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

Part 45

Chapter 454,620 wordsPublic domain

What comes from the fife goes back to the drum (Lightly come, lightly go; or, what is got over the devil’s back is spent under his belly), 11

What comes from the heart, goes to the heart, 176

What comes seldom, comes sharp, 176

What costs little is little esteemed, 123

What costs nothing is worth nothing, 343

What cures Sancho makes Martha sick, 209

What does not happen in a year may happen in a moment, 229

What does not poison, fattens, 123

What does the moon care if the dogs bark at her?, 175

What force cannot do ingenuity may, 229

What God hath joined together let no man put asunder, 175

What harm is there in a good word? It costs nothing, 176

What has horns will gore, 343

What has not been, may be, 123

What I see with my eyes I can guess with my fingers, 229

What is another’s always pines for its master, 229, 294

What is bad for one is good for another, 11

What is bought is cheaper than a gift, 89, 281

What is bred in the bone won’t out of the flesh, 343

What is done cannot be undone, 102, 123, 370

What is done, is done for this time, 229

What is enough was never little, 11

What is got by begging is dearly bought, 351

What is in use, wants no excuse, 229

What is learned in the cradle lasts till the grave, 11

What is long spoken of happens at last (Long looked for comes at last), 333

What is lost in the fire must be sought in the ashes, 309

What is marriage, mother? Daughter, it is spinning, bearing children, and weeping, 281

What is mine is my own; my brother Juan’s is his and mine, 229

What is much desired is not believed when it comes, 229

What is new is always fine, 6

What is no sin, is no shame, 175

What is not taken by the Church is taken by the Exchequer, 176

What is play to the strong is death to the weak, 399

What is right for the one is reasonable for the other, 175

What is said is said, and no sponge can wipe it out, 149

What is sport (or play) to the cat is death to the mouse, 141, 382

What is sweet in the mouth is not always good in the stomach, 358

What is the use of running, when we are not on the right road?, 175

What is too high, that let fly, 175

What is true is not always probable, 36

What is whispered in your ear tell not to your husband, 229

What is worth receiving is worth returning (Give and take), 59

What is wrong to-day won’t be right to-morrow, 343

What! keep a dog and bark myself? 175

What keeps out the cold keeps out the heat, 123

What lay hidden under the snow cometh to light at last, 325

What man has made, man can destroy, 175

What Master Jacky does not learn, Mr. John never knows, 175

What much is worth comes from the earth, 229

What my neighbour eats does my stomach no good, 229

What one does not bake, another brews, 175

What ripens fast does not last, 174

What smarts, teaches, 176

What the abbot of Bamba cannot eat he gives away for the good of his soul, 215

What the child hears at the fireside is soon known at the parish church, 10

What the colt learns in youth he continues in old age, 11 (_See_ What youth learns)

What the eye sees not, the heart craves not, 343

What the eye sees not, the heart rues not, 10, 115, 174

What the eyes see, the heart believes, 175

What the fool does at last the wise man does at first, 229, 290

What the gauntlet wins the gorget consumes, 10

What the lion cannot, the fox can, 175

What the peacock has too little on his head, he has too much on his tail, 175

What the she-wolf does (or brings forth) pleases the he-wolf, 10, 229

What the sober man has in his heart, the drunken man has on his lips, 358

What the sober man thinks, the drunkard tells, 10, 342

What three know everybody knows, 229

What three know will soon be known to thirty, 175

What was hard to bear is sweet to remember, 290

What water gives, water takes away, 263

What we want in hay we make up in straw, 175

What will be, will be, 77

What you can’t have, abuse, 123

What you dislike for yourself do not like for me, 229

What you do, do quickly, 175

What you do, do thoroughly (Age quod agis), 22

What you do yourself is well done, 397

What you _give_, is written in sand; what you _take_, with an iron hand, 177

What you learn to your cost you remember long, 362

What you lend to a friend an enemy sues for, 175

What youth learns age does not forget, 363

Whatever way you take there is a league of bad road, 241

What’s everybody’s business is nobody’s business, 238, 287

What’s of no use is too dear at a gift, 176

What’s the use of putting honey in an ass’s mouth, 176

When a cow is lost it is something to recover its tail, were it only to make a handle for one’s door, 16

