A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

Lo que se usa, no se escusa. What is in use, wants no excuse.

Lo que te dijeren al oido, no lo digas a tu marido. What is whispered in your ear tell not to your husband.

Los amenazados comen pan. Threatened men eat bread.

Los dichos en nos, los hechos en Dios. Man proposes, God disposes.

Los niños y los locos dicen la verdad. Children and fools speak the truth.

Los pies del hortolano no echan á perder la huerta. The gardener’s feet do no harm to the garden.

Los que cabras no tienen, y cabritos venden, de donde les vienen? They who don’t keep goats and yet sell kids, where do they get them?

Los yerros del medico, la tierra los cubre. The earth hides as it takes, the physician’s mistakes.

M

Madre, casar, casar, que carrafico me quiere llevar. Mother, marry me, marry me, or the gull will fly away with me.

Madre, que cosa es casar? Hija, hilar, parir, y llorar. Mother, what is marrying? Spinning, bearing children, and crying, daughter.

Madruga y verás, trabaja y habrás. Rise early and watch, labour and catch.

Maja los ajos, Pedro, mientra yo rallo el queso. Pound the garlic, Pedro, whilst I grate the cheese.

Mal me quieren mis comadres, porque les digo las verdades. My gossips don’t like me because I tell them truths.

Mal se cubre la cabra con el rabo. The goat can’t well cover herself with her tail.

Mal sobre mal, y piedra por cabezal. Ill-luck upon ill-luck, and a stone for a pillow.

Mañana sera otro dia. To-morrow will be another day.

Manda y descuida, no se hará cosa ninguna. Give orders and do no more, and nothing will come of it.

Manda y hazlo, y quitarte has de cuidado. Order and do it, and you will be rid of anxiety.

Manos duchas comen truchas. Skilled hands eat trouts.

Marihuela, fuiste a la boda? No, madre, mas galana estava la novia. Were you at the wedding, Molly? No, mother, but the bride was very fine.

Marido, no veas: muger, ciega seas. Husband, don’t see; wife, be blind.

Mas ablanda el dinero que palabras de caballero. Money soothes more than a gentleman’s words.

Mas apaga buena palabra que caldera de agua. A good word extinguishes more than a pailful of water.

Mas cerca está la camisa que el sayo. The shirt is nearer than the frock.

Mas cerca están mis dientes que mis parientes. My teeth are nearer than my kindred.

Mas descubre un hambriento que cien letrados. A hungry man discovers more than a hundred lawyers.

Mas hace quien quiere que quien puede. He who strives to do, does more than he who has the power.

Mas son los amenazados que los heridos. There are more threatened than hurt.

Mas tira moça que soga. A girl draws more than a rope.

Mas vale cabeza de raton que cola de leon. Better be the head of a rat than the tail of a lion. (Better rule in hell, than serve in heaven.)

Mas vale con mal asno contender que la leña acuestas traer. It is better to strive with a stubborn ass than to carry the wood on one’s back.

Mas vale el mal conocido que el bien por venir. Better suffer a known evil than change for uncertain good.

Mas vale humo de mi casa que fuego de la agena. Better is the smoke of my own house than the fire of another’s.

Mas vale mala avenencia que buena sentencia. A bad compromise is better than a successful suit.

Mas vale pajaro en mano que buitre volando. A sparrow in the hand is better than a bustard on the wing.

Mas vale puñado de natural que almozada de ciencia. A handful of motherwit is worth a bushel of learning.

Mas vale que digan, Aqui huyó, que Aqui murió. Better they should say, “There he ran away,” than “There he died.”

Mas vale que sobre, que no que falte. Better there should be too much than too little.

Mas vale regla que renta. Better is rule than rent.

Mas vale rodear que no ahogar. Better go about than be drowned.

Mas vale ruin asno que ser asno. Better have a bad ass than to be your own ass.

Mas vale salto de mata que ruego de hombres buenos. It is better to leap over the ditch than trust to the pleadings of good men.

Mas vale solo que mal acompañado. Better be alone than in bad company.

Mas vale tarde que nunca. Better late than never.

Mas vale tuerto que ciego. Better one-eyed than stone blind.

Mas vale una abeja que mil moscas. One bee is better than a thousand flies.

