Kitabı oku: «A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs», sayfa 17

En salvo está el que repica. He is out of danger who rings the alarm-bell.

En tiempo helado el clavo vale un caballo. In frosty weather a nail is worth a horse.

Entienda primero, y habla postrero. Hear first, and speak afterwards.

En tierra de ciegos el tuerto es rey. The one-eyed man is a king in the country of the blind.

En tierra seca el agua salobre es buena. On dry land even brackish water is good.

Entre dos amigos un notario y dos testigos. Between two friends a notary and two witnesses.

Entre dos muelas molares nunca metas tus pulgares. Never put your thumbs between two grinders.

Entre tanto que cria, amamos el ama; pasado el provecho, luego olvidada. Whilst the nurse suckles, we love her; when she is of no further use, she is forgotten.

En voto del conde no mates al hombre. Don’t kill the man at the count’s desire.

Esa es buena que está al fuego y no se quema. She is good who is close to the fire and does not burn.

Esa es buena y honrada que es muerta y sepultada. She is good and honoured who is dead and buried.

Escrive antes que des, y recibe antes que escrivas. Let there be writing before you pay, and receipt before you write.

Escuchas al agujero, oirás de tú mal y del ageno. If you listen at a hole, you will hear ill of yourself as well as others.

Ese es mi amigo el que muele en mi molinillo. He is my friend who grinds at my mill.

F

Fiar de Dios sobre buena prenda. Trust in God upon good security.

For secreto, lo fumo lo descovre. Secret fire is discovered by its smoke. (Catalan.)

Fraile que pide por Dios, pide por dos. The friar who begs for God begs for two.

Frailes sobrand’ojo alerte. Where friars abound keep your eyes open.

Frailes, viver con ellos, y comer con ellos, y andar con ellos, y luego vendellos, que así hacen ellos. As for friars, live with them, eat with them, and walk with them; then sell them as they do themselves.

Fuego, fuego, muchas ollas y un garbanzo en todas. Fire, fire, many pots on, and one pea in them all.

G

Galgo que muchas liebras levanta, ninguna mata. The greyhound that starts many hares kills none.

Gana tiene de coles quien besa al hortelano. She is fond of greens who kisses the gardener.

Gato escaldado del agua fria ha miedo. The scalded cat dreads cold water.

Gato maullador nunca buen cazador. A mewing cat is never a good mouser.

Gloria vana florece, y no grana. Vainglory blossoms, and bears no fruit.

Goza tú de tu poco, mientras busca mas el loco. Enjoy your little whilst the fool is seeking for more.

Grano no henche harnero, mas ayuda á su compañero. A grain does not fill a sieve, but it helps its fellow.

Gran sabor es comer y no escotar. It is very savoury to eat scot free.

Grano á grano hinche la gallina el papo. Grain by grain the hen fills her crop.

Guárdete Dios de hecho es. God keep you from “It is too late.”

Guayas! padre, que otra hija os nasce. Alas! father, another daughter is born to you.

H

Habla poco y bien, tenerte han por alquien. Talk little and well, and you will be looked upon as somebody.

Habla de la caza, y cómprala en la plaza. Talk of sporting, and buy game in the market.

Habló el buey y dijó Mu. The ox spoke and said “Moo.”

Hacer la cuenta sin la huéspeda. To reckon without the hostess.

Hágase el milagro, y hágalo el diablo. Let the miracle be wrought, though it be by the devil.

Halagar con la cola, y morder con la boca. To fawn with the tail, and bite with the mouth.

Hambre y frio entregan al hombre á su enemigo. Hunger and cold give a man up to his enemy.

Harto es ciego quien no vee por tela de cedazo. He is blind enough who cannot see through a sieve.

Harto es necio y loco, quien vacue su cuero por henchir el de otro. He is a great simpleton who starves himself to feed another.

Hay buena cuenta, y no paresca blanca. The account is correct, but not a sixpence appears.

Haz buena harina, y no toques bocina. Make good flour, and do not blow the trumpet.

Haz lo que bien digo, y no lo que mal hago. Do what I say well, and not what I do ill.

Haz lo que dice el fraile, y no lo que hace. Do what the friar says, and not what he does.

Herradura que chacotea, clavo le falta. The horseshoe that clatters wants a nail.

Hidalgo honrado antes roto que remendado. A true gentleman would rather have his clothes torn than mended.

Hijo del alcalde con todo sale. The magistrate’s son gets out of every scrape.

Hijo no tenemos, y nombre le ponemos. We have no son, and yet are giving him a name.

Hilo y aguja, media vestidura. Needle and thread are half clothing.

