A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

H

Ha males, que vem por bem. There are ills that happen for good.

Hir-se-haõ os hospedes, comeremos o pato. The guests will go away, and we will eat the pasty.

Homem apaixonado, naõ admitte conselho. An angry man heeds no counsel.

Homem apercebido, meio combatido. He who is well prepared has half won the battle.

Homem atrevido, odre de bom vinho, e vaso de vidro pouco duraõ. A rash man, a skin of good wine, and a glass vessel, do not last long.

Homem de bem, tem palavra, como Rei. An honest man’s word is as good as the king’s.

Homem de palha val mais, que mulher de ouro. A man of straw is better than a woman of gold.

Homem de teu officio, teu inimigo. The man of your own trade is your enemy.

Homem farto, naõ he comedor. A full man is no eater.

Homem morto, naõ falla. A dead man does not speak. (Dead men tell no tales.)

Homem nescio, dá ás vezes bom conselho. Fools sometimes give wise men counsel.

Homem pobre, depois de comer ha fome. A poor man is hungry after eating.

Homem põe, e Deos dispõe. Man proposes, and God disposes.

Honra ao bom, para que te honre, e ao máo, para que te naõ deshonre. Honour a good man that he may honour you, and a bad man that he may not dishonour you.

Honra e proveito naõ cabem em hum sacco. Honour and profit will not keep in one sack.

Hospeda formosa damno faz á bolsa. A handsome hostess is bad for the purse.

Huma desgraça alcança outra. One misfortune brings on another.

Hum aggravo consentido, outro vindo. One wrong submitted to, another follows.

Huma maõ lava a outra, e ambas o rosto. One hand washes the other, and both the face.

Hum doudo fará cento. One fool makes a hundred.

Hum graõ naõ enche o celleiro, mas ajuda a seu companheiro. One grain does not fill the granary, but it helps its companion.

I

Ira de irmaõs, ira de diabos. The wrath of brothers is the wrath of devils.

L

Ladre-me o caõ, naõ me morda. Let the dog bark at me, so he don’t bite me.

Lá vai a lingua, onde o dente grita. The tongue goes to the aching tooth.

Lá vaõ leis, onde querem cruzados. Laws go where dollars please.

Levantar a lebre, para que outrem medre. To start the hare for another’s profit.

Levar agoa ao mar. To carry water to the sea.

Lobo faminto naõ tem assento. A hungry wolf is not at rest.

Longe da vista, longe do coraçaõ. Out of sight, out of mind.

M

Madruga, e verás; trabalha, e terás. Rise early, and you will observe; labour, and you will have.

Mãi aguçosa, filha preguiçosa. A bustling mother makes a slothful daughter.

Mãi, casai-me logo, que se me arruga o rosto. Marry me forthwith, mother, for my face is growing wrinkled.

Mãi, que cousa he casar? Filha, fiar, parir, e chorar. What is marriage, mother? Daughter, it is spinning, bearing children, and weeping.

Mais abranda o dinheiro, que palavra de cavalleiro. Money soothes more than the words of a cavalier.

Mais apaga boa palavra, que caldeira de agua. A good word quenches more than a cauldron of water.

Mais asinha se toma hum mentiroso, que hum coxo. A liar is sooner caught than a cripple.

Mais barato he o comprado, que o pedido. What is bought is cheaper than a gift.

Mais descobre huma hora de jogo, que hum anno de conversaçaõ. An hour of play discovers more than a year of conversation.

Mais faz quem quer, que quem pode. He that will, does more than he that can.

Mais quero asno que me leve, que cavallo que me derrube. Better an ass that carries me than a horse that throws me.

Mais quero para meus dentes, que para meus parentes. I want more for my teeth than for my relations.

Mais val arrodear, que afogar. Better go round than be drowned.

Mais val ás vezes favor, que justiça, nem razaõ. Favour oft avails more than justice or reason.

Mais val bem de longe, que mal de perto. Better a distant good than a near evil.

Mais val boa regra, que boa renda. Good management is better than good income.

Mais val callar, que mal fallar. Better be silent than speak ill.

Mais valem amigos na praça, que dinheiro na arca. Better have friends in the market-place than money in your coffer.

Mais val ganhar no lodo, que perder no ouro. Better gain in mud than lose in gold.

Mais val guardar, que pedir. Better keep, than have to beg.

Mais val hum passaro na maõ, que dous que vaõ voando. One bird in the hand is worth two flying.

