A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

Henry Bohn

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

PREFACE

While engaged in editing my Handbook of English Proverbs, it occurred to me that a Collection of Foreign Proverbs, arranged in monographs, and brought as far as possible into juxta-position by a General Index, would be an interesting volume, as well to the ordinary reader as to the linguist. And it happened that more than one public writer, in reviewing my Handbook, suggested nearly the same idea, which determined me to realise it as speedily as other engagements would permit.

After a lapse of more than two years, and much patient labour, during intervals of business or hours snatched from repose, I am enabled to present my gleanings to the public, and hope they will not be found deficient of grain.

It will be seen that many of the proverbs are quite new to the English reader, and that others, hitherto supposed to be essentially, if not exclusively, English, are common to several other languages.

A task so various and complicated could not well be executed without aid, nor do I pretend to be master of all the languages included. Accordingly, I sought the assistance of competent scholars, and have great pleasure in here proclaiming my acknowledgments to them. After the groundwork of the volume had been laid by selections from a great variety of sources, an operation in which Mr. W. K. Kelly was my principal collaborateur, I was aided in correcting the Italian by Signor Pistrucci, the Spanish by Señor Yrazoqui and the Chevalier Francisque Michel, the Portuguese by Senhôr Guerra, the Danish by Miss Rowan, and the Dutch by Mr. John van Baalen, of Rotterdam. It seemed to me advisable, to secure all possible accuracy, that each foreign language should be read over by a native of the country.

For the English translations (excepting those from the Danish) I am myself mainly responsible, as, where those already existing did not satisfy me, I generally substituted others. I have, however, been very forbearing towards some pleasant bits of doggerel and alliteration found in early volumes, and have occasionally indulged in similar playfulness of my own. One so deeply immersed in Proverb-lore may, perhaps, be forgiven for having imbibed such a tendency.

In the Index, a single line is often made to represent a whole group, although the several translations may not be exactly the same. That adopted as the key, being the last thought, ought to be the best. The running lines at the top indicate the pages of each of the several languages, so that by a comparison of them with the figures of reference below, it will be easy to see what monograph a proverb belongs to, without actually turning to the page.

HENRY G. BOHN.

August 30, 1857.

FRENCH PROVERBS

A

A barbe de fol apprend-on à raire. On a fool’s beard the barber learns to shave.

A beau demandeur, beau refuseur. Handsomely asked, handsomely refused.

A beau jeu beau retour. One good turn deserves another.

A beau mentir qui vient de loin. He may lie boldly who comes from afar.

A bon appétit il ne faut point de sauce. Hunger is the best sauce.

A bon chat bon rat. To a good cat a good rat.

A bon cheval point d’éperon. Spur not a willing horse.

A bon chien il ne vient jamais un bon os. A good dog never gets a good bone.

Abondance de biens ne nuit pas. Store is no sore.

A bon entendeur demi-mot. A word to the wise.

A bon pêcheur échappe anguille. An eel escapes from a good fisherman.

A bon vin point d’enseigne. Good wine needs no sign.

A brebis tondue Dieu mesure le vent. God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.

Absent le chat, les souris dansent. When the cat’s away the mice will play.

Absent n’est point sans coulpe ni présent sans excuse. Absent, none without blame; present, none without excuse.

A carême-prenant chacun a besoin de sa poële. At shrove-tide every one has need of his frying-pan.

A celui qui a son pâté au four on peut donner de son gâteau. To one who has a pie in the oven you may give a bit of your cake.

A chacun son fardeau pèse. Every one feels his own burden heavy.

A chair de loup sauce de chien. For wolf’s flesh dog sauce.

A chaque fou plaît sa marotte. Every fool likes his bauble.

A chaque jour suffit sa peine. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.

A chaque saint son cierge. To every saint his candle.

A chemin battu ne croît point d’herbe. No grass grows on a beaten road.

Acheter chat en poche. To buy a cat in a poke.

A cheval donné, il ne faut point regarder à la bouche. Look not a gift horse in the mouth.

A chose faite conseil pris. When a thing is done advice comes too late.

A confesseurs, médecins, avocats, la vérité ne cèle de ton cas. From confessors, doctors, and lawyers, do not conceal the truth of your case.

