A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

SPANISH PROVERBS

A

Abad avariento por un bodigo pierde ciento. A coveteous abbot for one offering loses a hundred.

Abad de Carçuela, comistes la olla, pedis la caçuela. Abbot of Carçuela, you eat up the pot and ask for the pipkin.

Abajanse los adarves y alzanse los muladares. Walls sink and dunghills rise.

A barba de necio aprenden todos á rapar. On a fool’s beard all learn to shave.

Abiendo escalera por do bajar, buscais soga para os colgar. With a staircase before you, you look for a rope to go down by.

Abrenuncio Satanas, mala capa llevarás. Renounce the devil, and thou shalt wear a shabby cloak.

A buen compañon buena compañia. For a good companion good company.

A buey haron poco le presta el aguijon. A lazy ox is little the letter for the goad.

A buey viejo no le cates abrigo. No need to seek shelter for an old ox.

A cabo de cien años todos seremos calvos. A hundred years hence we shall all be bald.

A cada malo su dia malo. To every evil doer his evil day.

A cada necio agrada su porrada. Every fool is pleased with his bauble.

A calças cortas abugeta largas. Short hose must have long points.

A carne de lobo, diente de perro. To wolf’s flesh dog’s tooth.

A casa de tu hermano no irás cada serano. Go not every evening to your brother’s house.

A casa de tu tia, mas no cada dia. Go to your aunt’s house, but not every day.

A cavallo comedor cabedro corto. A short halter for a greedy horse.

A cavallo dado no le miren el diente. Look not a gift horse in the mouth.

A celada de bellacos, mejor es el hombre por los pies que por los manos. At an ambuscade of villains a man does better with his feet than his hands.

Achaques al viernes por no le ayunar. Friday pretexts for not fasting (meaning pleas of indisposition for not eating fish).

A chico pajarillo, chico nidillo. Little bird, little nest.

A clérigo hecho de fraile, no le fies tu comadre. Trust not your gossip to a priest who has been a friar.

A cuentas viejas, barajas nuevas. Old reckonings make new disputes.

Acuestate sin cena, y amanecerás sin deuda. Go to bed supperless and you will wake without debt.

A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando. Praying to God and hitting with the hammer.

A Dios te doy, libreta, bevida, y por hilar. God take you, pound (of flax), drunk out and not yet spun.

A dos pardales en una espiga nunca hay liga. Two sparrows on one ear of corn never agree.

Adó pensas que hay tocinos, no hay estacas. Where you think there is bacon, there are not even hooks for it.

Adó sacan y non pon, presto llegan al hondon. Always taking out and never putting in, soon reaches the bottom.

Adonde vas, mal? Adonde mas hay. Whither goest thou, misfortune? To where there is more.

Adonde yrá el buey, que no are? Whither shall the ox go where he will not have to plough?

Adó vas, duelo? Adó suelo. Whither goest thou, sorrow? Whither I am used to go.

A fuer de Aragon, buen servicio, mal galardon. According to the custom of Aragon, good service, bad guerdon.

Agora que tengo oveja y borrego, todos me dizen: En hora buena estais, Pedro. Now that I have an ewe and a lamb, every one says to me: Good morrow, Peter.

A gran salto, gran quebranto. A great leap gives a great shake.

Agua passada no muele molino. Water past will not turn the mill.

A hija casada salen nos yernos. When our daughter is married sons-in-law are plenty.

Ahorrar para la vejez, ganar un maravedi y bever tres. To save for old age, earning a maravedi and drinking three.

A idos de mi casa, y que quereis con mi muger? no hay que responder. There is no answer for Get out of my house, and What have you to do with my wife?

Alábate, cesto, que venderte quiero. Praise yourself, basket, for I want to sell you.

A la boda de Don Garcia lleva pan en la capilla. Carry bread in your hood to Don Garcia’s wedding.

A la burla, dejarla quando mas agrada. Leave the jest at its best.

A la cabeça, la comida la endereça. Eating sets the head to rights.

Al agradecido, mas de lo pedido. To the grateful man give more than he asks.

A la longa el galgo á la liebre mata. In the long run the greyhound kills the hare.

A la luna el lobo al asno espulga. The wolf picks the ass’s fleas by moonlight.

A la muger y á la picaza, lo que dirias en la plaza. To a woman and a magpie tell your secrets in the marketplace.