Mais val hum toma, que dous te darei. Better is one “Take this,” than two “I-will-give-you.”

Mais val merecer honra, e naõ a ter, que tendo-a, naõ a merecer. Better deserve honour and not have it, than have it and not deserve it.

Mais val perder, que mais perder. Better lose than lose more.

Mais val ruim asno, que ser asno. Better have a had ass than be your own ass.

Mais val salto de mata, que rogos de homens bons. Better is a leap over the ditch than the entreaties of good men.

Mais val só, que mal accompanhado. Better alone than in bad company.

Mais val tarde, que nunca. Better late than never.

Mais vém dous olhos, que hum. Two eyes see more than one.

Mais vém quatro olhos, que dous. Four eyes see more than two.

Mal alheio naõ cura minha dor. Another’s misfortune does not cure my pain.

Mal haja o ventre, que do paõ comido se esquece. Ill befal the belly that forgets eaten bread.

Malhar no ferro em quanto está quente. Strike while the iron is hot.

Mal me querem minhas comadres, porque lhes digo as verdades. My gossips don’t like me because I tell them truths.

Mal vai á casa, onde a roca manda à espada. It fares ill with the house when the distaff commands the sword.

Mal vai ao passarinho na maõ do menino. Ill fares the young bird in the urchin’s hand.

Manda, e descuida, naõ se fará cousa nenhuma. Give orders, and do no more, and nothing will be done.

Manda, e faze-o, tirar-te-ha cuidado. Give orders, and do it yourself, and you will be rid of anxiety.

Manda o amo ao moço, o moço ao gato, e o gato ao rabo. The master orders the man, the man orders the cat, and the cat orders her tail.

Manda o sabio com embaixada, e naõ lhe digas nada. Send a man of sense on the embassy, and you need not instruct him.

Máo he ter moço, mas peior he ter amo. It is bad to have a servant, but worse to have a master.

Matar dous passaros com huma pedra. To kill two birds with one stone.

Melhor he a gallinha da minha visinha, que a minha. Better is my neighbour’s hen than mine.

Melhor he curar goteira, que casa inteira. Better repair the gutter than the whole house.

Melhor he dar a ruins, que pedir a bons. Better have to give than have to beg.

Melhor he dobrar, que quebrar. Better bend than break.

Melhor he errar com muitos, que acertar com poucos. Better be wrong with the many than right with the few.

Melhor he hum passarinho nas maõs, que dous voando. Better a sparrow in the hand than two flying.

Melhor he o meu, que o nosso. Better mine than ours.

Melhor he palha, que nada. Better straw, than nothing.

Melhor he prevenir, que ser prevenido. Better anticipate than be anticipated.

Melhor he rosto vermelho, que coraçaõ negro. Better a red face than a black heart.

Melhor he ser torto, que cego de todo. Better be one-eyed than quite blind.

Menina e vinha, perál e favál, màos saõ de guardar. A girl, a vineyard, an orchard, and a bean-field, are hard to watch.

Mette a maõ no seio, naõ diràs do fado alheio. Lay your hand on your bosom and you will not speak ill of another.

Meu dinheiro, teu dinheiro, vamos a taverna. My money, your money, let us go to the tavern.

Miguel, Miguel, naõ tens abelhas, e vendes mel? Michael, Michael, you have no bees, and yet you sell honey!

Minha arca cerrada, minha alma sã. My chest locked, my soul safe.

Moeda falsa de noite passa. Counterfeit coin passes current at night.

Molher palreira diz de todos, e todos della. A gossiping woman talks of everybody, and everybody of her.

Molher, vento, e ventura asinha se muda. Woman, wind, and luck soon change.

Molle molle, se vai longe. Fair and softly goes far.

Morder a quem morde. Bite the biter.

Mudado o tempo, mudado o conselho. Other times, other counsels.

Mudar costume, parelha da morte. To change one’s habits smacks of death.

Muda-te, mudar-se-te-ha a fortuna. Change yourself, and fortune will change with you.

Muita palha, e pouco graõ. Much straw and little corn.

Muito fallar, pouco saber. Much chatter, little wit.

Muito folga o lobo com o couce da ovelha. The wolf is well pleased with the kick of a sheep.

Muito paõ tem Castella, mas quem o naõ tem, lazera. There is plenty of corn in Castile, but he who has none, starves.

Muito pòde o gallo no seu poleiro. Every cock is valiant on his own dunghill.

