A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

R

Raposa que mucho tarda, caça aguarda. The fox that tarries long is on the watch for prey.

Raton que no sabe mas de un horado, presto le toma el gato. The rat that knows but one hole is soon caught by the cat.

Recebido ya el daño, atapar el horado. To stop the hole after the mischief is done.

Reniego de cuentas, con deudos y deudas. Curses on accounts with relations.

Reniego del amigo, que cubre con las alas y muerde con el pico. Avoid a friend who covers you with his wings and destroys you with his beak.

Resfriadas duelen mas las llagas. Wounds pain most when grown cool.

Rifaban los rocines del vidriero, y él mirando qual daba mejor coz al compañero. The glass-dealer’s horses fell out, and he looked on to see which kicked hardest.

Riñen las comadres y dicense las verdades. The gossips fall out and tell each other truths.

Rogar al santo hasta pasar del trance. To pray to the saint until the danger is past.

Ruego de grande fuerza es que te hace. A great man’s entreaty is a command.

Ruegos porque cante, y ruegos porque calle. Entreaties to get him to sing, and entreaties to leave off.

Ruego y derecho hacen el hecho. Entreaty and right do the deed.

S

Sabedlo, coles, que espinacas hay en la olla. Know, cabbages, that there is spinach in the stew.

Saberlo como su Paternoster. He knows it as well as his Lord’s Prayer.

Saca lo tuyo al mercado, y uno te dirá prieto y otro blanco. Tell your affairs in the market-place, and one will call them black and another white.

Sacar el ascua con mano agena. To take out a burning coal with another’s hand. (To make a cat’s paw of one.)

Sacar el pie del lodo. To draw the foot out of the mire.

Sacarlo de entre los cardos, sacároslo hemos de entre las manos. Pluck it from among the thistles, and we will take it off your hands.

Sacar un fuego con otro fuego. To quench fire with fire.

Sacar un pie del lodo, y meter otro. To take one foot out of the mire and put the other into it.

Sacar verdad por decir mentira. To discover truth by telling a falsehood.

Sacristan de amen. An amen clerk.

Salamon pasó por su puerta quando nació, mas no entró dentro. When he was born, Solomon passed by his door, and would not go in.

Salga pez, ó salga rana, á la capacha. Come fish, come frog, all goes into the basket. (All’s fish that comes to the net.)

Salir de un lodo y entrar en otro. To get out of one muck into another.

Salir del lodo, y caer en el arroyo. Out of the mire and into the brook. (Out of the frying-pan into the fire.)

Saltar de la sarten, y dar en las brasas. To jump out of the frying-pan and fall into the fire.

Salud y alegria belleza cria; atavio y afeito cuesta dinero y miente. Health and cheerfulness make beauty; finery and cosmetics cost money and lie.

Sal vertida, nunca bien cogida. Salt spilt is never all gathered.

Sanan cuchilladas, mas no malas palabras. Wounds from the knife are healed, but not those from the tongue.

Sanan llagas, y no malas palabras. Wounds heal, but not ill words.

Sangrarle y purgarle; si se muriere, enterrarle. Bleed him and purge him; if he dies, bury him.

Sea mi enemigo, y vaya á mi molino. Be my enemy and go to my mill.

Sease velado, y sease un palo. Let it be a husband, though it be but a log.

Seco y no de hambre mas recio es que alambre. A man that is lean, not from hunger, is harder than brass.

Señal mortal no quierer sanar. Not to wish to recover is a mortal symptom.

Ser alguno un caxon de sastre. To be like a tailor’s pattern-book.

Ser como el escudero de Guadalaxara, que de lo que dice de noche, no hay nada á la mañana. To be like the esquire of Guadalaxara, who knew nothing in the morning of what he said at night.

Ser como el puerro, tener la cabeza blanca, y lo demas verde. To be like a leek, have a grey head and the rest green.

Ser como piojo en costura. To be like a louse in a seam.

Ser como unas ortigas. To be like a bunch of nettles.

Ser el sastre del Campillo, que cosia de valde, y ponia el hilo. To be like the tailor of Campillo, who worked for nothing, and found thread.

Ser mercader mas va en el cobrar, que en el vender. To be a merchant, the art consists more in getting paid than in making sales.

Ser toda hoja sin fruto. All leaf and no fruit.

Si bien me quieres, Juan, tus obras me lo diran. If you love me, John, your acts will tell me so.