Hizonos Dios, y maravillámonos nos. God made us, and we admire ourselves.

Hombre apercebido vale por dos. A man forewarned is as good as two. (Forewarned is forearmed.)

Hombre harto no es comedor. A man that has had his fill is no eater.

Hombre pobre todo es trazas. A poor man is all schemes.

Hombre que no tiene cabeza no ha menester bonete. He who has no head wants no hat.

Huéspeda hermosa mal para la bolsa. A handsome hostess is bad for the purse.

Huir y correr no es todo uno. To flee and to run are not all one.

Humo y gotera, y la muger parlera, echan al hombre de su casa fuera. Smoke, a dripping roof, and a scolding wife, are enough to drive a man out of his life.

Hurtar el puerco, y dar los pies por Dios. To steal the pig, and give away the pettitoes for God’s sake.

Huyendo del toro, cayó en el arroyo. Flying from the bull he fell into the river.

I

Id por medio, y no careis. Take the middle of the way and thou wilt not fall.

Iglesia, ó mar, ó casa real, quien quiere medrar. The church, the sea, or the royal household, for whoever would thrive.

Ira de hermanos, ira de diablos. The wrath of brothers is the wrath of devils.

Ir á la guerra ni casar, no se ha de aconsejar. Never advise a man to go to the wars, or to marry.

Ir por lana, y volver trasquilado. To go for wool and come back shorn.

J

Juego de manos, juego de villanos. Manual play, clowns’ play.

Jurado ha el vano de negro no hacer blanco. The bath has sworn not to whiten the blackamoor.

Juras del que ama muger, no se han de creer. The oaths of one who loves a woman are not to be believed.

Justa razon engañar el engañador. It is fair and just to cheat the cheater.

Justicia, mas no por mi casa. Justice, but not in my own house.

L

La bestia que mucho anda, nunca falta quien la taña. The beast that goes well is never without some one to try his paces.

La boca y la bolsa, cerrada. The mouth and the purse, shut.

La buena vida padre y madre olvida. Prosperity forgets father and mother.

La burla dineros cuesta. Jesting costs money.

La cabra de mi vecina mas leche da que no la mia. My neighbour’s goat gives more milk than mine.

La carcel y la quaresma para los pobres es hecha. Prison and Lent were made for the poor.

La caridad bien ordenada comenza de sí propia. Charity well regulated begins at home.

La casa quemada, acudir con el agua. To fetch water after the house is burned.

La codicia rompe el saco. Covetousness bursts the bag.

La costumbre es otra naturaleza. Custom is second nature.

La coz de la yegua no hace mal al potro. The mare’s kick does not harm the colt.

La cruz en los pechos, y el diablo en los hechos. The cross on his breast, and the devil in his acts.

La cuba huele al vino que tiene. The cask smells of the wine it contains.

La cuba llena, la suegra bevida. The cask full, the mother-in-law drunk.

Ládreme el perro, y no me muerda. Let the dog bark so he don’t bite me.

La espada y la sortija, en cuya mano estan. The sword and the ring according to the hand that bears them.

La espina quando nace, la punta lleva delante. The thorn comes into the world point foremost.

La gala del nadar es saber guardar la ropa. The secret in swimming is to know how to take care of your clothes.

La gallina de mi vecina mas huevos pone que la mia. My neighbour’s hen lays more eggs than mine.

La gente pone, y Dios dispone. Man proposes, and God disposes.

La gotera dando hace señal en la piedra. The gutter by dropping wears the stone.

La hogaça no embaraça. One’s prog does not clog. (Store is no sore.)

La horca lo suyo lleva. The gallows takes its own.

La justicia de Peralvillo que ahorcado el hombre le hace la pes quisa. Peralvillo justice: hang a man first and try him afterwards.

La lengua del mal amigo mas corta que cuchillo. The tongue of a bad friend cuts more than a knife.

La lengua luenga es señal de mano corta. A long tongue betokens a short hand.

La letra con sangre entra. The letter enters with blood.

La mala llaga sana, la mala fama mata. A bad wound may be cured, bad repute kills.

La mano cuerda no hace todo lo que due la lengua. The wise hand does not all that the tongue says.

La manzana podrida perde a su compaña. The rotten apple spoils its companion.

La mas cauta es tenida por mas casta. The most cautious passes for the most chaste.

La mas ruin oveja se ensucia en la colodra. The worst ewe dungs in the milking-pail.

La moça como es criada, la estopa como es hilada. The girl as she is taught, the flax as it is wrought.

La muger compuesta á su marido quita de puerta agena. The well-dressed woman draws her husband away from another woman’s door.

La muger del ciego para quien se affeyta? For whom does the blind man’s wife adorn herself?