A la primera azadonada quiere sacar agua. He expects to find water at the first stroke of the spade.

A las barbas con dineros honra hacen los caballeros. To beards with money cavaliers pay respect.

A las burlas así ve á ellas que no se salgan de veras. Jest so that it may not turn to earnest.

Al asno muerto, la cebada al rabo. The ass dead, the barley at his tail.

A las malas lenguas, tixera. For evil tongues, scissors.

A las veces do cazar pensamos, cazados quedamos. When we think to catch we are sometimes caught.

A las veces lleva el hombre á su casa con que llore. A man may hap to bring home with him what makes him weep.

A la vulpeja dormida, no le cae nada en la boca. Nothing falls into the mouth of a sleeping fox.

Al buen pagador, no le duelen prendas. A good paymaster needs no security.

Alcança, quien no cansa. He who does not tire, achieves.

Al desdichado poco le vale ser esforzado. It little avails the unfortunate to be brave.

Alegrias, antruejo, que mañana serás ceniza. Be merry, Shrovetide, for to-morrow thou wilt be ashes.

Al enemigo, si vuelve la espalda, la puente de plata. Make a bridge of silver for the flying enemy.

Al enhornar se tuerce el pan. It is in putting it into the oven that the loaf is made crooked.

Al envidioso afilásele el gesto y crécele el ojo. The envious man’s face grows sharp and his eyes big.

Al fin se canta la Gloria. At the end the Gloria is chanted.

Al gato por ser ladron, no le eches de tu mansion. Don’t send away your cat for being a thief.

Algo va de Pedro á Pedro. There is some distance between Peter and Peter.

Algun dia mande tanto Pedro como su amo. Some day Peter will command as much as his master.

Al gusto dañado lo dulce le es amargo. To a depraved taste sweet is bitter.

Al hacer temblar, y al comer sudar. To shiver at work, and sweat at meals.

Al hijo de tu vezina quítale el mico, y cásale con tu hija. Wipe the nose of your neighbour’s son, and marry him to your daughter.

Al hombre bueno, no le busques abolengo. Ask not after a good man’s pedigree.

Al hombre osado, la fortuna le da la mano. To the bold man fortune gives her hand.

Al hombre venturero, la hija le nace primero. The lucky man has a daughter for his first-born.

Allá va la lengua, do duele la muela. The tongue goes where the tooth aches.

Allá van leyes, do quieren reyes. Laws go the way kings direct.

Al lavar saldrá la mancilla. The spot will come out in the washing.

Allá vayas, mal, adó te pongan buen cabeçal. Away with thee, sickness, to where they make a good pillow for thee.

Allegador de la ceniza y deramador de la harina. He gathers up ashes and scatters flour.

Allégate á los buenos, y serás uno dellos. Associate with the good, and you will be one of them.

Al llamado de quien le piensa viene el buey á la melena. The ox comes to the yoke at the call of his feeder.

Al loco y al toro, darles corro. Make way for a madman and a bull.

Al mas ruin puerco la mejor bellota. The worst pig gets the best acorn.

Al médico, confesor, y letrado, no le hayas engañado. Deceive not thy physician, confessor, or lawyer.

Al mozo mal mandado, ponle la mesa, y embiale al recado. If you have a loitering servant, set his dinner before him and send him on an errand.

A lo que puedes solo, no esperes á otro. Expect not at another’s hand what you can do by your own.

A los bobos se les aperece la Madre de Dios. The Mother of God appears to fools.

A los osados, ayuda la fortuna. Fortune aids the bold.

Al perro flaco, todo es pulgas. The lean dog is all fleas.

Al puerco gordo, untarle el rabo. To grease the fat pig’s tail.

Al que cueze y amasa no le hurtar hogaça. Do not steal a loaf from him that kneads and bakes.

Al que dá el capon, dale la pierna y el alon. To him who gives you a capon you may spare a leg and a wing.

Al que mal hace, nunca le falta achaque. The wrong doer is never without a pretext.

Al que tiene muger hermosa, ó castillo en frontera, ó viña en carrera, nunca le falta guerra. He who has a handsome wife, a castle on the frontier, or a vineyard on the roadside, is never without war.

Al que yerra, perdónale una vez, mas no despues. Him who errs, forgive once, but never twice.

Alquimia provada, tener renta y no gastar nada. It is approved alchemy to have an income and spend nothing.

