Irish (Gaelic) proverbs
Ní heolas go haontíos.
You must live with a person to know a person.
Bíonn dhá insint ar scéal agus dhá leagan déag ar amhrán.
There are two sides to every story and twelve versions of a song.
Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.
There is no fireside like your own fireside.
Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine.
People live in one another's shelter.
Ní dhéanfadh an domhan capall rása d'asal.
The world would no make a racehorse of a donkey.
Ní hé lá gaoithe lá na scolb.
The windy day is not the day for scollops (thatching).
Ní neart go cur le chéile.
There is not strength without unity.
Béarfaidh bó éigin lao éigin lá éigin.
Some cow will give birth to some calf some day.
Bíonn súil le muir ach ní bhíonn súil le tír.
There is hope from the sea but there is no hope from the land (grave).
Tá onóir ag an aois agus uaisle ag an óige.
Age is honorable and youth is noble.
Is iomaí craiceann a chuireas an óige di.
Youth sheds many a skin.
Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí.
Praise the young and they will blossom.
Ní thagann an óige faoi dhó choíche ach tagann an brón faoi dhó san oíche.
Youth never comes twice but sorrow comes twice a night.
Tús agus deireadh an duine tarraingt ar an tine.
The beginning and end of one's life is to draw closer to the fire.
Is coma leis an óige cá leagann sí a cos.
Youth does not mind where it sets its foot.
Bíonn gach tosach lag.
Every beginning is weak.
Is minic a rinne bromach gioblach capall cumasach.
A raggy colt often made a powerful horse.
Ní mhaireann rith maith ag an each i gcónaí.
The steed does not retain its speed forever.
Nuair a thiocfas an bás ní imeoidh sé folamh.
When death comes it will not go away empty.
Síleann do chara agus do namhaid nach bhfaighidh tú bás choíche.
Both your friend and your enemy think that you will never die.
Ní huasal ná íseal ach thuas seal agus thíos seal.
It is not a matter of upper or lower class but of being up a while and down a while.
Bíonn an bás ar aghaidh an tseanduine agus ar chúl an duine óig.
Death is in front of the old person and at the back of the young person.
Is iomaí lá sa chill orainn.
We owe the grave many a day.
Is beag an rud is buaine ná an duine.
The smallest of things outlives the human being.
Maireann an chraobh ar an bhfál ach ní mhaireann an lámh do chuir.
The branch lives on the hedge but the hand that planted it is dead.
Níl a fhios ag aon duine cá bhfuil fód a bháis.
Nobody knows where his sod of death is.
Bíonn siúlach scéalach.
The traveler has tales to tell.
An té thabharfas scéal chugat tabharfaidh sé dhá scéal uait.
He who comes with a story to you will bring two away from you.
Ní scéal rúin é ó tá a fhios ag triúr é.
It is not a secret of it is known to three people.
Is teann gach madra gearr i ndoras a thí féin.
Every short dog (terrier) is bold in the doorway of its own house.
Súil le cúiteamh a mhilleas an cearrbhach.
Hope to recoup is what ruins the card player (gambler).
Ní thuigeann an sách an seang.
The well-fed does not understand the lean.
Is buaine clú ná saol.
Fame is more lasting than life.
Is í an dias is troime is ísle a chromas a ceann.
It is the heaviest ear of grain that bends its head the lowest.
Is iad na muca ciúine a itheas an mhin.
It is the quiet pigs that eat the meal.
An té a bhfuil bólacht ar cnoc aige ní bhíonn suaimhneas ar sop aige.
He who has cattle on the hill will not sleep easy.
Is maith an scáthán súil charad.
A friend's eye is a good mirror.
Castar na daoine ar a chéile ach ní chastar na cnoic ná na sléibhte.
People meet one another but the hills and the mountains don't.
Má bhuaileann tú mo mhadra buailfidh tú mé féin.
If you hit my dog you hit myself.
Is beo duine gan a chairdre ach ní beo duine gan a phíopa.
One may live without one's friends but not without one's pipe.
Giorraíonn beirt bóthar.
Two shorten the road.
Is beag an dealg a dhéanas sileadh.
Even a small thorn causes festering.
Déan an fál nó íocfaidh tú foghail.
Make the fence or you will pay for the plunder.
Is maith an capall a tharraingíos a charr féin.
It is a good horse that draws its own cart.
Is fearr glas ná amhras.
A lock is better than suspicion.
I ngan fhios don dlí is fearr bheith ann.
It is better to exist unknown to the law.
Bíonn a dteanga ina bpóca ag na mná go bpósann siad.
Women keep their tongue in their pocket until they marry.
Is é do mhac do mhac go bpósann sé ach is í d'iníon go bhfaighidh tú bás.
Your son is your son until he marries but your daughter is your daughter until you die.