Adieu paniers, vendanges sont faites. Farewell baskets, the vintage is ended.

A dur âne dur aiguillon. For a stubborn ass a hard goad.

A femme avare galant escroc. A covetous woman deserves a swindling gallant.

A force de mal aller tout ira bien. By dint of going wrong all will come right.

A fripon fripon et demi. To a rogue a rogue and a half.

A goupil endormi rien ne lui chet en gueule. Nothing falls into the mouth of a sleeping fox.

A homme hardi fortune tend la main. To a bold man fortune holds out her hand.

Aide-toi, le ciel t’aidera. Help thyself and heaven will help thee.

Aime-moi un peu, mais continue. Love me a little, but love me long.

Aimer et savoir n’ont même manière. To love and to be wise are two different things.

Ainsi dit le renard des mûres, quand il n’en peut avoir: elles ne sont point bonnes. The fox says of the mulberries when he cannot get at them: they are not good at all.

Aisé à dire est difficile à faire. Easy to say is hard to do.

A la chandelle la chèvre semble demoiselle. By candle-light a goat looks like a lady.

A la fin saura-t-on qui a mangé le lard. In the end it will be known who ate the bacon.

A la guerre comme à la guerre. At the wars as they do at the wars.

A l’amour et au feu on s’habitue. One grows used to love and to fire.

A la presse vont les fous. Fools go in throngs.

A la queue gît le venin. In the tail lies the venom.

A l’aventure on met les ”oe]ufs couver. Eggs are put to hatch on chance.

A laver la tête d’un âne on ne perd que le temps et la lessive. To wash an ass’s head is but loss of time and soap. (To reprove a fool is but lost labour.)

A l’impossible nul n’est tenu. No one is bound to do impossibilities.

Aller aux mûres sans crochet. To go mulberry-gathering without a crook.

Aller en vendanges sans panier. To go to the vintage without baskets.

A l’”oe]il malade la lumière nuit. Light is bad for sore eyes.

A l’”oe]uvre on connaît l’ouvrier. The workman is known by his work.

A l’ongle on connaît le lion. You may know the lion by his claw.

A longue corde tire qui d’autrui mort désire. He pulls at a long rope who desires another’s death.

A mal enfourner on fait les pains cornus. Loaves put awry into the oven come out crooked.

A mal pasteur le loup chie laine. An easy shepherd makes the wolf void wool.

A marmite qui bout mouche ne s’attaque. Flies will not light on a boiling pot.

A mauvais chien l’on ne peut montrer le loup. There’s no showing the wolf to a bad dog.

A méchant chien court lien. A vicious dog must be tied short.

A merle soûl cerises sont amères. Cherries are bitter to the glutted blackbird.

Ami de table est variable. A table friend is changeable.

A morceau restif éperon de vin. A restive morsel needs a spur of wine.

Amour de grands, ombre de buisson qui passe bientôt. The friendship of great men is like the shadow of a bush, soon gone.

Amour et seigneurie ne veulent point de compagnie. Love and lordship like no fellowship.

Amour fait moult, argent fait tout. Love does much, money everything.

Amour soumet tout hormis c”oe]ur de félon. Love subdues everything except the recreant’s heart.

Amour, toux, fumée, et argent, ne se peuvent cacher longuement. Love, a cough, smoke, and money, cannot long be hid.

Amour, toux, et fumée, en secret ne font demeurée. Love, a cough, and smoke will not remain secret.

Ane piqué convient qu’il trotte. A goaded ass must trot.

A nouveaux seigneurs nouvelles lois. New lords, new laws.

A nul ne peut être ami qui de soi-même est ennemi. He cannot be a friend to any one who is his own enemy.

A paroles lourdes oreilles sourdes. To rude words deaf ears.

A père avare enfant prodigue. A miserly father makes a prodigal son.

A petite achoison le loup prend le mouton. Upon a slight pretext the wolf takes the sheep.

A petite fontaine boit-on à son aise. At a little fountain one drinks at one’s ease.

A petit mercier, petit panier. A little pack serves a little pedlar.

Après bon vin bon cheval. Good wine makes the horse go.