Al raton que no tiene mas que un agujero, presto le cogen. The rat that has but one hole is soon caught.

Al toro y al aire, darles calle. Don’t stop the way of a bull or of a current of air.

Al villano dadle el pie, y tomarse ha la mano. Give a clown your foot, and he’ll take your hand.

Al yerno y al cochino, una vez el camino. To a son-in-law and a hog you need show the way but once.

Ama á quien no te ama, responde á quien no te llama, correrás carrera vana. Love one that does not love you, answer one that does not call you, and you will run a fruitless race.

A maa veziña da agulla sin liña. The bad neighbour gives a needle without thread. (Galician.)

A madrina, que eso yo me lo sabia. Hush, brideswoman, I knew all that before.

A mal ñudo mal cuño. To a hard knot a hard wedge.

A maravedi de pleyto, real de papel. A lawsuit for a maravedi consumes a real’s worth of paper.

A Mari Ardida nunca le falta mal dia, á Mari Monton Dios se lo da, y Dios se le pon. Mary Busybody never wants a bad day, and Hilary Drone has God to give and bring to her.

Amar y saber, no puede ser. To love and be wise is impossible.

Ama, soys ama mientras el niño mama, y despues no nada. Nurse, you are mistress whilst the child sucks, and after that nothing.

A mengua de carne, buenos son pollos con tocino. When you can’t get meat, chickens and bacon are good.

A mengua de pan, buenas son tortas. When you can’t get bread, oat-cakes are not amiss.

Amigo del buen tiempo mudará con el viento. A fair-weather friend changes with the wind.

Amigo de pleitos, poco dinero; amigo de médicos, poca salud; amigo de frailes, poca honra. Fond of lawsuits, little wealth; fond of doctors, little health; fond of friars, little honour.

Amigo do todos y de ninguno todo es uno. Everybody’s friend and nobody’s friend is all one.

Amigo quebrado, soldado, mas nunca sano. Friendship broken may be soldered, but never made whole.

Amigo reconciliado, enemigo doblado. A reconciled friend is a double enemy.

Amigos y mulas fallescen á as duras. Friends and mules fail in hard trials. (Galician.)

Amistad de yerno, sol de invierno. A son-in-law’s friendship is a winter’s sun.

Amor de niño, agua en cesto. A boy’s love is water in a sieve.

Amor de padre, que todo lo otro es aire. A father’s love, for all other is air.

Amores nuevos olvidan viejos. New loves drive out the old.

Amores, dolores y dineros no pueden estar secretos. Love, grief, and money cannot be kept secret.

Amor fa molt, argent fa tot. Love does much, money does all. (Catalan.)

Amor loco, yo por vos, y vos por otro. Mad love – I for you, and you for another.

A moro muerto gran lanzada. A great lance-thrust to a dead Moor.

A mucho hablar, mucho errar. Much talking, much erring.

A muertos y á idos no hay mas amigos. The dead and the absent have no friends.

A muger mala poco le aprovecha guarda. There is little use in watching a bad woman.

A mula vieja cabezadas nuevas. New trappings to an old mule.

Andando gana la hazeña, que no estándose queda. The mill gains by going, and not by standing still.

Andando y hablando, marido, á la horca. Talk as you go, husband, to the gallows.

Andar á caza con huron muerto. To go rabbit catching with a dead ferret.

Andeme yo caliente, y riase la gente. Let me go warm, and folks may laugh.

Animo vence en guerra, que no arma buena. It is courage that vanquishes in war, and not good weapons.

Ante la puerta del rezador, nunca eches tu trigo al sol. Never spread your corn to dry before the door of a saintly man.

Antes de casar, ten casas en que morar, y tierras en que labrar, y viñas en que podar. Before you marry, have a house to live in, fields to till, and vines to cut.

Antes de la hora gran denuedo; venidos al punto, venidos al miedo. Before the time great courage; when at the point, great fear.

Antes de mil años todos seremos calvos. In less than a thousand years we shall all be bald.

Antes di que digan. Say before they say. (Tell your own story first.)

Antes moral que almendro. Rather mulberry than almond. (The almond-tree is in blossom earlier than the mulberry.)

Antes que cases, mira que haces, que no es ñudo que deshaces. Before you marry, beware, for it is a knot difficult to untie.

Antes toman al mentiroso que al cojo. The liar is sooner caught than the cripple.