Si da el cántaro en la piedra, ó la piedra en el cántaro, mal para el cántaro. Whether the pitcher strike the stone, or the stone the pitcher, woe be to the pitcher.

Si de alguno te quieres vengar, has de callar. If you want to be revenged, hold your tongue.

Si el cielo se cae, pararle las manos. If the sky falls, hold up your hands.

Si el cielo se cae, quebrarse han las ollas. If the sky falls there will be pots broken.

Si el niño lloráre, acallelo su madre, y si no quisiere callar, déxelo llorar. If the child cries let the mother hush it, and if it will not be hushed let it cry.

Siembra trigo en barrial, y pón viña en cascajal. Sow corn in clay, and plant vines in sand.

Siéntate en tu lugar, no te harán levantar. Seat yourself in your place and you will not be made to quit it.

Si esta pella á la pared no pega, á lo menos dexará señal. If this ball does not stick to the wall it will at least leave a mark.

Siete es convite, y nueve es convicio. Seven is company, and nine confusion. (Alluding to a dinner party.)

Siete hermanos en un consejo, de lo tuerto hacen derecho. Seven brothers in a council make wrong right.

Si la locura fuese dolores, en cada casa darian voces. If folly were a pain, there would be groaning in every house.

Si la piedra da en el cántaro, mal para el cántaro; y si el cántaro da en la piedra, mal para el cántaro. If the pitcher knocks against a stone, woe to the pitcher; and if the stone knocks against the pitcher, woe to the pitcher.

Si lo cena, no lo almuerza. If you eat it up at supper, you cannot have it at breakfast.

Si no va el otero á Mahoma, vaya Mahoma al otero. If the mountain will not go to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain.

Si quieres buena fama, no te dé el sol en la cama. If you would acquire fame, let not the sun shine on you in bed.

Si quieres dar de palos á tu muger, pídele al sol á beber. If you want to thrash your wife, ask her for a drink of water in the sun.

Si quieres enfermar, lavate la cabeza y vete á echar. If you want to be dead, wash your head and go to bed.

Si quieres ser bien servido, sírvete a tú mismo. If you wish to be well served, serve yourself.

Si quieres ver quanto vale un ducado, búscalo prestado. If you want to know what a ducat is worth, try to borrow one.

Sirve á señor, y sabrás que es dolor. Serve a lord and you’ll know what is grief.

Si secretos quieres saber, buscalos en el pesar ó en el placer. If you want to know secrets, seek for them in trouble or in pleasure.

Si se perdieron los anillos, aquí quedáron los dedillos. If the rings are lost, here are the fingers still.

Si soy bobo, meteme el dedo en la boca. If I am a fool, put your finger in my mouth.

Si tienes médico amigo, quitale la gorra y envialo á casa de tu enemigo. If you have a friend who is a doctor, make your bow and send him to the house of your enemy.

Si uno dos y tres te dicen que eres asno, ponte un rabo. If one, two, three say you are an ass, put on a tail.

Sobre brevas vino bebas. Drink wine upon figs.

Sobre gusto no ha disputa. There is no disputing about taste.

Sobre peras vino bebas, y sea tanto que naden ellas. After stuffing pears within, drink old wine until they swim.

Sobre un huevo pone la gallina. The hen lays upon an egg.

So el sayal, hay al. Under the sackcloth there is something hid.

Soltero, pavon; desposado, leon; casado, asno. Bachelor, a peacock; betrothed, a lion; married, an ass.

So mi manto al rey mando. Under my cloak I command the king.

Sopla, herrero, ganarás dinero. Blow, smith, and you’ll get money.

Soplar y sorber no puede junto ser. One cannot blow and swallow at the same time.

So vayna de oro cuchillo de plomo. Under a gold sheath a leaden knife.

T

Tan grande es el yerro como el que yerra. The fault is as great as he that commits it.

Tantas veces va el cántaro á la fuente, que dexa el asa ó la frente. The pitcher goes so often to the well, that it leaves its handle or its mouth.

Tanto es Pedro de Dios, que no le medra Dios. Peter is so godly that God does not improve his condition.

Tanto quiere el diablo á su hijo que le quiebra el ojo. The devil is so fond of his son that he put out his eye.

Tener á alguno en ascuas. To keep one upon hot coals.

Tener el pie en dos zapatos. To have the foot in two shoes.

Tener el seso en los calcañares. To have one’s brains in one’s heels.