Après dommage chacun est sage. After mischance every one is wise.

Après la fête on gratte la tête. After a feast a man scratches his head.

Après la pluie le beau temps. After rain fine weather.

Après la mort le médecin. After death the doctor.

Après le fait ne vaut souhait. After the act wishing is in vain.

Après moi le déluge. After me the deluge.

Après perdre perd-on bien. After one loss come many.

Après raire n’y a plus que tondre. After shaving there’s nothing to shear.

A quelque chose malheur est bon. Ill-luck is good for something.

A qui il meschet on lui meffaict. Where misfortune befals injuries follow.

A qui vendez-vous vos coquilles? A ceux qui viennent de Saint Michel. To whom do you offer your shells for sale? To people who come from Saint Michel (where shells abound).

A qui veut rien n’est impossible. Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.

A raconter ses maux souvent on les soulage. By telling our woes we often assuage them.

Argent ard gent. Money burns many.

Argent comptant porte médecine. Ready money works great cures.

Argent emprunté porte tristesse. Money borrowed is soon sorrowed.

Argent est rond, il faut qu’il roule. Money is round, it must roll.

Argent reçu, le bras rompu. The money paid, the workman’s arm is broken.

A Rome comme à Rome. At Rome do as Rome does.

A rude âne rude ânier. For a stubborn ass a stubborn driver.

Assez a qui se contente. He has enough who is content.

Assez demande qui bien sert. Who serves well asks enough.

Assez dort qui rien ne fait. He slumbers enough who does nothing.

Assez écorche qui le pied tient. He flays enough who holds the foot.

Assez gagne qui malheur perd. He gains enough who loses sorrow.

Assez n’y a si trop n’y a. There’s not enough if there’s not too much.

Assez parents, assez tourments. Much kindred, much trouble.

Assez sait qui sait vivre et se taire. He knows enough who knows how to live and keep his own counsel.

Assez tôt se fait ce qui bien se fait. That is done soon enough which is well done.

Assez tôt si assez bien. Soon enough if well enough.

A tard crie l’oiseau quand il est pris. Too late the bird cries out when it is caught.

A toile ourdie Dieu envoie le fil. For a web begun God sends thread.

A tout il y a commencement. Everything must have a beginning.

A tout oiseau son nid est beau. To every bird its nest seems fair.

A tout seigneur tout honneur. To every lord every honour.

A trop acheter n’y a que revendre. For overbuying there’s no help but selling again.

Au battre faut l’amour. By beating love decays.

Au besoin l’on connaît l’ami. A friend is known in time of need.

Au dernier les os. For the last-comer the bones.

Au diable tant de maîtres, dit le crapaud à la herse. To the devil with so many masters, said the toad to the harrow.

Aujourd’hui marié, demain marri. Married to-day, marred to-morrow.

Au long aller petit fardeau pèse. Light burdens borne far become heavy.

Au nouveau tout est beau. What is new is always fine.

Au pays des aveugles les borgnes sont rois. The one-eyed are kings in the land of the blind.

Au petit pourceau Dieu donne bonne racine. God puts a good root in the little pig’s way.

A un pauvre homme sa vache meurt et au riche son enfant. Death takes the poor man’s cow and the rich man’s child.

Au plus débile la chandelle à la main. The weakest must hold the candle.

Au premier coup ne chet pas l’arbre. The tree does not fall at the first stroke.

Au prêter ange, au rendre diable. In borrowing an angel, in repaying a devil.

Au prêter cousin germain, au rendre fils de putain. At borrowing cousin german, at repaying son of a whore.

Aussi tôt meurt veau que vache. As soon dies the calf as the cow.

Autant chemine un homme en un jour qu’un limaçon en cent ans. A man travels as far in a day as a snail in a hundred years.

Autant dépend chiche que large, et à la fin plus davantage. The niggard spends as much as he who is liberal, and in the end more.

Autant de têtes, autant d’avis. So many men, so many minds.

Autant de trous, autant de chevilles. A peg for every hole.

Autant pèche celui qui tient le sac que celui qui met dedans. He sins as much who holds the bag as he who puts into it.

Autant vaut bien battre que mal battre. You may as well give a good beating as a bad one.