When a dog runs away, hit him! hit him!, 65

When a fox is in his hole smoke fetches him out, 262

When a good offer comes for your daughter, don’t wait till her father returns from market, 243

When a man has fallen into the mire, the more he flounders the more he fouls himself, 83

When a man is down everybody runs over him, 179

When a man is in a sack, he must get out at the mouth or at the bottom, 392

When a man is not used to breeches the seams gall him, 250

When a man is rich he begins to save, 178

When a mouse has fallen into a meal sack, he thinks he is the miller himself, 298

When a peasant gets rich, he knows neither relations nor friends, 244

When a thing is done advice comes too late, 2

When a thing is done, make the best of it (Make the best of a bad bargain), 191

When a tree is falling, every one cries, Down with it, 67

When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman, 133, 339

When all other sins are old avarice is still young, 48

When an old dog barks, look out (When the old dog barks, he giveth counsel), 135, 298

When an old man cannot drink, prepare his grave, 244

When anger blinds the eyes truth disappears, 379

When apes climb high they show their naked rumps, 297 (_See_ The higher)

When blind leads blind both fall into the ditch, 178

When bulls fight, woe to the frogs, 291

When cat and mouse agree the farmer has no chance, 391

When eats are mousing they don’t mew, 297

When Christ was alone the devil tempted him, 133

When David grew old he sang pious psalms, 133

When dirt comes to honour it knows not what to be, 392

When drink enters, wisdom departs, 214

When every man gets his own the devil gets nothing, 391

When every one minds his own business the work is done, 391

When every one says you are an ass, bray, 244

When every one sees that you are a pig, why don’t you go into the sty?, 297

When everybody says you are drunk, go to sleep, 123

When flies swarm in March sheep come to their death, 298

When fools go to market, pedlars (or hucksters) make money, 298, 391

When fortune’s chariot rolls easily, envy and shame cling to the wheels, 369

When fortune knocks, open the door, 123, 177

When glory comes, memory departs, 48

When gnats swarm in January the peasant becomes a beggar, 298

When God gives light he gives it for all, 243

When God means to punish a nation, He deprives its rulers of wisdom, 178, 298

When God pleases it rains in fair weather, 243

When God pleases it rains with every wind, 243, 299

When God says To-day, the devil says To-morrow, 178

When God sends flour the devil carries off the sack, 47

When God will not the saints cannot, 122, 243, 298

When gold speaks every tongue is silent, 94

When goods increase the body decreases, 47

When had comes, have is too late, 299

When he was born, Solomon passed by his door, and would not go in, 255

When his head is broken he puts on his helmet, 124

When I have money in my purse, I have food in my mouth, 391

When I was born I wept, and every day brings a reason why, 213

When I’m dead, everybody’s dead, and the pig too, 110

When ill-luck sleeps, let no one wake her, 244

When industry goes out of the door, poverty comes in at the window, 342

When it is God’s will to plague a man, a mouse can bite him to death, 298

When it pours upon the parson, it drops upon the clerk, 391

When it rains in August, it rains honey and wine, 244

When it rains in February, it will be temperate all the year, 244

When it rains porridge the beggar has no spoon, 391

When it thunders, the thief becomes honest, 123

When joy is in the parlour, sorrow is in the passage, 391

When lazy horses begin to start, old women to dance, and white clouds to rain, there is no stopping them, 392

When many shepherds tend the sheep, they but so much the longer sleep, 340

When mistrust enters, love departs, 379

When need is greatest, help is nearest, 178

When neighbours quarrel, lookers-on are more apt to add fuel than water, 401

When nought comes to aught, it does not know itself, 299

When old horses get warm, they are not easily held in, 177

When one door shuts, a hundred open, 244

When one foot stumbles, the other is near falling, 391

When one goose drinks, all drink, 171

When one has not what one likes, one must like what one has, 48

When one is dead, it is for a long while, 48

When one sheep is over the dam, the rest follow, 298

When one wolf eats another, there is nothing to eat in the wood, 245

When (or after) our daughter is married, sons-in-law are plenty, 47, 195

When poor, liberal; when rich, penurious, 244

When poverty (or misfortune) comes in at the door, love flies out at the window, 171, 178