Mas vale un toma que dos te dare. Better one “Take this,” than two “I will give you.”

Mas vale vuelta de llave que conciencia de frayle. A turn of the key is better than the conscience of a friar.

Mas val perder que mas perder. It is better to lose than lose more. (The first loss is the best.)

Mas ven quatro ojos que dos. Four eyes see more than two.

Mataras y matarte han, y mataran á quien te matare. Kill and thou wilt be killed, and he will be killed who kills thee.

Mejor es dobrar que quebrar. Better to bend than break.

Mejor me parece tu jarro mellado que el mio sano. Your cracked jug seems better to me than my sound one.

Menea la cola el can, no por ti, sino por el pan. The dog wags his tail, not for you but for your bread.

Mete mendigo en tu pajar, y hacer se te ha heredero. Put a beggar into your barn and he will make himself your heir.

Meter aguja, y sacar reja. To put in a needle and take out a bar.

Miedo guarda viña. Fear guards the vineyard.

Mientra en mi casa me estoy, rey me soy. In my own house I am a king.

Mientra la grande se abaja, la chica barre la casa. Whilst the tall wench is stooping, the little one has swept the house.

Miguel, Miguel, no tienes abejas y vendes miel. Miguel, Miguel, you have no bees, and yet sell honey.

Mirais lo que bebo, y no la sed que tengo. You notice what I drink, and not the thirst I feel.

Mira que ates que desates. See that you tie so that you can untie.

Mostrar primero la horca que el lugar. To parade the gallows before the town.

Mucho sabe la zorra, pero mas el que la toma. The fox is knowing, but more knowing he who catches him.

Muchos besan manos que quierian ver cortadas. Many kiss hands they would fain see chopped off.

Mucho tiene que hacer quien ha de gustar a todos. He has much to do who would please everybody.

Muda el lobo los dientes y no los mientes. The wolf changes his teeth but not his disposition.

Muger, no te las cuento, mas doze morcillas hace un puerco. I don’t count them to you, wife, but a hog makes twelve puddings.

Muger, viento, y ventura, presto se muda. Women, wind, and fortune, soon change.

N

Nace en la huerta lo que no siembra el hortelano. In the garden more grows, than the gardener sows.

Nacenle alas a la hormiga para que se pierde mas aina. The ant gets wings that she may perish the sooner.

Nadar y nadar, y á la orilla ahogar. To swim and swim more, and be drowned on shore.

Nadie seria mesonero sino fuese por el dinero. No one would be an innkeeper but for money.

Necio es, quien piensa que otro no piensa. He is a fool who thinks that another does not think.

Necios y porfiados hacen ricos los letrados. Fools and the perverse fill the lawyers’ purse.

Ni absente sin culpa, ni presente sin disculpa. Absent, none without blame; present, none without excuse.

Ni buen frayle por amigo, ni malo por enemigo. Neither a good friar for friend, nor a bad one for enemy.

Ni con cada mal al fisico, ni con cada pleito al letrado, ni con cada sed al jarro. Go not with every ailment to the doctor, with every plea to the lawyer, or with every thirst to the can.

Ni do ni tomo, como judio en sábado. I neither give nor take, like a Jew on the Sabbath.

Ni el anzuelo, ni la caña, mas el cebo las engaña. It is not the hook or the rod, but the bait that lures.

Ni estoy al vado, ni á la puente. I am neither at the ford nor the bridge.

Ni firmes carta que no leas, ni bebas agua que no veas. Neither sign a paper without reading it, nor drink water without seeing it.

Ni hermosa que mate, ni fea que espante. Neither handsome enough to kill, nor ugly enough to frighten.

Ni judio necio, ni liebre perezosa. No Jew a fool; no hare lazy.

Ni perder derechos, ni llevar cohechos. Lose no rights, and commit no extortions.

Ni rey traidor, ni papa descomulgado. No king was ever a traitor, or pope excommunicated.

Ni sirvas á quien sirvió, ni pidas á quien pidió. Neither serve one who has been a servant, nor beg of one who has been a beggar.

No asamos, y ya empringamos. We are not roasting, and already we are basting.

No asoleges tu mijo á la puerta de tu enemigo. Do not spread your corn to dry at an enemy’s door. (Asturian.)

No ay ladron sin encubridor. There is no thief without a receiver.

