey mando. _Under my cloak I command the king._

Sopla, herrero, ganarás dinero. _Blow, smith, and you’ll get money._

Soplar y sorber no puede junto ser. _One cannot blow and swallow at the same time._

So vayna de oro cuchillo de plomo. _Under a gold sheath a leaden knife._

T.

Tan grande es el yerro como el que yerra. _The fault is as great as he that commits it._

Tantas veces va el cántaro á la fuente, que dexa el asa ó la frente. _The pitcher goes so often to the well, that it leaves its handle or its mouth._

Tanto es Pedro de Dios, que no le medra Dios. _Peter is so godly that God does not improve his condition._

Tanto quiere el diablo á su hijo que le quiebra el ojo. _The devil is so fond of his son that he put out his eye._

Tener á alguno en ascuas. _To keep one upon hot coals._

Tener el pie en dos zapatos. _To have the foot in two shoes._

Tener el seso en los calcañares. _To have one’s brains in one’s heels._

Tener la barriga á la boca. _To have the belly up to one’s mouth._

Tener pelos en el corazon. _To have hairs on his heart._ (_Hard-hearted._)

Tirar coces contra el aguijon. _To kick against the pricks._

Tirar la piedra y esconder la mano. _To throw the stone and conceal the hand._

Todo camino vá á Roma. _Every road leads to Rome._

Todo es nada lo de este mundo, si no se endereza al segundo. _All things of this world are nothing, unless they have reference to the next._

Todo saldrá en la colada. _It will all come out in the soapsuds._

Todos son buenos, y mi capa no parece. _They are all honest men, but my cloak is not to be found._

Tomar la ocasion por los cabellos. _To take opportunity by the forelock._

Tomar las calzas de Villadiego. _To take Villadiego’s boots._ (_To take to your heels._)

Tonto, sin saber latin, nunca es gran tonto. _A fool, unless he know Latin, is never a great fool._

Trabajar para el obispo. _To work for the bishop._ (_Prayers, but no pay._)

Traerlo escrito en la frente. _To have it written on his forehead._

Tragarse un camello, y no poder pasar un mosquito. _To swallow a camel, and strain at a gnat._

Tramontana no tiene trigo, y el hombre pobre no tiene amigo. _A north wind has no corn, and a poor man no friend._

Traspasa el rico las leyes, y es castigado el pobre. _The rich man transgresses the law, and the poor man is punished._

Tras el vicio viene el fornicio. _After one vice a greater follows._

Tras los dias viene el seso. _Sense comes with age._

Tras pared ni tras seto, no digas en secreto. _Do not tell your secrets behind a wall or a hedge._

Trasquilenme en la plaza, y no lo sepan en mi casa. _They may whip me in the market-place, so it be not known at home._

Tres cosas matan al hombre, soles, cenas, y penas. _Three things kill a man: a scorching sun, suppers, and cares._

Tres hijas y una madre, quatro diablos para el padre. _Three daughters and their mother, four devils for the father._

Tripa llena, ni bien huye ni bien pelea. _A full belly is neither good for flight, nor for fighting._

Tripas llevan corazon, que no corazon tripas. _The bowels support the heart, and not the heart the bowels._

Triste es la casa, donde la gallina canta, y el gallo calla. _It goes ill in the house where the hen sings and the cock is silent._

Tu dinero mudo, no lo descubras á ninguno. _Discover not your silent money_ (i. e. _your hoarded money_) _to anybody._

U.

Una cautela con otra se quiebra. _One knavery is met by another._

Una cosa piensa el vayo, y otra el que lo ensilla. _The horse thinks one thing, and his rider another._

Una en el clavo y ciento en la herradura. _One stroke on the nail and a hundred on the horseshoe._

Un agravio consentido, otro venido. _One grievance borne, another follows._

Una golondrina no hace verano. _One swallow does not make a summer._

Una mano lava la otra, y ambas la cara. _One hand washes the other, and both the face._

Un amor saca otro. _One love drives out another._

Un asno entre muchas monas, cocanle todas. _One ass among many monkeys is grinned at by all._