Muito prometter he sinal de pouco dar. To promise much means giving little.

Muito sabe a raposa, mas mais sabe quem a toma. The fox knows much, but more he that catcheth him.

Muitos beijaõ a maõ, que quizeraõ ver cortada. Many kiss the hand they would gladly see cut off.

N

Na agoa envolta pesca o pescador. The fisherman fishes in troubled water.

Na arca aberta o justo pecca. An open box tempts an honest man.

Na barba do nescio aprendem todos a rapar. On the fool’s beard all learn to shave.

Na casa chea asinha se faz a cea. Supper is soon served up in a plentiful house.

Nada duvida, quem naõ sabe. He doubts nothing who knows nothing.

Nada tem, quem se naõ contenta com o que tem. He has nothing who is not content with what he has.

Naõ bebas cousa, que naõ vejas, nem assines carta, que naõ leas. Drink nothing without seeing it, sign nothing without reading it.

Naõ deixes caminho por atalho. Don’t leave the high road for a short cut.

Naõ diga a lingoa, por onde pague a cabeça. Let not the tongue utter what the head may have to pay for.

Naõ digas, desta agoa naõ biberei, nem deste paõ comerei. Never say, of this water I will not drink, of this bread I will not eat.

Naõ digas mal do anno, até que naõ seja passado. Speak not ill of the year-until it is past.

Naõ fiar de caõ, que manqueja. Trust not a dog that limps.

Naõ fies, nem porfies, nem arrendes, viviras entre as gentes. Neither trust or contend, nor lay wagers or lend, and you’ll have peace to your end.

Naõ há dia sem tarde. There is no day without its night.

Naõ ha mulher formosa no dia da voda, senaõ a noiva. There’s no handsome woman on the wedding day, except the bride.

Naõ ha palavra mal dita, se naõ fora mal entendida. No word is ill spoken, that is not ill taken.

Naõ ha prazer, que naõ enfade, e mais se se houver debalde. There is no pleasure that does not pall, the more so if it costs nothing.

Naõ he nada, senaõ que mataõ a meu marido. It is nothing, they are only killing my husband.

Naõ he o diabo taõ feio como o pintaõ. The devil is not so ugly as he is painted.

Naõ he o mel para a boca do asno. Honey is not for the ass’s mouth.

Naõ he pobre, senaõ o que se tem por pobre. No one is poor but he who thinks himself so.

Naõ me apraz porta, que a muitas chaves faz. Beware of a door that has many keys.

Naõ me pago do amigo, que come o seu só, e o meu comigo. He is no friend that eats his own by himself, and mine with me.

Naõ quebra por delgado, senaõ por gordo e mal fiado. Threads do not break for being fine, but for being gouty and ill-spun.

Naõ sejais forneiro, se tendes a cabeça de manteiga. Don’t be a baker if your head is made of butter.

Naõ se lembra a sogra, que foi nora. The mother-in-law does not remember that she was once a daughter-in-law.

Naõ se pode viver sem amigos. There’s no living without friends.

Naõ se tomaõ trutas a bragas enxutas. There’s no catching trouts with dry breeches.

Naõ te faças pobre, a quem te naõ ha da fazer rico. Don’t make yourself poor to one who won’t make you rich.

Naõ tem nada, quem nada lhe basta. He has nothing, for whom nothing is enough.

Naõ tem que comer, assenta-se a mesa. I have nothing for dinner, sit down to table.

Nasce na horta o que naõ semea o hortelaõ. More grows in a garden than the gardener sows there.

Na terra dos cegos, o torto he rei. The one-eyed is a king in the land of the blind.

Necio he quem cuida, que outro naõ cuida. He is a fool who thinks that others do not think.

Nem barbeiro mudo, nem cantor surdo. Neither a dumb barber nor a deaf singer.

Nem com cada mal ao medico, nem com cada trampa ao letrado. Go not with every ailment to the doctor, nor with every plaint to the lawyer.

Nem com toda a fóme á arca, nem com toda a sede ao cantaro. Go not with every hunger to the cupboard, nor with every thirst to the pitcher.

Nem estopa com tiçoens, nem molher com varoens. Trust not tow with firebrands, nor a woman with men.

Nem por muito madrugar, amanhece mais asinha. It dawns none the sooner for all one’s early rising.

Nem tanto puxar, que se quebre a corda. Don’t pull hard enough to break the rope.

Nem taõ formosa que mate, nem taõ fea, que espante. Neither handsome enough to kill nor ugly enough to frighten away.