Autant vaut bien battu que mal battu. One may as well be well beaten as badly beaten.

Autant vaut être mordu d’un chien que d’une chienne. It is all one whether you are bit by a dog or a bitch.

Autant vaut l’homme comme il s’estime. A man is valued according to his own estimate of himself.

Autre temps, autres m”oe]urs. Other times, other manners.

Aux grands maux les grands remèdes. Desperate ills require desperate remedies.

A vaillant homme courte épée. A short sword for a brave man.

Avec du temps et de la paille les nèfles mûrissent. With time and straw medlars ripen.

Avec un Si on mettrait Paris dans une bouteille. With the help of an If you might put Paris into a bottle.

A vieille mule frein doré. A gilt bridle for an old mule.

A vieux comptes nouvelles disputes. Old reckonings breed new disputes.

Avoir des amis en paradis et en enfer. To have friends both in heaven and hell.

B

Bâton porte paix. A stick is a peacemaker.

Battre le chien devant le lion. To beat the dog in presence of the lion.

Beaucoup de mémoire et peu de jugement. Much memory and little judgment.

Beauté et folie sont souvent en compagnie. Beauty and folly are often companions.

Belle, bonne, riche, et sage, est une femme en quatre étages. Fair, good, rich, and wise, is a woman four stories high.

Belle chose est tôt ravie. Fair things are soon snatched away.

Belle fille et méchante robe trouvent toujours qui les accroche. A fine girl and a tattered gown always find something to hook them.

Belle hôtesse c’est un mal pour la bourse. A handsome hostess is bad for the purse.

Belle promesse fol lie. A fair promise binds a fool.

Besoin fait vieille trotter. Need makes the old woman trot.

Bien embarrassé celui qui tient la queue de la poële. He has enough to do who holds the handle of the frying-pan.

Bien dire fait rire; bien faire fait taire. Saying well causes a laugh; doing well produces silence.

Bien est larron qui larron dérobe. He is a thief indeed who robs a thief.

Bien nourri et mal appris. Well fed but ill taught.

Bien vient à mieux, et mieux à mal. Good comes to better, and better to bad.

Boire et manger, coucher ensemble, c’est mariage, ce me semble. To eat and drink, and sleep together, is marriage, methinks.

Bon avocat, mauvais voisin. A good lawyer is a bad neighbour.

Bon charretier tourne en petit lieu. A good driver turns in a small space.

Bon chien chasse de race. A good dog hunts by instinct.

Bon droit a besoin d’aide. A good cause needs help.

Bon fait voler bas à cause des branches. It is well to fly low on account of the branches.

Bon gaignage fait bon potage. Fat pastures make fat venison.

Bon guet chasse malaventure. Good watching drives away ill-luck.

Bon jour bonne ”oe]uvre. The better day the better deed.

Bonjour lunettes, adieu fillettes. Good morrow spectacles, farewell lasses.

Bon nageur de n’être noyé n’est pas sûr. A good swimmer is not safe against drowning.

Bonne bête s’échauffe en mangeant. A good beast heats with eating.

Bonne epée, point querelleur. A good swordsman is never quarrelsome.

Bonne est la maille qui sauve le denier. ’Tis a good farthing that saves a penny.

Bonne journée fait qui de fol se délivre. He does a good day’s work who rids himself of a fool.

Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée. Good repute is better than a golden belt.

Bon sang ne peut mentir. Good blood will never lie.

Bons mots n’épargnent nuls. Witticisms spare no one.

Bons nageurs sont à la fin noyés. Good swimmers are drowned at last.

Bouche serrée, mouche n’y entre. No flies get into a shut mouth.

Bourdes vrayes ne plaisent jamais. True jokes never please.

Brebis comptées, le loup les mange. Counted sheep are eaten by the wolf.

Brebis qui bêle perd sa goulée. The sheep that bleats loses its mouthful.

Brebis trop apprivoisée de trop d’agneaux est tettée. The sheep that is too tame is sucked by too many lambs.

Bûche tortue fait bon feu. A crooked log makes a good fire.

C

Calomniez, calomniez: il en reste toujours quelque chose. Slander! slander! some of it always sticks.