Un cabello hace sombra en el suelo. _A hair casts its shadow on the ground._

Un lobo no muerde á otro. _One wolf does not bite another._

Un loco hace ciento. _One fool makes a hundred._

Uno levanta la caza, y otro la mata. _One starts the game and another bags it._

Uno ojo á la sarten y otro á la gata. _One eye on the frying-pan and the other on the cat._

Unos tienen la fama, y otros cardan la lana. _Some have the fame, and others card the wool._

Un puerco encenagado procura encenagar á otro. _A bespattered hog tries to bespatter another._

Un ruin mientras mas lo ruegan mas se estiende. _The more you court a clown the statelier he grows._

Un solo golpe no derriba á un roble. _An oak is not felled at one blow._

Uso hace maestro. _Practice makes perfect._

V.

Vallestero que mal tira, presto tiene la mentira. _The archer that shoots badly has a lie ready._

Van a misa los zapateros, ruegan a Dios que mueran carneros. _Shoemakers go to mass and pray that sheep may die._

Vanse los gatos, y estiendense los ratos. _When the cat’s away the rats will play._

Vaso malo nunca cae de mano. _A crazy vessel never falls from the hand._

Vaya con Dios, que un pan me lleva. _Go in God’s name, for he takes a loaf of mine._

Vende público y compra secreto. _Sell publicly and buy privately._

Vender gato por liebre. _To sell a cat for a hare._

Vender miel al colmenero. _To sell honey to the beekeeper._

Ventura te dé Dios, hijo, que saber poco te basta. _God give you luck, my son, for little wit must serve your turn._

Ver el cielo por un embudo. _To see the sky through a funnel._

Ver, oir y callar. _See, hear, and hold your tongue._

Verse alguno en calzas prietas. _To find oneself in tight breeches._ (_Ill at ease—we say in tight boots._)

Viejo como la sarna. _As old as the itch._

Viene ventura á quien la procura. _Luck comes to those who look after it._

Viento y ventura poco dura. _Wind and good luck are seldom lasting._

Vino acedo, y tocino añejo, y pan de centeno, sostienen la casa en peso. _Sour wine, old bacon, and rye bread keep a house rich._

Vino que es bueno no ha menester pregonero. _Good wine needs no crier._

Viuda lozana, ó casada, ó sepultada, ó emparedada. _A buxom widow must be married, buried, or cloistered._

Viva quien vence. _Long life to the conqueror._

Vos doña, yo doña, quien botara á porca fora. _You a lady, I a lady, who is to put the sow out of doors?_ (Galician.)

Voz del pueblo es voz de Dios. _The voice of the people is the voice of God._

X.

Xabonar cabeza de asno, perdimiento de xabon. _To lather an ass’s head is only wasting soap._

Y.

Yerba mala no le empece la helada. _Ill weeds are not hurt by the frost._

Yo como tú y tú como yo, el diablo te me dió. _I am like you and you like me, the devil united us._

Yo dueña y vos doncella, quien barrerá la casa? _I mistress and you miss, who is to sweep the house?_

Yo duro y vos duro, quien llevará lo maduro. _I stubborn and you stubborn, who is to carry the load?_

Yo molondron, tu molondrona, cásate conmigo, Antonia. _I a lazy lout, you a lazy lout, marry me, Antonia._

Yo sé que me sé, mas de esto callar me he. _I know what I know, but will say nothing about it._

Z.

Zapatero, á tu zapato. _Shoemaker, stick to your last._

Zorro en zorrera el humo lo echa fuera. _When a fox is in his hole, the smoke fetches him out._

Zurrar á uno la badana. _To thrash one’s jacket._

PORTUGUESE PROVERBS.

A.

