A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

Bien sabe la vulpeja con quien trebeja. The fox knows well with whom he plays tricks.

Bien sé lo que digo quando pan pido. I know well what I say when I ask for bread.

Bien vengas, mal, si vienes solo. Welcome, misfortune, if you come alone.

Bocado comido no gana amigo. A morsel eaten selfishly does not gain a friend.

Boca que dice de sí, dice de no. The mouth that says yes says no.

Bofeton amagado, nunca bien dado. A buffeting threatened is never well given.

Buen abogado, mal vecino. A good lawyer, a bad neighbour.

Buena es la gallina que otro cria. Good is the fowl which another rears.

Buena fama hurto encubre. A good name covers theft.

Buen amigo es el gato, sino que rascuña. The cat is friendly, but scratches.

Buenas palabras y ruines hechos engañan sabios y locos. Good words and bad deeds deceive both wise and simple.

Buena vida arrugas tira. A good life defers wrinkles.

Buen corazon quebranta mala ventura. A good heart breaks bad fortune.

Buen jubon me tengo en Francia. I have a good jacket in France.

Bueno, bueno, bueno, mas guarde Dios mi burra de su centeno. Good, good, good, but God keep my ass out of his rye.

Buen principio, la mitad es hecho. Well begun is half done.

Buen siglo haya quien dijó bolta. Blessings on him that said, Face about.

Buey viejo, sulco derecho. An old ox makes a straight furrow.

Burla burlando vase el lobo al asno. All in the way of joke the wolf goes to the ass.

Burlaos con el asno, daros ha en la cara con el rabo. Play with an ass and he will flirt his tail in your face.

Burlaos con el loco en casa, burlará con vos en la plaza. Play with the fool at home, and he will play with you abroad.

Burlas de manos, burlas de villanos. Manual jokes are clowns’ jokes.

Buscais pan de trastrigo. You want better bread than wheaten.

Buscar cinque pies al gato. To look for five feet in a cat.

C

Cabra coja no quiere siesta. A lame goat will not sleep by day.

Cacarrear, y no poner huevo. To cackle and lay no egg.

Cada buhonero alaba sus agujas. Every pedlar praises his own needles.

Cada cabello hace su sombra. Every hair casts its shadow.

Cada carnero de su pie cuelga. Let every sheep hang by its own foot. (Every man should support himself, and not hang upon another.)

Cada cosa en su tiempo, y nabos en Adviento. Everything in its season, and turnips in Advent.

Cada cuba huele al vino que tiene. Every cask smells of the wine it contains.

Cada gallo canta en su muladar. Every cock crows on his own dunghill.

Cada ollero su olla alaba, y mas si la trae quebrada. Every potter praises his pot, especially if cracked.

Cada qual siente el frio como anda vestido. Every one feels the cold according as he is clad.

Cada uno cuenta de la feria como le va en ella. Every one speaks of the fair as he himself finds it.

Cada uno en su casa, y Dios en la de todos. Every one in his own house, and God in all men’s.

Cada uno es hijo de sus obras. Every man is the son of his own works.

Cada uno estiende la pierna como tiene la cubierta. Every one stretches his legs according to the length of his coverlet. (Cut your coat according to your cloth.)

Cada uno estornuda como Dios le ayuda. Every one sneezes as God pleases.

Cada uno por sí, y Dios por todos. Every one for himself, and God for us all.

Cada uno quiere llevar el agua á su molino, y dejar en seco el del vecino. Every one wishes to bring water to his own mill, and leave his neighbour’s dry.

Cada uno sabe donde le aprieta el zapato. Every one knows where his shoe pinches him.

Cae en la cueva el que otro á ella lleva. He falls into the pit who leads another into it.

Caldo de tripas, bien te repicas. Tripe broth, you make much of yourself.

Caldo de zorra que está frio y quema. Fox’s broth, cold and scalding.

Callar y ojos, tomaremos la madre y los pollos. Silence and look out, we shall catch both hen and chicks.

Campana cascada, nunca sana. A cracked bell will never be sound.

Can que madre tiene en villa, nunca buena ladrilla. The dog that has its bitch in town never barks well.

Cantarillo que muchas veces va á la fuente, ó deja el asa ó la frente. The pitcher that goes often to the well leaves either its handle or its spout.