Cela fait venir de l’eau au moulin. That brings water to the mill.

Celui à bon gage du chat qui en tient la peau. He has a good pledge of the cat who has her skin.

Celui est homme de bien qui est homme de biens. A good man is a man of goods.

Celui gouverne bien mal le miel qui n’en taste et ses doigts n’en lèche. He is a very bad manager of honey who leaves nothing to lick off his fingers.

Celui peut hardiment nager à qui l’on soutient le menton. He may swim boldly who is held up by the chin.

Celui qui est adonné aux dez, le diable le tire par le nez. The devil leads him by the nose who the dice too often throws.

Celui qui est sur les épaules d’un géant voit plus loin que celui qui le porte. He who rides on the giant’s shoulders sees further than he who carries him.

Celui qui tient la queue de la poële risque de se brûler. He that holds the handle of the frying-pan runs the risk of burning himself.

Ce ne sont pas les plus belles qui font les grandes passions. It is not the greatest beauties that inspire the most profound passion.

Ce n’est pas tout que des choux, il faut encore de la graisse. It is not enough to have cabbage, one must have something to grease it.

Ce n’est rien, c’est une femme qui se noye. It is nothing at all, only a woman drowning.

Cent ans bannière, cent ans civière. A hundred years a banner, a hundred years a barrow. ”A very old proverb, signifying the changeful fortunes of great feudal families.]

Cent ans de chagrin ne payent pas un sou de dettes. A hundred years of fretting will not pay a halfpenny of debt.

Cent ans n’est guère, mais jamais c’est beaucoup. A hundred years is not much, but never is a long while.

Cependant le bonhomme n’a pas son sac. But for all that the honest man has not got his purse.

Ce que fait la louve plaît au loup. What the she-wolf does (or brings forth) pleases the he-wolf.

Ce que femme veut Dieu le veut. What a woman wills God wills.

Ce que le gantelet gagne le gorgeret le mange. What the gauntlet wins the gorget consumes.

Ce que l’enfant oit au foyer est bientôt connu jusqu’au moustier. What the child hears at the fireside is soon known at the parish church.

Ce que le sobre tient au c”oe]ur est sur la langue du buveur. What the sober man keeps in his heart is on the tongue of the drunkard.

Ce que moine pense, il ose le faire. What a monk thinks he dares to do.

Ce qu’”oe]il ne voit, au c”oe]ur ne deult. What the eye sees not the heart rues not.

Ce que poulain prend en jeunesse il le continue en vieillesse. What the colt learns in youth he continues in old age.

Ce qui est différé n’est pas perdu. All is not lost that is delayed.

Ce qui nuit à l’un duit à l’autre. What is bad for one is good for another.

Ce qui suffit ne fut jamais peu. What is enough was never little.

Ce qui vient de la flûte s’en retourne au tambour. 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.)

Ce qu’on apprend au berceau dure jusqu’au tombeau. What is learned in the cradle lasts till the grave.

Ce sont les pires bourdes que les vraies. The worst jests are those that are true.

C’est folie de béer contre un four. It is folly to gape against an oven.

C’est folie de faire son médecin son héritier. He is a fool who makes his physician his heir.

C’est folie de faire un maillet de son poing. He is a fool who makes a mallet of his fist.

C’est la cour du roi Petaud, chacun y est maître. Like King Petaud’s court, where every one is master.

C’est la maîtresse-roue qui fait tourner le moulin. It is the master-wheel that makes the mill go round.

C’est le chien de Jean de Nivelle, il s’enfuit quand on l’appelle. He is like Jean de Nivelle’s dog, that runs away when he is called.

C’est le ton qui fait la musique. It is the tone that makes the music.

C’est le valet du diable, il fait plus qu’on ne lui commande. He is the devil’s valet, he does more than he is ordered.

C’est partout comme chez nous. ’Tis everywhere the same as here.

C’est peu que de courir, il faut partir à point. It is not enough to run; one must start in time.

C’est quand l’enfant est baptisé qu’il arrive des parrains. When the child is christened you will have godfathers enough.

C’est toujours la plus mauvaise roue qui crie. The worst wheel always creaks most.