A adem, a mulher, e a cabra, he má cousa sendo magra. _A goose, a woman, and a goat, are bad things lean._

A agoa o dá, a agoa o leva. _What water gives, water takes away._

A agoa tudo lava. _Water washes everything._

A amigo naõ encubras teu segredo, que darás causa a perdelo. _Conceal not your secret from your friend, or you deserve to lose him._

A apressada pergunta, vagarosa resposta. _To a hasty question a leisurely answer._

Abaixaõ-se as cadeiras, levantaõ-se as tripeças. _Chairs sink and stools rise._

Abaixaõ-se os muros, levantaõ-se os monturos. _Walls sink and dunghills rise._

A besta comedeira pedras, na cevadeira. _For a voracious beast pebbles in his feed._

A besta que muito anda, nunca falta quem tanja. _The beast that goes well never wants a rider to try its paces._

A boca naõ admitte fiador. _The belly does not accept bail._

A boi velho naõ cates abrigo. _You need not find a shelter for an old ox._

Abraçou-se o asno com a ameixieira, e acharaõ-se parentes. _The ass embraced the thistle, and they found themselves relations._

Abre tua bolsa, abrirei a minha boca. _Open your purse, and I will open my mouth._

A cabra de minha visinha, mais leite dá que a minha. _My neighbour’s goat gives more milk than mine._

A caõ mordido todos o mordem. _All bite the bitten dog._

A carne de lobo dente de caõ. _To wolf’s flesh dog’s teeth._

A casa do amigo rico irás sendo requerido, e a casa do necessitado sem ser chamado. _Go to your rich friend’s house when invited; to your poor friend’s without invitation._

Accommodar o pé ao sapato, e naõ o sapato ao pé. _Fit the foot to the shoe, not the shoe to the foot._

Acenai ao discreto, dai-o por feito. _Give a hint to the man of sense, and consider the thing done._ (_A word to the wise is enough._)

Achaques ao odre, que sabe ao pez. _The wine-skin has its reasons for smelling of pitch._

A chave na cinta faz a mim boa, e á minha visinha. _The key at the girdle keeps me good and my neighbour too._

Achou o cego hum dinheiro. _The blind man has picked up a coin._

Acompanha com os bons, e séras hum delles. _Keep good company and you shall be of the number._

A dor de cabeça minha, e as vaccas nossas. _The headache is mine and the cows are ours._

A espada e o annel, segundo a maõ em que estiver. _The sword and the ring according to the hand that bears them._

A falta do amigo ha de se conhecer, mas naõ aborrecer. _A friend’s fault should be known but not abhorred._

A gallinha aparta-lhe o ninho, e pôr-te-ha o ovo. _Prepare a nest for the hen and she will lay eggs for you._

A gente pobre moeda miuda. _For poor people small coin._

Agoa molle em pedra dura, tanto dá, até que fura. _Soft water constantly striking the hard stone, wears it at last._

Agoa salobra na terra secca he doce. _Brackish water is sweet in a drought._

A homem ventureiro a filha lhe nasce primeiro. _The lucky man has a daughter for his firstborn._

Ainda nao sellamos, ja cavalgamos. _We have not saddled and yet we are riding._

Ainda que a garça voe alta, o falcaõ a mata. _Though the heron flies high the falcon kills it._

Ainda que somos negros, gente somos, e alma temos. _Though we are negroes, we are men, and have souls._

Ainda que teu sabujo he manso, naõ o mordas no beiço. _Though your mastiff be gentle, do not bite his lip._

Alcança quem naõ cança. _Who faints not, achieves._

Alfaiate mal vestido, sapateiro mal calçado. _The tailor ill-dressed, the shoemaker ill-shod._

Alchimia he provada, ter renda, e naõ gastar nada. _It is approved alchemy to have an income and spend nothing._

A lingua longa he sinal de maõ curta. _A long tongue betokens a short hand._

A má lingua, tesoura. _For a bad tongue scissors._

A máo bácoro, boa lande. _To the lean pig a fat acorn._

Amar, e saber naõ póde ser. _To love and be wise is incompatible._

Ama-se a traiçaõ, aborrece-se o traidor. _The treason approved, the traitor abhorred._

A má visinha dá a agulha sem linha. _The bad neighbour gives a needle without thread._

Ameaça muitos, quem affronta hum. _He threatens many who affronts one._

Amigo de bom tempo, muda-se com o vento. _A fair-weather friend changes with the wind._