No compres asno de recuero, ni te cases con hija de mesonero. Do not buy a carrier’s ass, or marry an innkeeper’s daughter.

No creais, marido, lo que veeredes, sino lo que yo os dixeré. Don’t believe what you see, husband, but only what I tell you.

No da quien quiere, sino quien tiene. Not he gives who likes, but who has.

No dé Dios tanto buen á nuestros amigos que nos desconoscan. May God not so prosper our friends that they forget us.

No dice el umbral sino lo que oye al quincial. The threshold says nothing but what it hears of the hinge.

No digais mal del año hasta que sea pasado. Speak not ill of the year until it is past.

No diga la lengua por do pague la cabeza. Let not the tongue utter what the head must pay for.

No diga nadie, de esta agua no beberé. Let no one say, “Of this water I will not drink.”

No digo quien eres, que tu te lo dirás. I do not tell thee what thou art, thou wilt tell it thyself.

No entra en misa la campana, y á todos llama. The bell does not go to mass, yet calls every one to it.

No es aquella gallina buena, que come en tu casa y pone en la agena. It is a bad hen that eats at your house and lays at another’s.

No es de vero lágrimas en la muger, ni coxuear en el perro. A woman’s tears and a dog’s limping are not real.

No es en mano del piloto que dexe el viento su soplo. It is not in the pilot’s power to prevent the wind from blowing.

No es nada, sino que matan a mi marido. It is nothing, they are only thrashing my husband.

No es tan bravo el leon como le pintan. The lion is not so fierce as he is painted.

No falte cibo al palomar, que las palomas ellas se vernán. Let there be no lack of food in the pigeon-house, and the pigeons will come to it.

No falte voluntad, que no faltará lugar. Where there is no want of will, there will be no want of opportunity.

No habria palabra mala, si no fuese mal tomada. There would be no ill word if it were not ill taken.

No hace poco quien su casa quema: espanta los ratones, y escalientase á la leña. He does not a little who burns his house: he frightens the rats, and warms himself.

No hace tanto la zorra en un año como paga en un hora. The fox does not do as much mischief in a year as it pays for in an hour.

No halla agua en la mar. He cannot find water in the sea.

No hay bestia fiera que no se huelgue con su compañera. There is no beast so savage but sports with its mate.

No hay casa do no haya su calla! calla! There is no house without its hush! hush!

No hay cerradura, si es de oro la ganzua. There is no lock, if the pick is of gold.

No hay ladron sin encubridor. If there were no receiver there would be no thief.

No hay mejor bocado que el hurtado. There is no choicer morsel than that which is stolen.

No hay mejor remiendo que el del mismo paño. There is no better patch than one off the same cloth.

No hay olla tan fea que no halle su cobertera. There is no pot so ugly but finds its cover.

No hay pariente pobre. No relation is poor.

No hay peor burla que la verdadera. There is no worse joke than a true one.

No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oir. None so deaf as he that won’t hear.

No hay placer que no enfade, y mas si cuesta de valde. There is no pleasure but palls, and the more so if it costs nothing.

No hay tal madre como la que pare. There is no mother like the mother that bore us.

No hay tal razon como la del baston. There’s no argument like that of the stick.

No hay tal testigo como buen moduelo de vino. There is no such witness as a good measure of wine.

No hiere Dios con dos manos. God does not smite with both hands.

No inventó la polvera. He did not invent gunpowder.

No juega Mosé, porque no tiene que. Moses (i. e. a Jew) does not play because he has not the means.

No lo quiero, no lo quiero, mas échadme lo en la capilla. I don’t want it, I don’t want it, but put it into my hood.

No mata la carga sino la sobrecarga. It is not the load but the overload that kills.

No me digas oliva hasta que me veas cogida. Call me not olive till you see me gathered.

No me llames bien hadada hasta que me veas enterrada. Call me not fortunate till you see me buried.

No piden todos para un santo. All do not beg for one saint.

No quiebra delgado, sino gordo y mal hilado. It is not the fine, but the coarse and ill-spun that breaks.

No se acuerda la suegra que fué nuera. The mother-in-law does not remember that she was a daughter-in-law.

No seais hornéra si teneis la cabeza de manteca. Be not a baker if your head is butter.