Cantar mal y porfiar. To sing out of tune and persist in it.

Capon de ocho meses para mesa de rey. A capon eight months old is fit for a king’s table.

Cara de beato, y uñas de gato. A devotee’s face, and a cat’s claws.

Caro cuesta el arrepentir. Repentance costs dear.

Casa el hijo quando quisieres, y la hija quando pudieres. Marry your son when you will, and your daughter when you can.

Casa hospidada, comida y denostada. A house filled with guests is eaten up and ill spoken of.

Casa labrada y viña plantada. A house ready built and a vineyard ready planted.

Casarás y amansarás. Marry and grow tame.

Casarme quiero, comeré cabeza de olla, y sentarme he primero. I’ll marry, and eat the prime of the pot, and sit down first.

Castiga al que no es bueno, y aborrecerte ha luego. Chastise one that is worthless, and he will presently hate you.

Castillo apercebido no es decebido. A fortress on its guard is not surprised.

Cayósele el pan en la miel. His bread fell into the honey.

Cien sastres, cien molineros, y cien texederos son trecientos ladrones. A hundred tailors, a hundred millers, and a hundred weavers, are three hundred thieves.

Cierra tu puerta, y harás tu vecina buena. Shut your door, and you will make your neighbour a good woman.

Cobra buena fama, y échate á dormir. Get a good name, and go to sleep.

Cobre gana cobre, que no huesos de hombre. Copper begets copper, and not (the labour of) men’s bones. (So money gets money.)

Coces de yegua, amores para el rocin. The mare’s kicks are caresses to the horse.

Combida á tu yerno á la gallina, que él llevará la lima. Invite your son-in-law to a fowl, and he will take away the lemon.

Comer y rascar, todo es empezar. To eat and to scratch one has but to begin.

Como canta el abad, responde el sacristan. As the abbot sings the sacristan responds.

Como costal de carbonero, malo de fuera, peor de dentro. Like a collier’s sack, bad without and worse within.

Compuesta no hay muger fea. No woman is ugly when she is dressed.

Con agena mano sacar la culebra del horado. To draw the snake out of the hole with another’s hand.

Con agua pasada no muele molino. The mill does not grind with water that has passed.

Con dineros no te conocerás, sin dineros no te conocerán. With money you would not know yourself, without money nobody would know you.

Con el Rey y con la Inquisicion, chitos! About the King and the Inquisition, hush!

Con hijo de gato no se burlan los ratones. Rats do not play tricks with kittens.

Con lo que Sancho cura, Marta cae mala. What cures Sancho makes Martha sick.

Con mal está la casa donde la rueca manda al espada. It fares ill with the house where the spinning-wheel commands the sword.

Con todo el mondo guerra, y paz con Inglaterra. War with all the world, and peace with England.

Con una cautela otra se quiebra. One trick is met by another.

Con un poco de tuerto llega el hombre á su derecho. With a little wrong a man comes by his right.

Coraçon determinado no sufre ser aconsejado. A determined heart will not be counselled.

Cornudo sois, marido: muger, y quien te lo dijo? Husband, you are a cuckold: wife, who told you so?

Cortesía de boca mucho vale y poco cuesta. Lip courtesy avails much and costs little.

Cosa mala nunca muere. A bad thing never dies.

Cosa que no se venda, nadie la siembra. Nobody sows a thing that will not sell.

Costumbre buena, costumbre mala, el villano quiere que vala. Be a custom good or bad, a peasant will have it continue in force.

Costumbre hace ley. Custom becomes law.

Crea el cuervo, y sacarte ha los ojos. Foster a raven and it will peck out your eyes.

Criatura de un año saca la leche del calcano. A child of a year old sucks milk from the heel.

Cuidado ageno de pelo cuelga. Another’s care hangs by a hair.

Cuidados agenos matan el asno. Other folks’ cares kill the ass.

Cuñados, y perros bermejos pocos buenos. Of brothers-in-law and red dogs few are good.

D

Da Dios alas á la hormiga para que se pierda mas aina. God gives wings to the ant that she may perish the sooner.

Da Dios almendras á quien no tiene muelas. God gives almonds to one who has no teeth.

Dadiva de ruin á su dueño parece. A bad man’s gift is like his master.