Amigo de todos, e de nenhum, tudo he hum. _Everybody’s friend or nobody’s friend, is all one._

Amigo quebrado soldará, mas naõ sarará. _Broken friendship may be soldered but can never be made sound._

Amigos e mulas fallecem a duras. _Friends and mules fail us at hard passes._

A mingoa de paõ, boas saõ tortas. _In default of bread, meal cakes are good._

A molher, e a gallinha por andar se perde asinha. _A woman and a hen are soon lost through gadding._

A molher, e a ovelha com cedo a cortelha. _Your wife and sheep early at home._

A molher, e o vidro, sempre estaõ em perigo. _Women and glass are always in danger._

Amor, e senhoria, naõ quer companhia. _Love and lordship like not fellowship._

Amor louco, eu por ti, e tu por outro. _Mad love, I for you and you for another._

Amor naõ tem lei. _Love has no law._

A mórtos, e a idos, naõ ha amigos. _The dead and the absent have no friends._

A mouro morto, graõ lançada. _A great thrust of a lance at a dead Moor._

A muita cautela, damno naõ causa. _Much caution does no harm._

A muita cera queima a igreja. _Too much wax burns the church._

A muita conversaçaõ he causa de menos preço. _Too much familiarity breeds contempt._

Andando ganha a azenha, e naõ estando queda. _By going gains the mill, and not by standing still._

Ande eu quente, ria-se a gente. _Let me go warm and folk may laugh._

Antes a lãa se perca, que a ovelha. _Rather lose the wool than the sheep._

Antes com bons a furtar, que com máos a orar. _Rather go rob with good men than pray with bad._

Antes morto por ladrões, que por couce de asno. _Better be killed by robbers than by the kick of an ass._

Antes que cases, vê o que fazes, porque naõ he nó que desates. _Before you marry reflect, for it is a knot you cannot untie._

Ao agradecido, mais do pedido. _Give a grateful man more than he asks._

Ao homem ousado a fortuna lhe dá a maõ. _To the bold man Fortune holds out her hand._

Ao inimigo, que te vira a espalda, ponte de prata. _Make a silver bridge for a flying enemy._

Ao invejoso emmagrece-lhe o rosto, e incha-lhe o olho. _The envious man’s face grows lean and his eye swells._

Aonde hirá o boi, que naõ lavre, pois que sabe? _Where shall the ox go bid he must labour, since he knows how?_

Ao que faz mal, nunca lhe faltaõ achaques. _He that does ill never wants for excuses._

Ao Rey pertence usar de franqueza, pois tem por certo naõ cahir em pobreza. _It befits the king to be liberal, for he is sure of never falling into poverty._

Aos parvos apparecem os santos. _Saints appear to fools._

A outro perro com esse osso. _Throw that bone to another dog._

A paõ duro, dente agudo. _A sharp tooth for hard bread._

A pedra, e a palavra naõ se recolhe depois de deitada. _A word and a stone once let go cannot be recalled._

A perda, que teu visinho naõ sabe, naõ he perda na verdade. _The loss which your neighbour does not know is no real loss._

A pouco paõ, tomar primeiro. _Where there is little bread, cut first._

Aquella ave he má, que em seu ninho suja. _It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest._

Aquella he bem casada, que naõ tem sogra, nem cunhada. _She is well married who has neither mother-in-law nor sister-in-law._

Aquelle he teu amigo, que te tira do arroido. _He is your friend who gets you out of a scrape._

Aquelles saõ ricos, que tem amigos. _They are rich who have friends._

A quem dizes tua puridade, dás tua liberdade. _Where you tell your secret you surrender your freedom._

A raposa dormida, naõ lhe cahe nada da boca. _Nothing falls into the mouth of a sleeping fox._

Arrenego de grilhões, ainda que sejaõ de ouro. _I hate fetters though they be of gold._

Arrenego de tigelhina de ouro, em que hei de cuspir sangue _I renounce the golden basin in which I have to spit blood._

Arrenego do amigo que come o meu comigo, e o seu comsigo. _I renounce the friend who eats what is mine with me, and what is his own by himself._