A olla que hierve, ninguna mosca se atreve. No flies light on a boiling pot.

A otro perro con ese hueso. Throw that bone to another dog.

A padre guardador, hijo gastador. After a thrifty father, a prodigal son.

A palabras locas orejas sordas. To mad words deaf ears.

A pan duro diente agudo. A sharp tooth for hard bread.

A pobreza no hay vergüenza. Poverty is no sin.

A poca barba, poca vergüenza. Little beard, little modesty.

Aprendiz de Portugal, no sabe cozer y quiere cortar. A Portuguese apprentice who can’t sew, yet would be cutting out.

A presurosa demanda espaciosa respuesta. To a hasty demand a leisure reply.

A puerta cerrada, el diablo se vuelve. When the devil finds the door shut, he goes away.

A puerta de cazador nunca gran muladar. There is never a great dunghill at a sportsman’s door.

A puñadas entran las buenas hadas. Good luck makes its way in by elbowing.

Aquel es tu amigo que te quita de ruido. He is your friend who gets you out of a fray.

Aquella ave es mala, que en su nido caga. It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.

Aquella es bien casada, que no tiene suegra ni cuñada. She is well married who has neither mother-in-law nor sister-in-law.

Aquellos son ricos que tienen amigos. They are rich who have friends.

Aquel pierde venta que no tiene que venda. He loses his market who has nothing to sell.

A quien dan, no escoge. Beggars must not be choosers.

A quien dices tu puridad, á ese das tu libertad. You surrender your freedom where you deposit your secret.

A quien Dios quiere bien, la perra le pare lechones. Whom God loves, his bitch litters pigs.

A quien hace casa, ó se casa, la bolsa le quede rasa. He who builds a house, or marries, is left with a lank purse.

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. God helps the early riser.

A quien miedo le han, lo suyo le dan. He who is feared gets more than his own.

A quien no le basta espada y corazon, no le bastarán corazas y lanzon. For whom sword and courage are not enough, corslet and lance will not be enough.

A quien no le sobra pan, no crie can. Who has no bread to spare should not keep a dog.

A quien no mata puerco, no le dan morcilla. They who don’t kill pigs must not expect black-puddings.

A quien no tiene nada, nada le espanta. Who has nothing, fears nothing.

A quien tiene buena muger, ningun mal le puede venir, que no sea de sufrir. He who has a good wife can bear any evil.

A quien tiene mala muger, ningun bien le puede venir, que bien se puede decir. He who has a bad wife can expect no happiness that can be so called.

A quien vela, todo se le revela. To him that watches, everything is revealed.

Ara bien y hondo, cogerás pan en abondo. Plough deep and you will have plenty of corn.

Ara por enjuto ó por mojado, no besarás á tu vecino en el rabo. Plough wet or dry, and you will not have to kiss your neighbour’s breech.

Arco siempre armado, ó flojo ó quebrado. The bow that is always bent slackens or breaks.

Arde verde por seco, y pagan justos por pecadores. The green burns for the dry, and the righteous pay for sinners.

Ares, no ares, renta me pagues. Plough or not plough, you must pay your rent.

A rio revuelto, ganancia de pescadores. It is good fishing in troubled waters.

Armas y dineros buenas manos quieren. Arms and money require good hands.

Arremángose mi nuera, y trastornó en el fuego la caldera. My daughter-in-law tucked up her sleeves, and upset the kettle into the fire.

Arrieros somos, y en el camino nos encontraremos. We are both carriers, and shall meet on the road.

A salvo está el que repica. He is in safety who rings the tocsin.

Así acontescen cosas récias, como ir á la plaza y venir sin orejas. Such awkward things will happen as going into the great square and coming back without ears.

Así dijó la zorra á las uvas, no pudiendolas alcazar, que no estarvan maduras. The grapes are sour, said the fox when he could not reach them.

Así está el pages entre dos advocats como el pagel entre dos gats. A peasant between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats. (Catalan.)

Así me decis que en el monte hay lobos, y en el valle raposos. So you tell me there are wolves on the mountain, and foxes in the valley.

Asna con pollino no va derecha al molino. An ass with her colt goes not straight to the mill.

Asno con oro alcánzalo todo. The golden ass passes everywhere.

Asno de muchos, lobos le comen. The ass of many owners is food for wolves.

Asno sea quien á asno vocea. An ass let him be who brays at an ass.