Dadivas quebrantan peñas. Gifts break (or dissolve) rocks.

Dame donde me asiente, que yo me haré donde me acueste. Give me a seat, and I will make myself room to lie down.

Dar en el clavo. To hit the nail on the head.

De amigo reconciliado, guarte de él como del diablo. Beware of a reconciled friend as of the devil.

De aquellos polvos vienen estos lodos. From that dust comes this mud.

Debajo del buen sayo está el hombre malo. Under a good cloak may be a bad man.

Debajo de mi manto al rey mato. Under my cloak I kill the king.

Debajo de una mala capa hay un buen bebedor. Under a bad cloak there is a good tippler.

De casa del gato no vá harto el rato. The mouse does not leave the cat’s house with a bellyful.

De cosário á cosário no se llevan sino los barriles. Corsair against corsair nothing is got but empty casks.

De cuero ageno correas largas. Large thongs of another man’s leather.

De diestro á diestro el mas presto. Between two sharpers, the sharpest.

De dineros y bondad, siempre quita la mitad. In the report, of riches and goodness always bate one half.

Dedo de espada, palma de lanza, es gran ventaja. An inch in a sword, or a palm in a lance, is a great advantage.

De do sacan y no pon, presto llegan al hondon. Taking out and not putting in soon reaches the bottom.

De gran subida gran caida. The higher the rise the greater the fall.

De haré, haré, nunca me pagué; mas vale un toma que dos te daré. I never was satisfied with “I will, I will.” One “take this” is better than two “I will give you.”

De herrero á herrero no pasa dinero. Between Smith and Smith no money passes.

De hombre que no habla, y de can que no ladra, libera nos. From a silent man, and a dog that does not bark, deliver us.

Del agua mansa me libre Dios, que de la recia me guardaré yo. From smooth water God preserve me, from rough I will preserve myself.

Del alcalde al verdugo, ved como subo. See how he has risen from a mayor to a hangman.

De la mala muger te guarda, y de la buena no fies nada. Beware of a bad woman, and put no trust in a good one.

De la mano á la boca se pierde la sopa. Between the hand and the mouth the soup is lost.

De la nieve, ni cocida, ni majada, no sacarás sino agua. From snow, whether baked or boiled, you will get nothing but water.

Del dicho al hecho hay gran trecho. Between saying and doing there is a long road.

Del mal el menor. Of evils, the least.

Del mal que hombre teme, de ese muere. Of the malady a man fears, he dies.

De lo contado come el lobo. The wolf eats of what is counted.

De los leales se hinchen los hospitales. The poor-houses are filled with the honestest people.

De luengas vias luengas mentiras. From long journeys long lies.

Del pan de mi compadre buen zatico á mi ahijado. From my gossip’s bread a large piece for my godson.

De me digan, y á mi pidan. Let them talk of me, and beg of me.

De mozo rezador, y de viejo ayunador, guarde Dios mi capa. From a praying young man, and a fasting old man, God preserve my cloak.

De noche los gatos todos son pardos. At night all cats are grey.

De padre santo, hijo diablo. The father a saint, the son a sinner.

De pequeña centella, gran hoguera. A little spark kindles a great fire.

De persona callada arriedra tu morada. From a silent person remove your dwelling.

De piel agena larga la correa. Of other men’s leather large thongs.

De potro sarnoso buen caballo hermoso. A scabby colt may make a good horse.

De puerta cerrada el diablo se torna. The devil turns away from a closed door.

De quien pone los ojos en el suelo no fies tu dinero. Trust not your money to one whose eyes are bent on the ground.

De rabo de puerco nunca buen virote. A pig’s tail will never make a good arrow.

Derecho apurado, tuerto tornado. Right overstrained turns to wrong.

De ruin á ruin, quien acomete vence. Coward against coward, the assailant conquers.

De ruin paño nunca buen sayo. There’s no making a good cloak of bad cloth.

Desaprovechado como unto de mona. As useless as monkey’s fat.

Descalabrar al alguacil, y acogerse al corregidor. To break the constable’s head, and take refuge with the sheriff.

Desde que te erré, nunca bien te quisé. Since I wronged you, I have never liked you.

Deshacer cruzes en un pajar. To undo crosses in a straw loft (i.e. to part all the straws that they may not lie crosswise; to be over nice).