When prosperity smiles, beware of its guiles, 299

When rogues go in procession the devil carries the cross, 122

When shepherds quarrel, the wolf has a winning game, 178

When the ass is too happy he begins dancing on the ice, 297

When the bee sucks, it makes honey, when the spider, poison, 245

When the beer (or wine) goes in the wit goes out, 298, 392

When the blind man carries the banner, woe to those who follow, 47

When the cage is ready the bird is flown, 47

When the calf is drowned they cover the well, 332

When the calf is stolen, the peasant mends the stall, 178

When the cat sleeps, the mice play, 297

When the cat’s away, it is jubilee with the mice, 298

When the cat’s away the mice (or rats) dance, 122

When the cat’s away the mice will play, 1, 178, 261, 292, 391

When the child cuts its teeth, death is on the watch, 244

When the child is christened come godfathers enough, 11

When the cook and the steward fall out we hear who stole the butter, 298

When the cook is roasting for the butler, woe to the master’s wine-cask, 391

When the cord is tightest it is nearest snapping, 392

When the corsair promises masses and candles, it goes ill with the galley, 243

When the crane attempts to dance with the horse she gets broken bones, 393

When the devil finds the door shut he goes away, 46, 200

When the devil gets into the church he seats himself on the altar, 331

When the devil grows old he turns hermit, 47, 102

When the devil says his pater-nosters (or prayers) he means to cheat you, 47, 243

When the dog is awake the shepherd may sleep, 177

When the dog is down, every one is ready to bite him, 297

When the dog is drowning every one brings him water, 47

When the door is low one must stoop, 47

When the fields yield not, the saints have not, 244

When the fool has made up his mind the market is over, 243

When the fox licks his paw let the farmer look after his geese, 392

When the fox preaches, look to the geese, 177

When the fox preaches, take care of yourselves, poultry, 123

When the fox preaches to the goose her neck is in danger, 392

When the fox wants to catch geese, he wags his tail, 177

When the Frenchman sleeps the devil rocks him, 47

When the game is most thriving it is time to leave off, 392

When the goose trusts the fox then woe to her neck, 391

When the guest is in most favour he will do well to quit, 177

When the head aches all the limbs ache, 391

When the head is sick the whole body is sick, 299

When the helm is gone the ship will soon be wrecked, 391

When the hen has laid an egg she cackles, 152

When the host smiles most blandly he has an eye to the guest’s purse, 393

When the husband earns well the wife spins well, 298

When the iron is hot, then is the time to strike, 243

When the jest is at its best, ’twill be well to let it rest, 178

When the lion is dead the hares jump upon his carcase, 122

When the lords come out of the council-house, they are wiser than when they went in, 178

When the manger is empty the horses fight, 392

When the measure is full, it runs over, 179

When the millers are making an uproar, tie up your sacks; 122

When the mouse has had enough (or its fill) the meal is bitter, 298, 392

When the old dog barks he gives counsel, 219, 288

When the pear is ripe, it falls, 122, 178

When the pig has had a bellyful it upsets the trough, 299

When the prior plays cards, what will the monks do?, 243

When the rabbit has escaped, comes advice, 216

When the river makes no noise, it is either dried up or much swollen, 244

When the rooks are silent the swans begin to sing, 351

When the root is worthless, so is the tree, 188

When the sack is full it pricks up its ears, 178, 298

When the shepherd strays, the sheep stray, 297

When the Spaniard sings, he is either mad or has no money, 243

When the spleen increases, the body diminishes, 243

When the stomach is full the heart is glad, 297

When the summer is winter, and the winter summer, it is a sorry year, 244

When the sun shines on thee, thou needest not care for the moon, 122

When the sword is in the mouth you must caress the sheath, 392

When the tale of bricks is doubled, then comes Moses, 178

When the tree falls every one runs to cut boughs (or gather sticks), 342, 393

When the tree is down every one runs to it with a hatchet to cut wood, 88

When the tree is down everybody runs for branches, 47

When the waggon is tilting everybody gives it a shove, 393

When the will is prompt the legs are nimble, 94

When the wine is in the man, the wit is in the can, 342

When the wine is in (or goes in) the wit is (or goes) out, 94, 132, 289, 298, 392