Arrufos de namorados saõ amores dobrados. _Lovers’ quarrels are love redoubled._

As molheres, onde estaõ, sobejaõ, e onde naõ estaõ, faltaõ. _Women are supernumerary when present, and missed when absent._

Asno contente vive eternamente. _A contented ass enjoys a long life._

Asno de muitos, lobos o comem. _The ass of many owners is eaten by wolves._

Asno máo, junto de casa corre sem páo. _A dull ass near home trots without the stick._

Asno morto, cevada ao rabo. _The ass dead, the corn at his tail._

Asno, que entra em deveza alhea, sahirá carregado de lenhá. _The ass that trespasses on a stranger’s premises will leave them laden with wood_ (i. e. _cudgelled_).

Asno, que tem fome, cardos come. _The ass that is hungry eats thistles._

As paredes tem ouvidos. _Walls have ears._

Assaz caro compra, quem roga. _He buys very dear who begs._

As sopas, e os amores, os primeiros saõ os melhores. _Of soup and love, the first is the best._

As tripas estejaõ cheias, que ellas levaraõ as pernas. _Let the guts be full, for it is they that carry the legs._

Até á morte, pé forte. _Foot firm till death._

A teu amigo dize-lhe mentira, se te guarda puridade, dize-lhe verdade. _Tell your friend a lie; if he keeps it secret tell him the truth._

A teu amigo ganha-lhe hum jogo, e bebe-o logo. _Win a bet of your friend, and drink it on the spot._

A torto e a direito, nossa casa até ao tecto. _Right or wrong, our house up to the roof._

A verdade, e o azeite andaõ de cima. _Truth, and oil come to the surface._

A viuva rica, com hum olho chora, e com outro repica. _A rich widow weeps with one eye and laughs with the other._

Azeite, vinho e amigo, o mais antigo. _Of oil, wine, and friends, the oldest._

B.

Bácoro fiado, bom inverno, e máo veraõ. _A pig on credit makes a good winter and a bad spring._

Barba remolhada, meia rapada. _A beard lathered is half shaved._

Barriga quente, pé dormente. _The belly warm, the foot at rest._

Beijo-te, bóde, porque has de ser odre. _I kiss thee hide, because thou art to be a wine-bag._

Bem ama, quem nunca se esquece. _He loves well who never forgets._

Bem canta Martha, depois de farta. _Martha sings well when she has had her fill._

Bem canta o Francez, papo molhado. _The Frenchman sings well, when his throat is moistened._

Bem cheira a ganancia, donde quer que vem. _Gain has a pleasant odour, come whence it will._

Bem estou com meu amigo, que come o seu paõ comigo. _I am on good terms with the friend who eats his bread with me._

Bem parece o ladraõ na forca. _The thief becomes the gallows well._

Bem perdido, he conhecido. _A good thing is known when it is lost._

Bem sabe o asno, em cuja casa rosna. _The ass well knows in whose house he brays._

Bem sabe o gato, cujas barbas lambe. _The cat well knows whose beard she licks._

Bem toucada naõ ha mulher feia. _No woman is ugly if she is well dressed._

Bésteiro que mal atira prestes tem a mentira. _The archer that shoots badly has a lie ready._

Bezerrinha mansa todas as vaccas mamma. _The gentle calf sucks all the cows._

Boa he atardança, que assegura. _Good is the delay which makes sure._

Boa meza, máo testamento. _Good table, bad will._

Boas palavras, e máos feitos, enganaõ sisudos, e nescios. _Good words and bad acts deceive both wise and simple._

Boca de mel, coraçaõ de fel. _Mouth of honey, heart of gall._

Bocado comido naõ ganha amigo. _A morsel eaten gains no friend._

Boca fechada, tira-me de baralha. _A shut mouth keeps me out of strife._

Boca que diz sim, diz naõ. _The mouth that says “Yes,” can say “No.”_

Bole com o rabo o caõ, naõ por ti, senaõ pelo paõ. _The dog wags his tail for your bread, not for you._