Despues de descalabrado untarle el casco. After breaking my head you bring plaister.

Despues del daño cada uno es sabio. Every one is wise when the mischief is done.

Despues de vendimias, cestos. After the vintage, baskets.

Despues que la casa está hecha, la deja. After the house is finished, he deserts it.

Despues que me estas castigando, ciento y veinte agujeros conté en aquel rallo. Since you have been scolding me, I have counted a hundred and twenty holes in that nutmeg grater.

Desque nací lloré, y cada dia nace porqué. When I was born I wept, and every day brings a reason why.

Desquitóse Miguel; perdió un ducado y ganó un conejo. Michael is quits; he lost a ducat and gained a rabbit.

De traidor harás leal con bien hablar. Give a traitor good words and you make him loyal.

Detras de la cruz está el diablo. The devil lurks behind the cross.

De tu muger y de tu amigo esperto, no creas sino lo que supieres cierto. Of your wife and your tried friend believe nothing but what you know for certain.

Deudas tienes, y haces mas; si no mentiste, mentiras. You have debts, and make debts still; if you’ve not lied, lie you will.

De un hombre necio á vezes buen consejo. A fool sometimes gives good counsel.

De un solo golpe no se derrueca un roble. An oak is not felled at one stroke.

Deve algo para Pascua, y hacérsete ha corta la cuaresma. Have a bill to pay at Easter, and your Lent will be short.

Di á tu amigo tu secreto, y tenerte ha el pie en el pescuezo. Tell your friend your secret, and he will set his foot on your neck.

Dicen los niños en el solejar lo que oyen á sus padres en el hogar. What children hear their parents say by the fireside they repeat in the highway.

Dijó la sarten á la caldera, Tirte allá, cul negra. Said the frying pan to the kettle, Stand off, black bottom.

Dile que es hermosa, y tornarse ha loca. Tell her she is handsome, and you will turn her head.

Dime con quien andas, diréte quien eres. Tell me what company you keep, and I will tell you who you are.

Di mentira, y sacarás verdad. Tell a lie, and you will bring out the truth.

Dinero llama dinero. Money gets money.

Dineros de avaro dos veces van al mercado. Misers’ money goes twice to market.

Dios es el que sana, y el médico lleva la plata. God cures, and the doctor takes the fee. (God healeth, and the physician hath the thanks.)

Dios me dé contienda con quien me entienda. God grant me to argue with those who understand me.

Dios me libre de hombre de un libro. God deliver me from a man of one book.

Dios os libre de hidalgo de dia, y de fraile de noche. God deliver us from a gentleman by day and a friar by night.

Dios proveerá, mas buen haz de paja se querrá. God will provide, but a good bundle of straw will not be amiss.

Dios te dé fortuna, hijo, que el saber poco te vale. God grant you fortune, my son, for knowledge avails you little.

Dísela tú una vez, que el diablo se la dirá diez. Tell it her once, and the devil will tell it her ten times.

Do entra beber, sale saber. When drink enters, wisdom departs.

Do falta dicha, por demas es diligencia. Where luck is wanting, diligence is useless.

Do fueres, harás como vieres. Wherever you are, do as you see done. (When you are at Rome, do as Rome does.)

Do fuerza viene, derecho se pierde. Where force prevails, right perishes.

Donde fuiste paje, no seas escudero. Be not an esquire where you were a page.

Donde hay gana, hay maña. Where there’s a will there’s a way.

Donde huego se hace, humo sale. Where there’s fire there’s smoke.

Donde irá el buey que no are? Where shall the ox go and not plough?

Donde menos se piensa salta la liebre. The hare starts from where she is least expected.

Donde os comieron la carne, que roan los huesos. Where they eat your meat let them pick the bones.

Donde perdiste la capa, ay la cata. Where you lost your cloak, seek it.

Donde una puerta se cierra, otra se abre. Where one door is shut another opens.

Dormireis sobre ello, y tomareis acuerdo. Sleep over it, and you will come to a resolution.

Dos amigos de una bolsa, el uno canta, el otro llora. When there are two friends to one purse, one sings, the other weeps.

Dos aves de rapiña no mantienen compaña. Two birds of prey do not keep each other company.

Do tu padre fué con tinta, no vayas tu con quilma. 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).