No se hacen las bodas de hongos á solas. The wedding feast is not made with mushrooms only.

No se hacen tortillas sin romper huevos. You can’t make pancakes without breaking eggs.

No se hizo la miel por la boca del asno. Honey was not made for the mouth of the ass.

No se pierde todo lo que está en peligro. All is not lost that is in danger.

No se queje del engaño quien por la muestra compra el paño. Let him not complain of being cheated who buys cloth by the pattern.

No serás amado si de tí solo tienes cuidado. You will not be loved if you care for none but yourself.

No se toman truchas á bragas enjutas. Trouts are not caught with dry breeches.

Nos ollos de miña sogra vejo en quando o demo a toma. I see by my mother-in-law’s eyes when the devil takes hold of her. (Galician.)

No son palabras para mi tia, que aun de las obras no se fia. Words will not do for my aunt, for she does not put faith even in deeds.

No son soldados todos los que van á la guerra. All are not soldiers who go to the wars.

No te alegres de mi duelo, que quando el mio fuere viejo el tuyo será nuevo. Do not rejoice at my grief, for when mine is old yours will be new.

No te tomes con el ollero, que del burro hace dinero. Don’t scuffle with the potter, for he makes money by the damage.

No vive mas el leal que quanto quiere el traidor. The loyal man lives no longer than the traitor pleases.

Nunca los ausentes se hallaron justos. The absent were never in the right.

Nunca mucho costó poco. Much never cost little.

Nunca pidas á quien tiene, sino á quien sabes que te quiere. Never ask of him who has, but of him you know wishes you well.

O

Obra de comun, obra de ningun. What’s everybody’s business is nobody’s business.

Obres son amores, que no buenas razones. Deeds are love, and not fine phrases.

O demo á os suyos quiere. The devil is fond of his own. (Galician.)

Ojos hay que de lagañas se enamoran. There are eyes that fall in love with bleared ones. (Fancy surpasses beauty.)

Ojos que no ven, corazon que no quiebra. If the eyes don’t see, the heart won’t break.

Olla de muchos mal mejida y peor cocida. The stew mixed by many is ill-seasoned and worse cooked. (Too many cooks spoil the broth.)

Olla que mucho hierve, sabor pierde. The stew that boils much loses favour.

O morirá el asno, ó quien le aguija. Either the ass will die, or he that goads it.

Onza de estado, libra de oro. An ounce of state to a pound of gold.

O rico, o pinjádo. Either rich or hanged.

Oro es lo que oro vale. That is gold which is worth gold.

Oveja harta de su rabo se espanta. The full-fed sheep is frightened at its own tail.

Oveja que bala, bocado pierde. The sheep that bleats loses a mouthful.

Ovejas bobas, por do va una, van todas. Silly sheep, where one goes, all go.

P

Paga lo que debes, sabrás lo que tienes. If you pay what you owe, what you’re worth you’ll know.

Paga lo que debes, sanarás del mal que tienes. Pay what you owe, and be cured of your complaint.

Pagase el rey de la traicion, mas no de quien la hace. The king likes the treachery, but not the traitor.

Palabra de boca, piedra de honda. A word from the mouth, a stone from a sling.

Palabras azucaradas por mas son amargas. Sugared words generally prove bitter.

Palabra y piedra suelta no tiene vuelta. A word and a stone once launched cannot be recalled.

Palo de ciego, que sáca polvo de debajo de agua. A blind man’s stroke, which raises a dust from beneath water.

Panadera erades antes, aunque ahora traeis guantes. You used to be a baker, though now you wear gloves.

Pan ageno caro cuesta. Another’s bread costs dear.

Papel y tinta, y poca justicia. Paper and ink and little justice.

Para azotar el perro, que se come el hierro. If you want to beat a dog, say he eat your iron.

Para cada jueves no hay un par de orejas. There is not a pair of ears for every Jew.

Para el mal que hoy se acaba no es remedio el de mañana. To-morrow’s remedy will not ward off the evil of today.

Para los desdichados se hizo la horca. The gallows was made for the unlucky.

Pariente a la clara el hijo de mi hermana. My sister’s son is a kinsman beyond dispute.

Parto malo, y hija en cabo. A bad labour, and a daughter after all.

Pasa la fiesta, y el loco resta. The feast passes and the fool remains.