Nem todos os que vaõ à guerra, saõ soldados. All are not soldiers who go to the wars.

Nem tudo o que he verdade, se diz. Not all that is true is to be spoken.

Nem tudo o que luz he ouro. All is not gold that glitters.

Ninguem he bom juiz em causa propria. No one is a good judge in his own cause.

Ninguem se contenta com sua sórte. No one is content with his lot.

Ninguem se metta no que naõ sabe. Meddle not in what you don’t understand.

Ninguem sempre acerta. No one is always right.

Ninho feito, pega morta. The nest made, the bird dead.

No rosto de minha, filha, vejo quando, o demo toma a meu genro. I see by my daughter’s face when the devil lays hold of my son-in-law.

Nos trabalhos se vem os amigos. Friends are known in adversity.

Nunca de má arvore bom fruto. Good fruit never comes from a bad tree.

Nunca falta hum caõ, que vos ladre. There is never wanting a dog to bark at you.

Nunca foi bom amigo, quem por pouco quebron a amizade. He never was a friend who ceased to be so for a slight cause.

Nunca lobo mata outro. One wolf does not kill another.

Nunca muito custou pouco. Much never cost little.

Nunca se matou ouriço cacheiro às punhadas. Hedgehogs are not to be killed with the fist.

Nunca se queixe do engano, quem pela mostra compra o panno. He should not complain of being cheated who buys the cloth by the sample.

O

O amigo ha de se levar com a sua tacha. A friend is to be taken with his faults.

O amor, e a fé, nas obras se vé. Love and faith are seen in works.

O amor naõ tem lei. Love knows no law.

O bem soa, e o mal voa. Good news is rumoured, bad news flies.

O boi bravo na terra alheia se faz manso. The savage ox grows tame on strange ground.

O bom vinho naõ ha mester ramo. Good wine needs no bush.

Obra começada, meia acabada. Well begun is half done.

Obra de commum, obra de nenhum. What’s everybody’s work is nobody’s work.

Obra feita dinheiro espera. Work done expects money.

Obras saõ amores, e naõ palavras doces. Deeds are love, and not sweet words.

O buraco chama ao ladraõ. The hole invites the thief.

O caõ velho, quando ladra, dà conselho. When the old dog barks, he gives counsel.

O caro he barato, e o barato he caro. Dear is cheap, and cheap is dear.

O couce da egoa naõ faz mal ao potro. The mare’s kick does not harm the colt.

O dia de amanhã ninguem o vio. No one has seen to-morrow.

O dinheiro do avarento, duas vezes vai à feira. Misers’ money goes twice to market.

Officio alheio custa dinheiro. Another man’s trade costs money.

Officio de conselho, honra sem proveito. A seat in the council is honour without profit.

O filho de tua visinha, tira-lhe o ranho, e casa-o com tua filha. Wipe the nose of your neighbour’s son, and marry him to your daughter.

O filho do asno huma hora no dia orneja. The ass’s son brays one hour daily.

O fim coroa a obra. The end crowns the work.

O galgo, à larga, a lebre mata. In the long run, the greyhound kills the hare.

O homem he fogo, e a mulher estopa, vem o diabo, assopra. Man is fire, woman is tow, and the devil comes and blows.

O homem pobre a dobrado custo come. The poor man eats at double cost.

O hospede, e o peixe a os tres dias fede. A guest and a fish stink in three days.

O ladraõ cuida que todos taes saõ. The thief thinks that all are like himself.

O ladraõ da agulha ao ouro, e do ouro à forca. The thief proceeds from a needle to gold, and from gold to the gallows.

Olhos verdes, em poucos os veredes. You will not see many with green eyes.

O lobo perde os dentes, mas naõ o costume. The wolf loses his teeth, but not his inclination.

O mal do olho cura-se com o cotovelo. Wipe your sore eye with your elbow.

O mal, que naõ tem cura, he loucura. The malady that is most incurable is folly.

O marido antes com hum só olho, que com hum filho. Rather a husband with one eye than with one son.

O melhor penso do cavallo, he o olho de seu amo. The horse’s best allowance is his master’s eye.

O mentir naõ paga sisa. Lying pays no tax.

O moço, e o gallo hum sò anno. A servant and a cock must be kept but one year.

O moço preguiçoso, por naõ dar huma passada, da oito. The lazy servant takes eight steps to avoid one.