Do va mas hondo el rio, hace menos ruido. Where the river is deepest it makes least noise.

Duerme á quien duele, y no duerme quien algo deve. A sick man sleeps, but not a debtor.

E

Echar el mango tras el destral. To throw the helve after the hatchet.

Echar la pluma al aire, y ver donde cae. To throw up a feather in the air, and see where it falls.

Echar un virote tras otro. To send one arrow after another.

Echate á enfermar, verás quien te quiere bien, y quien te quiere mal. Fall sick, and you will see who is your friend and who not.

El abad de Bamba, lo que no puede comer, dalo por su alma. What the abbot of Bamba cannot eat he gives away for the good of his soul.

El agujero llama al ladron. The hole invites the thief.

El amenazador hace perder el lugar de venganza. The threatener loses the opportunity of vengeance.

El amor verdadero no sufre cosa encubierta. True love suffers no concealment.

El amor y la fe en las obras se vee. Love and faith are seen in works.

El bien suena y el mal vuela. Good news is rumoured and bad news flies.

El bobo, si es callado, por sesudo es reputado. A fool, if he holds his tongue, passes for wise.

El buen hombre goza el hurto. The honest man enjoys the theft.

El buen pagador señor es de lo ageno. A good paymaster is keeper of others’ purses.

El buen vino la venta trae consigo. Good wine sells itself.

El buey bravo en tierra agena se hace manso. The fierce ox becomes tame on strange ground.

El buey quando se cansa, firme sienta la pata. The tired ox plants his foot firmly.

El buey que me acornó, en buen lugar me echó. The ox that butted me tossed me into a good place.

El buey sin cencerro piérdese presto. The ox without a bell is soon lost.

El campo fertil no descansando, torna se esteril. The fertile field becomes sterile without rest.

El can de buena raza, si hoy no caza, mañana caza. The well-bred hound, if he does not hunt to-day will hunt to-morrow.

El caracol, por quitar de enojos, por los cuernos trocó los ojos. The snail, to be rid of annoyances, bartered its eyes for horns.

El carnero encantado que fué por lana, y volvió trasquilado. The deceived sheep that went for wool and came back shorn.

El cebo es el que engaña, que no el pescador ni la caña. It is the bait that lures, not the fisherman or the rod.

El conejo ido, el consejo venido. When the rabbit has escaped, comes advice.

El corazon no es traidor. The heart is no traitor.

El corcobado no vee su corcoba, y vee la de su compañon. The hunchback does not see his own hump, but sees his companion’s.

El cordero manso mama á su madre, y á qualquiera; el bravo ni á la suya, ni á la agena. The gentle lamb sucks any ewe as well as its mother; the surly lamb sucks neither its own nor another.

El cuerdo no ata el saber á estaca. The wise man does not hang his knowledge on a hook.

El dar es honor, y el pedir dolor. To give is honour, to lose is grief.

El dar limosna nunca mengua la bolsa. Giving alms never lessens the purse.

El deseo hace hermoso lo feo. Desire beautifies what is ugly.

El dia de ayuno vespera es de disanto. A fast day is the eve of a feast day.

El dia de calor, ese te arropa mejor. On a hot day muffle yourself the more.

El dia que no escobé entró quien, no piense. The day I did not sweep the house, there came to it one I did not expect.

El dia que no me afeyté, vino á mi casa quien no pensé. The day I did not make my toilette, there came to my house one I did not expect.

El dia que te casas, ó te matas ó te sanas. The day you marry ’tis either kill or cure.

El dinero hace lo malo bueno. Money turns bad into good.

El estiercol no es santo, mas do cae hace milagro. Dung is no saint, but where it falls it works miracles.

El golpe de la sarten, aunque no duele, tizna. A blow from a frying-pan, if it does not hurt, smuts.

El habito no hace al monge. The dress does not make the friar.

El hijo del asno dos veces rozna al dia. The son of an ass brays twice a day.

El hijo sabe que conoce á su padre. It is a wise son that knows his own father.

El hilo por lo mas delgado quiebra. The thread breaks where it is thinnest.

El hombre es el fuego, la muger la estopa; viene el diablo y sopla. Man is fire, woman is tow; the devil comes with a bellows.

El hombre necesitado cada año apedreado. The poor man has his crop destroyed by hail every year.