Sean Fhocail Coitianta
Proverbs.
- “Mol an oige is tiochfaidh sí”, Praise youth and it will come with you, do what you want.
- “Is maith an oige an te chuirfeadh í ar fognamh”, Youth is a great thing for those who will use it.
- “Ní feidir ceann criona do chuir ar colainn óig”, you can’t put on old head on young shoulders.
- “Ní thagann ciall roimh aois”, Common sense does not come before age.
- “Nuair is cruaidh an t – slat ní fuirst í sniomh in a gad”, When the road grows too strong you can’t twist into a rope.
- “Is doigh leis an fiach dubh gur geal a ghearrcach fein”, The raven thinks its grey, one is white.
- “Is fhearr ciall ceannaig na dha ciall amuintear”, Sense obtained by experience is better than any sense taught.
- “Briseann an duthcas trí shuilibh an chait”, Heredity breaks even through the eyes of a cat.
- “Is treise duthcas na oiluint”, Heredity is stronger than education.
- “Ní bhionn an rath achmar a mbionn an smacht”, There is no luck without discipline.
- “Cad a dheanfadh mathair cait ach luch do mharbhu”, What would a cat’s mother do but kill a mouse.
- “Níl aon teinteann mar do theinteann féin”, There is no home like your own home.
- “Is glas iad na cnoic í bhfad uainn”, Hills look green when seen at a distance.
- “Bionn adharca fáda ar an buaidh thar lear”, Far away cows wear long horns.
- “Ní mhaireann saibhreas do gnath”, Riches do not last forever.
- “Is fearr an sláinte na tainte”, Health is better than riches.
- “Ar scath a cheile a mhaireann na daoine”, People depend on each other to live.
- “Is giorra chabair De na an doras”, God’s help is nearer than the door.
- “Bionn gach tosnu lag”, Every beginning is weak.
- “Tosach maith leath na h –oibre”, A good beginning is half the work done.
- “Is olc an cearc na scriobann di féin”, It’s a bad hen that will scratch for herself.
- “Is baidhiúil iad lucht eincinne”, People of one clan are friendly. Blood is thicker than water.
- “Ní h–aithinteas nó h-aontigheas”, You can’t really know a person until you live with him.
- “Bionn dha insint ar gach scéal”, There are two sides to every story.
- “Is binn beal ina thost”, A silent mouth is sweetness. Silence is golden.
- “Níor bhris focal maith fiacial riamh”, A good word never broke a tooth.
- “Is mairg a baitear in am an hanaithe”, It’s a pity to be drowned during bad weather because the sun comes out after bad weather.
- “is mairg a bheidh ag an cead beart”, It’s a great pity to come down at the first fence.
- “Tar éis tuigtear gach beart”, It’s when the deed is done we have hind sense.
- “Is doigh le fear gan aon ciall gurab é féin na ceille”, The foolish man thinks he knows all and has no sense.
- “Is teann gach madra ar úrláir a the féin”, Every dog is independent on the floor of his own home.
- “An té a bhionn thuas oltar deoch air, an té bhionn thios buailtear cos air”, – The person who is at the top, they drink his health, but the person who is down is trodden on.
- “Ar maithe leis féin a dheineann an cat cronan”, For his own benefit the cat purrs.
- “Is geall le muc duine gan seift”, The person without some method is as bad as a pig.
- “Is lia gach othar tar éis é leigheas”, Everyone is doctor when he has been cured.
- “Is fearr rith maith na droch seasamh”, A good run is better than a bad stand.
- “Í dtosach na h-aicide is fusa é leighas”, It’s easier to cure a disease at the very start.
- “Níl luibh na leighas in aghaidh an bhais”, There is no herb or cure for death.
- “Ní troid go troid na gcairde”, No fight is as bad as when friends fight.
- “I ndiaidh a cheile a deintear na cáisleáin”, Piece by piece castle are made.
- “Is olc an ghaoth na seideann do dhuine eigin”, It’s a bad wind that does not blow somebody good.
- “Is fáda an bothar nach chfuil casadh air”, It’s a long road without a turn.
- “Ní he lá na gaoithe lá na scolb”, A windy day is not the day for thatching.
- “Ní bhionn saoil gan locht”, Every wise man has some fault.
- “Is fearr feachaint rot na dha fheachaint dhiaidh”, One look ahead is worth two looks after.
- “Is geall le sos malairt oibre”, A change of work is like a rest.
- “Eist le fuaim na habhann is gheobhaid tú breac”. Listen to the babble of the stream and you’ll catch trout.
- “Mair a chapaill is gheobhaid tú fear”. Live horse and you’ll get grass.
- “Capall na h-oibre an bia”. Food is the horse of work.
- “Ní bhionn antreann buan”. The strongest is not everlasting.
- “Is minic a dhein bromach giobalac capaillin cumasach”, Often a little raggity colt makes a good horse
- “Bionn leacaca sleamhna ar úrlár an tige móir”. The floors in the ‘big house’ are slippery.
- “Gach dala mar a n-oiltear”. Every child is as he is taught.
- “Da mbeadh soineann go samhain bheadh breall ar duine eigin”, – If we had fine weather ‘till November somebody would be complaining.
- “Nuair a luionn ge luionn siad go léir”, When a goose lies they all lie.
- “Is fearr folamh na droch sceal”, No news is better than bad news.