Tener la barriga á la boca. To have the belly up to one’s mouth.

Tener pelos en el corazon. To have hairs on his heart. (Hard-hearted.)

Tirar coces contra el aguijon. To kick against the pricks.

Tirar la piedra y esconder la mano. To throw the stone and conceal the hand.

Todo camino vá á Roma. Every road leads to Rome.

Todo es nada lo de este mundo, si no se endereza al segundo. All things of this world are nothing, unless they have reference to the next.

Todo saldrá en la colada. It will all come out in the soapsuds.

Todos son buenos, y mi capa no parece. They are all honest men, but my cloak is not to be found.

Tomar la ocasion por los cabellos. To take opportunity by the forelock.

Tomar las calzas de Villadiego. To take Villadiego’s boots. (To take to your heels.)

Tonto, sin saber latin, nunca es gran tonto. A fool, unless he know Latin, is never a great fool.

Trabajar para el obispo. To work for the bishop. (Prayers, but no pay.)

Traerlo escrito en la frente. To have it written on his forehead.

Tragarse un camello, y no poder pasar un mosquito. To swallow a camel, and strain at a gnat.

Tramontana no tiene trigo, y el hombre pobre no tiene amigo. A north wind has no corn, and a poor man no friend.

Traspasa el rico las leyes, y es castigado el pobre. The rich man transgresses the law, and the poor man is punished.

Tras el vicio viene el fornicio. After one vice a greater follows.

Tras los dias viene el seso. Sense comes with age.

Tras pared ni tras seto, no digas en secreto. Do not tell your secrets behind a wall or a hedge.

Trasquilenme en la plaza, y no lo sepan en mi casa. They may whip me in the market-place, so it be not known at home.

Tres cosas matan al hombre, soles, cenas, y penas. Three things kill a man: a scorching sun, suppers, and cares.

Tres hijas y una madre, quatro diablos para el padre. Three daughters and their mother, four devils for the father.

Tripa llena, ni bien huye ni bien pelea. A full belly is neither good for flight, nor for fighting.

Tripas llevan corazon, que no corazon tripas. The bowels support the heart, and not the heart the bowels.

Triste es la casa, donde la gallina canta, y el gallo calla. It goes ill in the house where the hen sings and the cock is silent.

Tu dinero mudo, no lo descubras á ninguno. Discover not your silent money (i. e. your hoarded money) to anybody.

U

Una cautela con otra se quiebra. One knavery is met by another.

Una cosa piensa el vayo, y otra el que lo ensilla. The horse thinks one thing, and his rider another.

Una en el clavo y ciento en la herradura. One stroke on the nail and a hundred on the horseshoe.

Un agravio consentido, otro venido. One grievance borne, another follows.

Una golondrina no hace verano. One swallow does not make a summer.

Una mano lava la otra, y ambas la cara. One hand washes the other, and both the face.

Un amor saca otro. One love drives out another.

Un asno entre muchas monas, cocanle todas. One ass among many monkeys is grinned at by all.

Un cabello hace sombra en el suelo. A hair casts its shadow on the ground.

Un lobo no muerde á otro. One wolf does not bite another.

Un loco hace ciento. One fool makes a hundred.

Uno levanta la caza, y otro la mata. One starts the game and another bags it.

Uno ojo á la sarten y otro á la gata. One eye on the frying-pan and the other on the cat.

Unos tienen la fama, y otros cardan la lana. Some have the fame, and others card the wool.

Un puerco encenagado procura encenagar á otro. A bespattered hog tries to bespatter another.

Un ruin mientras mas lo ruegan mas se estiende. The more you court a clown the statelier he grows.

Un solo golpe no derriba á un roble. An oak is not felled at one blow.

Uso hace maestro. Practice makes perfect.

V

Vallestero que mal tira, presto tiene la mentira. The archer that shoots badly has a lie ready.

Van a misa los zapateros, ruegan a Dios que mueran carneros. Shoemakers go to mass and pray that sheep may die.

Vanse los gatos, y estiendense los ratos. When the cat’s away the rats will play.

Vaso malo nunca cae de mano. A crazy vessel never falls from the hand.

Vaya con Dios, que un pan me lleva. Go in God’s name, for he takes a loaf of mine.

Vende público y compra secreto. Sell publicly and buy privately.

Vender gato por liebre. To sell a cat for a hare.

Vender miel al colmenero. To sell honey to the beekeeper.