When the wine runs to waste in the cellar, he mends the cask, 191

When the wolf grows old the crows ride him, 298

When the wolf’s ears appear, his body is not far off, 392

When the word is out it belongs to another (or some one else), 177

When the words are said, the holy water is made, 47

When the wound is healed the pain is forgotten, 392

When there are two friends to one purse, one sings, the other weeps, 215

When there is a fire in the neighbourhood carry water to your own house, 123

When there is little bread at table put plenty on your plate, 122

When there is no wind every man is a pilot, 47

When there is nothing the church loses, 123

When there is room in the heart there is room in the house, 378

When they give you the calf be ready with the halter, 244

When they offer you a ring, hold out your finger, 244

When thieves fall out, honest men come to their goods, 342

When thieves fall out, their knaveries (or thefts) come to light, 35, 239, 291, 393

When thine enemy retreateth, make him a golden bridge (For a flying enemy make a silver bridge), 299

When things go well it is easy to advise, 299

When thou seest thy house in flames, go warm thyself by it, 245

When thy neighbour’s house is on fire it’s time to look about thee, 299

When two dogs fight for a bone, the third runs away with it, 299

When two enemies blow one horn, the third will have to suffer for it, 392

When two quarrel both are in the wrong, 302

When two Sundays come together, 191

When we ask a favour we say, Madam; when we obtain it, what we please, 244

When we least expect it, the hare darts out of the ditch, 302

When we think to catch we are sometimes caught, 195

When wine enters modesty departs, 94

When wisdom fails luck helps, 357

When wise men play the fool (or pranks) they do it with a vengeance, 108

When woman reigns, the devil governs, 122

When you are an anvil, bear; when you are a hammer, strike, 243

When you are on the road speak not ill of your enemy, 244

When you are well off, keep as you are, 47

When you can’t get bread, oat-cakes are not amiss, 198

When you can’t get meat chickens and bacon are good, 198

When you eat new bread don’t drink water, 243

When you go to a strange house knock at the door, 244

When you go to dance, take heed whom you take by the hand, 376

When you see the wolf, do not look for his track, 123

When your devil was born, mine was going to school, 122

Where a man feels pain he lays his hand, 302

Where a woman rules the house the devil is serving-man, 188

Where every one goes, the grass never grows, 189

Where force prevails, right perishes, 214

Where friars abound, keep your eyes open, 222

Where friends, there riches, 189, 289

Where ghosts walk, there is loving or thieving, 190

Where God bestows an office, he provides brains to fill it, 177

Where God builds a church the devil builds a chapel, 188

Where gold chinks, arguments are of no avail (Where gold avails, argument fails), 189

Where honour grows a span, folly grows an ell, 174

Where law lacks, honour should eke it out, 357

Where love is, there the eye is, 94

Where luck is wanting, diligence is useless, 214

Where might is master, justice is servant, 189

Where might is right, right is not might, 189

Where misfortune befals injuries follow, 5

Where money and counsel are wanting, it is best not to make war, 379

Where one door is shut another opens, 215

Where poverty comes in at the door, love flies out at the window, 297

Where remedies are needed, sighing avails not, 93

Where shall the ox go, and not have to plough?, 214, 289

Where shall the ox go but he must labour, since he knows how?, 266

Where the bee sucks honey, the spider sucks poison, 342

Where the best wine grows, the worst is drunk, 188

Where the bird was hatched, it haunts, 307

Where the carrion is, there the eagles gather, 378

Where the cock is the hen does not crow, 289

Where the devil cannot put his head he puts his tail, 102

Where the devil can’t go himself, he sends an old woman, 188

Where the dike (or dam) is lowest, the water first runs over, 342

Where the goat is tied she must browse, 44

Where the goat leaps, leaps that which sucks her, 241

Where the hedge is lowest, every one goes over, 94, 188, 342

Where the hedge is lowest men leap over, 44

Where the hedge is lowest, the devil leaps over, 188

Where the hostess is handsome the wine is good, 44

Where the lion’s skin falls short, borrow of the fox, 188

Where the lion’s skin falls short, piece it out with (or join) that of the fox, 93, 94

Where the Pope is, Rome is, 94

Where the river is deepest it makes least noise, 94, 215, 289

Where the sea goes let the sands go, 241

Where the ship goes the brig can go, 94

Where the thread is weakest it breaks, 44

Where the wasp has passed the fly sticks fast, 44

Where the wolf gets one lamb he looks for another, 94, 218, 289

Where there are no dogs the fox is a king, 94

Where there are too many cooks the soup will be too salt (Too many cooks spoil the broth), 94