Onde a gallinha tem os ovos, là se lhe vaõ os olhos. The hen’s eyes turn to where she has her eggs.

Onde entra o beber, sahe o saber. When the wine is in, the wit is out.

Onde está o gallo, naõ canta a gallinha. Where the cock is the hen does not crow.

Onde fogo naõ ha, fumo naõ se levanta. Where there is no fire, no smoke rises.

Onde força naõ ha, direito se perde. Where there’s no might there’s no right.

Onde ha amigos, ha riquezas. Where friends, there riches.

Onde ha muito riso, ha pouco siso. Much laughter, little wit.

Onde irá o boi, que naõ are? Where shall the ox go, and not have to plough?

Onde naõ ha honra, naõ ha deshonra. Where there is no honour there is no dishonour.

Onde o lobo acha hum cordeiro, busca outro. Where the wolf picks up one sheep he looks for another.

Onde vai mas fundo o rio, ahi faz menos ruido. Where the river is deepest it makes least noise.

O olho do amo engorda o cavallo. The master’s eye makes the horse fat.

O parvo, se he callado, por sabio he reputado. The fool passes for wise if he is silent.

O peior porco come a melhor lande. The worst pig eats the best acorn.

O perro com raiva a seu amo morde. The mad dog bites its master.

O perro do hortelão naõ come as versas, nem a outrem as deixa comer. The gardener’s dog neither eats greens nor lets any one else eat them.

O pouco faz devedor, e o muito inimigo. A little makes a debtor and much an enemy.

O que faz o doudo á derradeira, faz o sesudo à primeira. What the fool does at last the wise man does at first.

O que he duro de passar, he doce de lembrar. What was hard to bear is sweet to remember.

O que naõ pòde al ser, deves soffrer. What can’t be cured must be endured.

O rei das abelhas naõ tem aguilhaõ. The king of the bees has no sting.

O sacco do genro nunca he cheio. The son-in-law’s sack is never full.

Os dedos da maõ naõ saõ iguaes. The fingers of the same hand are not alike.

Os erros dos medicos a terra os cobre. The blunders of physicians are covered by the earth.

O sisudo naõ ata o saber á estaca. The man of sense does not hang up his knowledge.

Os mortos aos vivos abrem os olhos. The dead open the eyes of the living.

O tramposo asinha engana ao cobiçoso. The swindler readily cheats the covetous man.

Ouro he o que ouro vale. That is gold which is worth gold.

Ouve, ve, e calla, se queres viver em paz. Hear, see, and say nothing, if you would live in peace.

Ovelha farta, do rabo se espanta. The full-fed sheep is frightened at her own tail.

Ovelha, que berra, bocado perde. The sheep that bleats loses a mouthful.

O ventre em jejum naõ ouve a nenhum. A hungry belly hears nobody.

P

Paga o justo pelo peccador. The righteous pays for the sinner.

Paga o que deves, sararàs do mal que tens. Pay what you owe, you will get well of your malady.

Pagar na mesma moeda. To pay one in his own coin.

Palavra fóra da boca, pedra fóra da maõ. A word from the mouth, a stone from the hand. (A word and a blow.)

Palavras de santo, e cenhas de gato. Saint’s words, cat’s claws.

Palavras naõ enchem barriga. Words don’t fill the belly.

Panella que muito ferve, o sabor perde. The pot that boils too much loses its flavour.

Paõ alheio caro custa. Another’s bread costs dear.

Paõ comido, companhia desfeita. The bread eaten, the company departs.

Paz de cajado guerra he. Peace with a cudgel in hand is war.

Peccado confessado, he meio perdoado. A fault confessed is half forgiven.

Pedra movediça, naõ cria bolor. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Peleijaõ os ladrones, descobrem-se os furtos. When thieves fall out, their knaveries come to light.

Peleijaõ os touros, mal pelos ramos. When bulls fight, woe to the frogs.

Pelos Santos novos esquecem os velhos. The old saints are forgotten in the new.

Penhor que come, ninguem o tome. Beware of a pledge that eats.

Pequenas rachas accendem o fogo, e os madeiros grossos o sustentaõ. Little chips kindle the fire, and big logs sustain it.

Pequeno machado parte grande carvalho. A small hatchet fells a great oak.

Perdendo tempo, naõ se ganha dinheiro. Money is not gained by losing time.

Perro ladrador, nunca bom caçador. A barking dog was never a good hunter.

Pés costumados a andar, naõ pódem quedos estar. Feet accustomed to go cannot be still.