- “Ní feidir léis an gobadan an da traig d’freastal”, The gobadan cannot mind two beaches.
- “Stocaí bána agus salaí doite”, White socks on burnt heels.
- Bionn blas saan mbeagan, – A scarce piece is sweet.
- “Aithionn ciaróg ciaróg eile”, One ciarog knows another ciarog. Birds of a feather flock together.
- “Bean mhic is mathair ceile mar a bheadh cat is luch in agaidh a cheile”; – A Son’s wife and her mother – in – law are like a cat and a mouse watching each other.
- “Ní iseal na uasal ach thios seal is thuas sea”, It is not down and up but up for a while and down for a while.
- “Ní baol do bacach an gadai”, The beggerman does not fear the thief.
- “Bionn da ceann ar gach caorig oige”, He has two heads on every sheep he had (boastful).
- “Ní feidir capall ras a dheanamh d’asal”, You can’t make a racehorse out of a donkey.
- “Pós bean on iarthar is posfearr an t-iarthar goléir”, If you marry a lady from the west you marry all the west.
- “Is mó cur a chuireann an t-saoil de”, The world gives many a twist or turn.
- “Ní grá do clann”, – There is no love like family love.
- “An te nach bhfúil laidir ní folair dó bheith glic”, The person who is not strong must be clever to get on
- “Is fearr súil le beal an chuain ná súil le beal na h-uagha”, – There is some hope from the sea but none from the grave.
- “Féar na bó féin fe’n a h-eirbeall”, – The man that owns a cow must hold his tail (when she is stuck).
- “Nuair is cruaidh don caillig caitheann sí rith”, When things get too hot for the old hag she must run.
- “Ní thagann rith maith dó capall í gcónaí”, A horse cannot run well always.
- “Is é an t-iomanai is fearr an fear ar an gclaí”, The best hurler is the man on the fence (looking on).
- “Fád ó bhaile labhrann an pilibin mióg”, The plover screams along way from home.
- “Is namhaid an céard gán é ghóghláim”, A trade is but an enemy if you do not learn it.
- “Is é an duine an t-eadach”, It’s the suit (of clothes) that makes a man.
- “Sioda ar Siobhán is preabain ar a h-athair”, Sheila wearing silk and her father wearing rags.
- “Is mór an mhaise ar séanbróg búcla”, A buckle is a great improvement to an old house.
- “An te nach bhfúil bolac ar an gcnoc áige bionn súaimeas in an sopíge”, – The person who has not a herd (riches) can sleep peacefully.
- “An te a bionn amuigh fuarann a chúid”, The person who always eats his goods gets his lot.
- “An te nach cuireann san Earrach ní bhainneann sé sa bFomhair”, – The person who does not sow in Spring cannot reap in Autumn.
- “Nóllaig grainmhar a dheineann reilg grianmar”, A sunny Christmas makes a green cemetery. (No deaths).
- “Beidh lá éile ag an bPaorach”, – Mr. Power will have another day (he’ll get a chance of revenge).
- “Dóras feasa is fiafrai” – The door to knowledge is inquiring.
- “Cúidionn Dia léis an te a cúidionn léis féin”, God helps him who helps himself.
- “Dá fád an lá tagann an óiche”, However long the day is evening must come.
- “Tír gan teanga tír gan áinm”, – A country without a language is a country without a soul.
- “Bionn blas milis ar phraiseach ná comharsan”, There is a sweet taste in the neighbour’s mess.
- “Séachain an droch dhuine is ní baol dhúit an duine macanta”, – Beware of the wicked person, you’ll have no fear of the honest man.
- “Ná h-eisg bheaga a chothaionn ná h-eisg mhóra”, The small fish feed the big fish.
- “Is deacra girrfiadh dó cur ás tor nach bhfúil sé ann”, It’s hard to hunt a hare out of a bush where he is not.
- “Ní mhothaigh léis an mbólg lán, bolg folamh”, A full stomach does not have feelings for an empty one.
- “Dá breactheacht an lá ní h-ualach dó dhuine bhrat”, However fine a day is, a coat is no load to anybody.
- “Má imig taoide tiocfaidh taoide”, If one tide has gone another will come.
- “Ní neart go cur lé chéile”, – Unity is strength.
- “Ní mar is á siltear bitear”, – Things are not as they look. Don’t take the book by the cover.
- “Ná mól is ná di – mhol daone”, Don’t praise or dispraise a fool.
- “An te a bhionn ina dhrodh sléirbiseach dó féin bionn sé ina shéirbhseacht maith dó dhaoine éile”, The person who is a bad servant to himself is a good servant to others.
- “Is fearr marcaiocht ar gabhar nó cosáoicht dó fheabhas”, – A ride on a goat is better than the best walking.
- “Ní moill faobhar ach is moill mhór bheith gán é”, Stopping to sharpen you scythe is no delay but to be without edge is a great delay.
- “Creacheadoir tireach sioladoir fanach”, A bad seed – spreader is a robber of a country.
- “Leigheas gach broin, comhra”, The cure of all trouble is conversation(communication)
- “Dearthair teadranach ólachan”, Drink is a useless brother.
- “Is fearr maol ná bheith gan ceann”, It’s better to be bald than without a head.
- “Soitheach folamh is nó torann”, Empty vessels make the most noise.