Bolsa vasia, e casa acabada, faz o homem sisudo, mas tarde. _An empty purse, and a finished house, make a man wise, but too late._

Bom amigo he o gato, senaõ que arranha. _The cat is a good friend, only she scratches._

Bom coraçaõ quebranta má ventura. _A stout heart breaks ill fortune._

Bom entendedor, poucas palavras. _A word to the wise._

Bom principio, he ametade. _Well begun is half done._

Bom saber he calar, até ser tempo de fallar. _It is well to know how to be silent till it is time to speak._

Bons, e máos mantem cidade. _Good and bad make up a city._

Bons costumes, e muito dinheiro, faraõ a meu filho cavalleiro. _Good manners and plenty of money will make my son a gentleman._

Boy que me escornou, em boa parte me deitou. _The ox that tossed me threw me into a good place._

Boy velho, rego direito. _An old ox makes a straight furrow._

Brincai com o asno, dar-vos-ha na barba com o rabo. _Play with an ass, and he will slap your face with his tail._

C.

Cabra manca naõ tem sésta. _The lame goat does not take a siesta._

Cacarear, e naõ pôr ovo. _To cackle and lay no egg._

Cada bofarinheiro louva seus alfinetes. _Every pedlar praises his needles._

Cada cabello faz sua sombra na terra. _Every hair casts its shadow._

Cada carneiro por seu pé pende. _Let every sheep hang by its own leg._

Cada cousa a seu tempo. _Everything has its time._

Cada cuba cheira ao vinho, que tem. _Every cask smells of the wine it contains._

Cada dia tres, e quatro, chegarás ao fundo do sacco. _Three or four daily will bring you to the bottom of the sack._

Cada formiga tem sua ira. _Every ant has its ire._

Cada hum canta como tem graça, e casa como tem ventura. _Every one sings as he has the gift, and marries as he has the luck._

Cada hum colhe, segundo semea. _Every one reaps as he sows._

Cada hum em sua casa he Rei. _Every one is a king in his own house._

Cada hum estenda a perna até onde tem a cuberta. _Every one stretches his leg according to his coverlet._

Cada hum falla como quem he. _Every one speaks as he is._

Cada hum falla da festa, como lhe vai nella. _Every one speaks of the feast as he finds it._

Cada hum se contente com o que Deos lhe dá. _Let every one be content with what God has given him._

Cada hum trate de si, e deixe os outros. _Let every man mind his own business, and leave others to theirs._

Cada hum veja o paõ, que lhe ha de abastar. _Let every man look to the bread upon which he must depend._

Cada mosca faz sua sombra. _Every fly has its shadow._

Cada porco tem seu S. Martinho. _Every pig has its Martinmas._

Cada qual com seu igual. _Every one to his equal._

Cada qual em seu officio. _Every man to his trade._

Cada qual por si, e Deos por todos. _Every one for himself, and God for us all._

Cada qual sabe para seu proveito. _Every one is wise for his own profit._

Cada qual sente o seu mal. _Every one knows where his own shoe pinches him._

Cada terra com seu uso, cada roca com seu fuso. _Every land its own custom, every wheel its own spindle._

Cahir da certã na braza. _Out of the frying-pan into the fire._

Cale o que deo, e falle o que recebeo. _Let the giver be silent and the receiver speak._

Caminha pela estrada, acharás pousada. _Follow the road and you will reach an inn._

Canta Marta depois de farta. _Martha sings well when she has had her fill._

Cantaro que vai muitas vezes á fonte, ou deixa a aza, ou a fronte. _The pitcher that goes often to the well leaves its handle or its spout there._

Caõ de palheiro nem come, nem deixa comer. _A dog in the manger, that neither eats nor lets others eat._

Caõ que lobos mata, lobos o mataõ. _The dog that kills wolves, is killed by wolves._

Caõ que muito ladra, nunca bom para a caça. _The dog that barks much is never good for hunting._

Caõ que naõ ladra, guarda delle. _Beware of the dog that does not bark._

Caõ que muito ladra, pouco morde. _The dog that barks much, bites little._