Assaz puede poco, quien no amenaza á otro. He can do but little who cannot threaten another.

A su amigo el gato siempre le deja señalado. The cat always leaves her mark upon her friend.

A tí lo digo, hijuela; entiéndelo tú, mi nuera. I say it to you, daughter; hear it, daughter-in-law.

A todo hay maña, sino á la muerte. There is a remedy for everything but death.

A tu amigo dile la mentira; si te guardare poridad, dile la verdad. Tell your friend a lie; and if he keeps it secret, tell him the truth.

A tu amigo gánale un juego, y bévele luego. Win a game of your friend, and drink the money on the spot.

A tu criado no le hartes de pan, no pedirá queso. Do not stuff your servant with bread, and he won’t ask for cheese.

A tuerto ó á derecho, ayude Dios á nuestro concejo. Right or wrong, God aid our purpose.

A tuerto ó á derecho, nuestra casa hasta al techo. Right or wrong, ’tis our house up to the roof.

A tu hijo, buen nombre y oficio. To your son give a good name and a trade.

Aun no asamos, é ya empringamos. We are not yet roasting, and already we make sops in the pan.

Aun no ensillamos, é ya cavalgamos. We have not yet saddled, and are already mounted.

Aunque el decidor sea loco, el escuchador sea cuerdo. Though the speaker be a fool, let the hearer be wise.

Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona so queda. A monkey remains a monkey, though dressed in silk.

Aunque manso tu sabueso, no le muerdas en el bezo. Though your bloodhound be gentle, don’t bite him on the lip.

Aunque me veis con este capote, otro tengo en el monte. Though you see me with this coat, I have another up the mountain.

Aunque mi suegro sea bueno, no quiero perro con concerro. Though my father-in-law is a good man, I do not like a dog with a bell.

Aunque seas prudente viejo, no desdeñes el consejo. Though you are a prudent old man, do not despise counsel.

A un traidor dos alevosos. Two false men to one traitor.

Ausencia enemiga de amor; quan lejos de ojo, tan lejos de corazon. Absence is a foe to love; away from the eyes, away from the heart.

A vaca que no come con os bois, ó come ante, ó come despois. The cow that does not eat with the oxen, either eats before or after them. (Galician.)

Ave con cuchar nunca entre en tu corral. Let no shovel-beaked bird ever enter your yard.

Ave muda no hace agüero. A mute bird makes no omen.

A volpe va por o millo e non come, mas dalle con o rabo e sacode. The fox goes through the corn and does not eat, but brushes it down with his tail. (Galician.)

Aya cebo en el palomar, que palomas ellas se vernán. Let there be food in the pigeon-house, and the pigeons will come to it.

Ayer vaquero, hoy caballero. Yesterday a cowherd, to-day a cavalier.

Ay te duele, ay te daré. Where you smart there I will hit you.

Ay ten a gallena os ollos do ten os ovos. The hen’s eyes are where her eggs are. (Galician.)

Ayudándose tres, para peso de seis. Three who help each other are as good as six.

Azotan á la gata, si no hila nuestra ama. They whip the cat, if our mistress does not spin.

Azotenme en la plaza, que no lo sepan en mi casa. Let them whip me in the market-place, provided it be not known at home.

B

Barba bien remojada, medio rapada. A beard well lathered is half shaved.

Barriga caliente, pie dormiente. The paunch warm, the foot sleepy.

Barro y cal encubran mucho mal. Clay and lime conceal much evil.

Bel hombre no es todo pobre. A handsome man is not quite poor.

Bendita aquella casa que no tiene corona rapada. Happy the home in which there is no shaven crown.

Bien ama quien nunca olvida. He loves well who never forgets.

Bien cuenta la madre, mejor cuenta el infante. The mother reckons well, but the child reckons better.

Bien merca á quien no dicen hombre bestia. He buys well who is not called a donkey.

Bien ó mal, casado me han. For letter for worse they have married me.

Bien perdido y conocido. A good thing lost is a good thing valued.

Bien predica quien bien vive. He preaches well who lives well.

Bien sabe el asno en cuya cara rebuzna. The ass knows well in whose face he brays.

Bien sabe el huego cuya capa quema. The fire well knows whose cloak burns.

Bien sabe el sabio que no sabe, el nescio piensa que sabe. The wise knows that he does not know; the ignoramus thinks he knows.