Paz y paciencia, y muerte con penitencia. Peace and patience, and death with penitence.

Pedir sobrado por salir con lo mediano. Ask too much to get enough.

Pedra de ygreja oro goteja. A church stone drops gold. (Galician.)

Pelean los ladrones y descubrense los hurtos. When thieves fall out the thefts come to light.

Penséme santiguar, y quebréme el ojo. I thought to cross myself, and I put out my eye.

Pensé que no tenia marido, y comime la olla. I thought I had no husband, and I eat up the stew.

Pereza, llave de pobreza. Sloth is the key of poverty.

Perro alcucero nunca buen conejero. A kitchen-dog is never a good rabbit-hunter.

Perro ladrador nunca buen mordedor. A barking dog was never a good biter.

Perro lanudo, muerto de hambre, y no creido de ninguno. A shock dog is starved and nobody believes it.

Perro que lobos mata, lobos le matan. The dog that kills wolves, is killed by wolves.

Peso y medida quitan al hombre fatiga. Weight and measure save a man toil.

Pícame Pedro, y yo me lo quiero. Peter pinches me, and I like it.

Piedra movediza nunca moho la cubija. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Piensa el ladron que todos son de sa condicion. The thief thinks that all men are like himself.

Piensan los enamorados que tienen los otros los ojos quebrados. Lovers think that others have no eyes.

Pierde el mes lo suyo, pero no el año. The month loses its own, but not the year.

Piés que son duchos de andar, no pueden quedos estar. Feet that are used to move cannot remain quiet.

Planta muchas veces traspuesta ni crece ni tredra. A tree often transplanted neither grows nor thrives.

Pobreza no es vileza, ma es ramo de picardia. Poverty is no sin, but it is a branch of roguery.

Poca barba, poca verguenza. Little beard, little modesty.

Poca hiel hace amarga mucha miel. A little gall embitters much honey.

Poco á poco se va léjos. Little by little one goes far.

Poco daño espanta, y mucho amansa. A little loss frightens, a great one tames.

Pollino que me lleve, y no caballo que me arrastre. Give me the ass that carries me in preference to the horse that throws me.

Por amor del bou, llepa lo llop el jou. For love of the ox the wolf licks the yoke. (Catalan.)

Por donde fueres, haz como vieres. Wherever you may be, do as you see done.

Por donde menos se piensa salta la liebre. The hare starts from where it is least expected.

Por donde va la mar, vayan las arenas. Where the sea goes let the sands go.

Por do quiera hay su legua de mal camino. Whatever way you take there is a league of bad road.

Por do salta la cabra, salta la que la mama. Where the goat leaps, leaps that which sucks her.

Por el alabado dejé el conocido, y vi me arrepentido. I left what I knew for what I heard praised, and repented.

Por el hilo se saca el ovillo. By the thread we unwind the skein.

Por falta de hombres buenos, á mi padre hicieron alcalde. For the want of worthy men they made my father alcade.

Porfia mata la caza. Perseverance kills the game.

Por la calle de despues se va á la casa de nunca. By the street of “By-and-by” one arrives at the house of “Never.”

Por las haldas del vicario sube el diablo al campanario. The devil gets into the belfry by the vicar’s skirts.

Por mucho madrugar, no amanece mas aina. For all one’s early rising, it dawns none the sooner.

Por mucho que corra la liebre, mas corre el galgo, pues la prende. Fast as the hare runs, the greyhound outruns her, since he catches her.

Por no gastar lo que basta, lo que era excusado se gasta. Through not spending enough, we spend too much.

Por nuevas no peneas, hacerse han viejas, y saber las has. Do not fret for news, it will grow old and you will know it.

Por oir misa, y dar cebada, nunca se perdió jornada. Nothing is lost on a journey by stopping to pray or to feed your horse.

Por ser rey, se quiebra toda ley. Every law is broken to become a king.

Por si o por no, señor marido, ponéos la capilla. 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.)

Por sol que haga no dexes tu capa en casa. However bright the sun may shine, leave not your cloak at home.

Por soto no vayas tras otro. In a wood don’t walk behind another.

Por temor, no pierdas honor. Do not lose honour through fear.

Por turbia que esté, no digas, de esta agua no beberé. However foul it be, never say, Of this water I will not drink.