Ventura te dé Dios, hijo, que saber poco te basta. God give you luck, my son, for little wit must serve your turn.

Ver el cielo por un embudo. To see the sky through a funnel.

Ver, oir y callar. See, hear, and hold your tongue.

Verse alguno en calzas prietas. To find oneself in tight breeches. (Ill at ease – we say in tight boots.)

Viejo como la sarna. As old as the itch.

Viene ventura á quien la procura. Luck comes to those who look after it.

Viento y ventura poco dura. Wind and good luck are seldom lasting.

Vino acedo, y tocino añejo, y pan de centeno, sostienen la casa en peso. Sour wine, old bacon, and rye bread keep a house rich.

Vino que es bueno no ha menester pregonero. Good wine needs no crier.

Viuda lozana, ó casada, ó sepultada, ó emparedada. A buxom widow must be married, buried, or cloistered.

Viva quien vence. Long life to the conqueror.

Vos doña, yo doña, quien botara á porca fora. You a lady, I a lady, who is to put the sow out of doors? (Galician.)

Voz del pueblo es voz de Dios. The voice of the people is the voice of God.

X

Xabonar cabeza de asno, perdimiento de xabon. To lather an ass’s head is only wasting soap.

Y

Yerba mala no le empece la helada. Ill weeds are not hurt by the frost.

Yo como tú y tú como yo, el diablo te me dió. I am like you and you like me, the devil united us.

Yo dueña y vos doncella, quien barrerá la casa? I mistress and you miss, who is to sweep the house?

Yo duro y vos duro, quien llevará lo maduro. I stubborn and you stubborn, who is to carry the load?

Yo molondron, tu molondrona, cásate conmigo, Antonia. I a lazy lout, you a lazy lout, marry me, Antonia.

Yo sé que me sé, mas de esto callar me he. I know what I know, but will say nothing about it.

Z

Zapatero, á tu zapato. Shoemaker, stick to your last.

Zorro en zorrera el humo lo echa fuera. When a fox is in his hole, the smoke fetches him out.

Zurrar á uno la badana. To thrash one’s jacket.

PORTUGUESE PROVERBS

A

A adem, a mulher, e a cabra, he má cousa sendo magra. A goose, a woman, and a goat, are bad things lean.

A agoa o dá, a agoa o leva. What water gives, water takes away.

A agoa tudo lava. Water washes everything.

A amigo naõ encubras teu segredo, que darás causa a perdelo. Conceal not your secret from your friend, or you deserve to lose him.

A apressada pergunta, vagarosa resposta. To a hasty question a leisurely answer.

Abaixaõ-se as cadeiras, levantaõ-se as tripeças. Chairs sink and stools rise.

Abaixaõ-se os muros, levantaõ-se os monturos. Walls sink and dunghills rise.

A besta comedeira pedras, na cevadeira. For a voracious beast pebbles in his feed.

A besta que muito anda, nunca falta quem tanja. The beast that goes well never wants a rider to try its paces.

A boca naõ admitte fiador. The belly does not accept bail.

A boi velho naõ cates abrigo. You need not find a shelter for an old ox.

Abraçou-se o asno com a ameixieira, e acharaõ-se parentes. The ass embraced the thistle, and they found themselves relations.

Abre tua bolsa, abrirei a minha boca. Open your purse, and I will open my mouth.

A cabra de minha visinha, mais leite dá que a minha. My neighbour’s goat gives more milk than mine.

A caõ mordido todos o mordem. All bite the bitten dog.

A carne de lobo dente de caõ. To wolf’s flesh dog’s teeth.

A casa do amigo rico irás sendo requerido, e a casa do necessitado sem ser chamado. Go to your rich friend’s house when invited; to your poor friend’s without invitation.

Accommodar o pé ao sapato, e naõ o sapato ao pé. Fit the foot to the shoe, not the shoe to the foot.

Acenai ao discreto, dai-o por feito. Give a hint to the man of sense, and consider the thing done. (A word to the wise is enough.)

Achaques ao odre, que sabe ao pez. The wine-skin has its reasons for smelling of pitch.

A chave na cinta faz a mim boa, e á minha visinha. The key at the girdle keeps me good and my neighbour too.

Achou o cego hum dinheiro. The blind man has picked up a coin.

Acompanha com os bons, e séras hum delles. Keep good company and you shall be of the number.

A dor de cabeça minha, e as vaccas nossas. The headache is mine and the cows are ours.