La muger hermosa ó loca ó presuntuosa. A handsome woman is either silly or vain.

La muger polida, la casa sucia, la puerta barrida. The woman in finery, the house in filth, but the doorway swept.

La muger quanto mas mira la cara, tanto mas destruye la casa. The more a woman admires her face, the more she ruins her house.

La muger vieja, si no serve de olla, serve de cobertera. The old wife, if she does not serve for a pot, serves for a cover.

La muger y el vidrio siempre estan en peligro. A woman and a glass are always in danger.

La muger y la salsa á la man de la lança. Your wife and the sauce at the lance hand (the right hand).

La muger y la tela, no las cates á la candela. Choose neither a woman nor linen by candlelight.

La mula y la muger por balagos hacen el mandado. A mule and a woman do what is expected of them.

La necesidad hace á la viega trotar. Need makes the old woman trot.

La occasion hace el ladron. Opportunity makes the thief.

La oveja harta, del rabo hace manta. The well-fed sheep makes a cloak of its tail.

La piedra es dura, y la gota menuda, mas cayendo de continuo, hace cavadura. The stone is hard and the drop is small, but a hole is made by the constant fall.

La pobreza no quita virtud, ni la riqueza la pone. Poverty does not destroy virtue, nor does wealth bestow it.

La primera muger escoba, y la segunda señora. The first wife is a broom, and the second a lady.

La quinta rueda al carro no hace sino embaraçar. A fifth wheel to a cart is but an encumbrance.

La sangre sin fuego hierve. Blood boils without fire.

Las llaves en la cinta, y el perro en la cocina. The keys at the girdle, the dog in the larder.

Las malas nuevas siempre son ciertas. Bad news is always true.

Las manos blancas no ofenden. White hands are no offence.

Las sopas y los amores, los primieros son mejores. Of soups and loves the first are the best.

Las tripas esten llenas, que ellas llevan á las piernas. Let the guts be full, for it is they that carry the legs.

La suegra ha de ser rogada, y olla reposada. The mother-in-law must be entreated, and the pot must be let stand.

La telaraña suelta al rato, y la mosca apana. The spider’s web lets the rat escape and catches the fly.

La tierra que el hombre sabe, esa es su madre. The land a man knows is his mother.

La traicion aplace, mas no el que la hace. The act of treachery is liked, but not he that does it.

La una mano á la otra lava, y las dos á la cara. One hand washes the other, and both the face.

La vaca harta de la cola haz brigata. The full-fed cow makes company of her tail.

Lavar la cabeça del asno perdimiento de javon. It is a loss of soap to wash the ass’s head.

La verdad, como el olio, siempre anda en somo. Truth, like oil, always comes to the surface.

La vida y el alma, mas no el alvarda. My life and soul (are at your service), but not my pack-saddle.

Lleva tu la arteza, marido, que yo llevaré el cedaço, que pesa como el diablo. Do you carry the trough, husband, and I will carry the sieve, which is as heavy as the devil.

Lo ageno siempre pia por su dueño. What is another’s always pines for its master.

Lo barato es caro. Bargains are dear.

Lo mio mio, lo de Juan mi hermano, suyo y mio. What is mine is my own; my brother Juan’s is his and mine.

Lo peor del pleito es, que de uno nacen ciento. The worst of a lawsuit is that out of one there grow a hundred.

Lo perdido vaya por amor de Dios. Let what is lost go for God’s sake.

Lo que come mi vicino no aproveche a mi tripa. What my neighbour eats does my stomach no good.

Lo que con los ojos veo, con el dedo lo adevino. What I see with my eyes I can guess with my fingers.

Lo que hace el loco á la derreria, hace el sabio á la primeria. What the fool does at last the wise man does at first.

Lo que hecho es, hecho ha de ser por esta vez. What is done, is done for this time.

Lo que la fuerça no puede, ingenio lo vince. What force cannot do ingenuity may.

Lo que la loba hace, al lobo aplace. What the she-wolf does pleases the he-wolf.

Lo que la muger quiere, Dios lo quiere. What a woman wills, God wills.

Lo que mucho se desea, no se cree aunque se vea. What is much desired is not believed when it comes.

Lo que mucho vale, de so tierra sale. What much is worth comes from the earth.

Lo que no acerta en un ano, acerta en un rato. What does not happen in a year may happen in a moment.

Lo que no lleva Christo, lleva el fisco. What Christ does not take the exchequer takes.

Lo que no quieres para ti, no lo quieras para mi. What you dislike for yourself do not like for me.

Lo que saben tres, sabe toda res. What three know, everybody knows.

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.