Where there are too many workmen there is little work, 189

Where there is discipline there is virtue; where there is peace there is plenty, 378

Where there is great love there is great pain, 94

Where there is least heart there is most tongue, 94

Where there is little bread, cut first, 267

Where there is no honour there is no dishonour, 289

Where there is no sore there needs no plaister, 44

Where there is no want of will there will be no want of opportunity, 235

Where there is no wit within, no wit will come out, 357

Where there is not equality there never can be perfect love, 94

Where there is nothing, the king (or emperor) loses his rights, 44, 189, 342

Where there is shame, there is virtue, 189

Where there’s a will there’s a way, 67, 214

Where there’s fire there’s smoke, 214

Where there’s money, there is the devil; but where there’s none, a greater evil, 189

Where there’s no fire there’s no smoke, 276, 289

Where there’s no good within, no good comes out, 302

Where there’s no jealousy, there’s no love, 189

Where there’s no love, all faults are seen, 189

Where there’s no might there’s no right, 289

Where there’s no shame, there’s no honour, 189, 308

Where they eat your meat let them pick the bones, 215

Where two fall out the third wins, 189

Where water has been, water will come again, 189

Where will is right, law is banished, 379

Where wine goes in, modesty goes out, 94, 189

Where you cannot climb over you must creep under, 379

Where you lost your cloak, seek it, 215

Where you smart there I will hit you, 204

Where you tell your secret you surrender your freedom, 267

Where you think there is bacon there are not even hooks for it, 194

Where you were a page be not an esquire, 276

Where your father has been with ink, go not you with a bag (_i.e._ what your father has sold and assigned, think not to recover with a bag of papers. In other words, don’t go to law for it), 215

Where’er an ass is crowned to fame, both town and country bear the shame, 189

Wherever there is a pretty spot, the devil plants a monastery or a lord, 189

Wherever there is mischief, there is sure to be a priest and a woman in it, 189

Wherever you are, do as you see done (When you are at Rome, do as Rome does), 214, 241

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), 241

Whether the pitcher strike the stone, or the stone the pitcher, woe to the pitcher, 256

While the dogs yelp the hare flies to the wood, 390

While the grass is growing the steed starves, 174, 317, 390

While the great bells are ringing no one hears the little ones, 391

While the pot boils friendship blooms, 169

While there’s life there’s hope, 99, 276

Whilst the dogs are growling at each other the wolf devours the sheep, 45

Whilst the grass grows the steed starves, 110, 154

Whilst the nurse suckles we love her; when she is of no further use she is forgotten, 222

Whilst the tall maid is stooping the little one sweeps the house, 232, 276

White hands are no offence, 228

White meal is not got out of a coal-sack, 16

Whither goest thou, misfortune? To where there is more, 194, 276

Whither goest thou, sorrow? Whither I am used to go, 194

Whither shall the ox go where he will not have to plough?, 194, 214, 289

Who accepts nothing has nothing to return, 184

Who accepts, sells himself, 85

Who answers for another, pays, 52

Who are ready to believe are easy to deceive, 183

Who arrays himself in other men’s garments is stripped on the highway, 247

Who avoids small sins does not fall into great ones, 183

Who begins amiss ends amiss, 187

Who blackens others does not whiten himself, 179

Who blows his nose too hard makes it bleed, 50

Who bows to might loses his right, 186

Who builds on the mob builds on sand, 81

Who buys land buys war, 79

Who buys wants a hundred eyes, who sells need have but one, 311

Who can escape envy and blame that speaks or writes for public fame?, 343

Who cannot beat the horse let him beat the saddle, 84

Who cannot fight wins nought by right, 184

Who cannot sing may whistle, 184

Who cannot work out his salvation by heart will not do it by book, 50

Who carries doubtful people to his house will doubtless from his carriage something lose, 187

Who changes country, changes luck, 83

Who changes his condition changes fortune, 83

Who chastises his child will be honoured by him, who chastises him not will be shamed, 344

Who comes first grinds first, 186, 309

Who comes seldom is welcome, 85

Who comes unbidden departs unthanked, 186

Who could live without hope?, 52

Who dangles after the great is the last at table and the first to be cuffed, 85

Who deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceive me twice, shame on me, 183