A espada e o annel, segundo a maõ em que estiver. The sword and the ring according to the hand that bears them.

A falta do amigo ha de se conhecer, mas naõ aborrecer. A friend’s fault should be known but not abhorred.

A gallinha aparta-lhe o ninho, e pôr-te-ha o ovo. Prepare a nest for the hen and she will lay eggs for you.

A gente pobre moeda miuda. For poor people small coin.

Agoa molle em pedra dura, tanto dá, até que fura. Soft water constantly striking the hard stone, wears it at last.

Agoa salobra na terra secca he doce. Brackish water is sweet in a drought.

A homem ventureiro a filha lhe nasce primeiro. The lucky man has a daughter for his firstborn.

Ainda nao sellamos, ja cavalgamos. We have not saddled and yet we are riding.

Ainda que a garça voe alta, o falcaõ a mata. Though the heron flies high the falcon kills it.

Ainda que somos negros, gente somos, e alma temos. Though we are negroes, we are men, and have souls.

Ainda que teu sabujo he manso, naõ o mordas no beiço. Though your mastiff be gentle, do not bite his lip.

Alcança quem naõ cança. Who faints not, achieves.

Alfaiate mal vestido, sapateiro mal calçado. The tailor ill-dressed, the shoemaker ill-shod.

Alchimia he provada, ter renda, e naõ gastar nada. It is approved alchemy to have an income and spend nothing.

A lingua longa he sinal de maõ curta. A long tongue betokens a short hand.

A má lingua, tesoura. For a bad tongue scissors.

A máo bácoro, boa lande. To the lean pig a fat acorn.

Amar, e saber naõ póde ser. To love and be wise is incompatible.

Ama-se a traiçaõ, aborrece-se o traidor. The treason approved, the traitor abhorred.

A má visinha dá a agulha sem linha. The bad neighbour gives a needle without thread.

Ameaça muitos, quem affronta hum. He threatens many who affronts one.

Amigo de bom tempo, muda-se com o vento. A fair-weather friend changes with the wind.

Amigo de todos, e de nenhum, tudo he hum. Everybody’s friend or nobody’s friend, is all one.

Amigo quebrado soldará, mas naõ sarará. Broken friendship may be soldered but can never be made sound.

Amigos e mulas fallecem a duras. Friends and mules fail us at hard passes.

A mingoa de paõ, boas saõ tortas. In default of bread, meal cakes are good.

A molher, e a gallinha por andar se perde asinha. A woman and a hen are soon lost through gadding.

A molher, e a ovelha com cedo a cortelha. Your wife and sheep early at home.

A molher, e o vidro, sempre estaõ em perigo. Women and glass are always in danger.

Amor, e senhoria, naõ quer companhia. Love and lordship like not fellowship.

Amor louco, eu por ti, e tu por outro. Mad love, I for you and you for another.

Amor naõ tem lei. Love has no law.

A mórtos, e a idos, naõ ha amigos. The dead and the absent have no friends.

A mouro morto, graõ lançada. A great thrust of a lance at a dead Moor.

A muita cautela, damno naõ causa. Much caution does no harm.

A muita cera queima a igreja. Too much wax burns the church.

A muita conversaçaõ he causa de menos preço. Too much familiarity breeds contempt.

Andando ganha a azenha, e naõ estando queda. By going gains the mill, and not by standing still.

Ande eu quente, ria-se a gente. Let me go warm and folk may laugh.

Antes a lãa se perca, que a ovelha. Rather lose the wool than the sheep.

Antes com bons a furtar, que com máos a orar. Rather go rob with good men than pray with bad.

Antes morto por ladrões, que por couce de asno. Better be killed by robbers than by the kick of an ass.

Antes que cases, vê o que fazes, porque naõ he nó que desates. Before you marry reflect, for it is a knot you cannot untie.

Ao agradecido, mais do pedido. Give a grateful man more than he asks.

Ao homem ousado a fortuna lhe dá a maõ. To the bold man Fortune holds out her hand.

Ao inimigo, que te vira a espalda, ponte de prata. Make a silver bridge for a flying enemy.

Ao invejoso emmagrece-lhe o rosto, e incha-lhe o olho. The envious man’s face grows lean and his eye swells.

Aonde hirá o boi, que naõ lavre, pois que sabe? Where shall the ox go bid he must labour, since he knows how?

Ao que faz mal, nunca lhe faltaõ achaques. He that does ill never wants for excuses.