Ní ólann na mná leann ach imíonn sé lena linn.
Women do not drink liquor but it disappears when they are present.
Níl aon leigheas ar an ngrá ach pósadh.
The only cure for love is marriage.
Is gaire do bhean leithscéal ná a naprún.
An excuse is nearer to a woman than her apron.
Nuair is crua don chailleach caithfidh sí rith.
When the old woman is hard pressed she will have to run.
Is uaigneach an níochán nach mbíonn léine ann.
It is a lonely washing that has no (man's) shirt in it.
Más maith leat tú a cháineadh, pós.
If you want to be criticized, marry.
An rud a líonas an tsúil líonann sé an croí.
What fills the eye fills the heart.
Molann an obair an fear.
The work preises the man.
Obair ó chrích obair bean tí.
Work without end is a housewife's work.
Is é an bia capall na hoibre.
Food is a good workhorse.
Mura gcuirfidh tú san earrach ní bhainfidh tú san fhómhar.
If your do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn.
An té a dtéann cáil na mochéirí amach dó ní miste dó codladh go méanlae.
He who gets a name for early rising can stay in bed until midday.
Is namhaid í an cheird gan í a fhoghlaim.
A trade not (properly) learned is an enemy.
Dhá thrian den obair í an chosúlacht.
Two thirds of the work is the semblance.
Is olc an chearc nach scríobann di féin.
It is a bad hen that does not scratch for herself.
Ní bheathaíonn na briathra na bráithre.
Mere words do not feed the friars.
Is túisce deoch ná scéal.
A drink precedes a story.
Leigheas na póite a hól arís.
The cure for the handover is to drink again.
Dá fheabhas é an t-ól is é an tart a dheireadh.
Good as drink is, it ends in thirst.
Is milis dá ól é ach is searbh dá íoc é.
It is sweet to drink but bitter to pay for.
Is é an tart deireadh an óil agus is é an brón deireadh na meisce.
Thirst is the end of drinking and sorrow is the end of drunkeness.
Nuair a bhíos an braon istigh bíonn an chiall amuigh.
When the drop is inside the sense is outside.
Nuair a d'imigh an leann d'imigh an greann.
When the liquor was gone the fun was gone.
Sceitheann fíon fírinne.
Wine divulges truth.
Is treise dúchas ná oiliúint.
Instinct is stronger than upbringing.
Cuir síoda ar ghabhar agus is gabhar i gcónaí é.
Put silk on a goat and it is still a goat.
An té a bhíos fial roinneann Dia leis.
God shares with the person who is generous.
Is minic duine bocht fiúntach.
A poor person is often worthy.
Briseann an dúchas trí shúile an chait.
Nature breaks through the eyes of the cat.
Drochubh, drochéan.
A bad egg, a bad bird.
An bairille a mbíonn an fíon ann, fanann an braon sna cláir.
The barrel that contains the wine will retain the drop in its staves.
Ést le fuaim na habhann agus gheobhaidh tú breac.
Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout.
Bíonn grásta Dé idir an dialait agus an talamh.
The grace of God is found between the saddle and the ground.
Is fada an bóthar nach mbíonn casadh ann.
It is a long road that has no turning.
I gcosa duine a bhíos a shláinte.
A person's health is in his feet.
I gcosa con a bhíos a chuid.
A hound's food is in its legs.
Feileann spallaí do bhallaí chomh maith le clocha móra.
Spalds (small stones) suit walls as well as big stones.
Baist do leanbh féin ar dtús.
Baptize your own child first.
Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir.
Time is a great storyteller.
Is ceirín do gach créacht an fhoighne.
Patience is a poultice for all wounds.
Ní heaspa go díth carad.
There is no need like the lack of a friend.
Maireann croí éadrom i bhfad.
A light heart lives long.
An áit a bhfuil do chroí is ann a thabharfas do chosa thú.
Your feet will bring you to where your heart is.
Meileann muilte Dé go mall ach meileann siad go mín.
The mills of God grind slowly but they grind finely.
Múineann gá seift.
Need teaches a plan. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Níl aon dlí ar an riachtanas.
Necessity knows no law.
Níl tuile nach dtránn ach tuile na ngrás.
Every tide has an ebb save the tide of graces.
Is minic a crochadh duine gan seift.
Lack of resource has hanged many of person.
Ag duine féin is fearr a fhios cá luíonn an bhróg air.
The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches.
Is gaire cabhair Dé ná an doras.
God's help is nearer than the door.
D'ordaigh Dia cúnamh.
God ordered help.
Ní bhíonn an rath ach mar a mbíonn an smacht.
There is no luck except where there is discipline.
Bí go maith leis an ngarlach agus tiocfaidh sé amárach.
Be good to the child and he will come to you tomorrow.
Is maith an rud grá nó faitíos.
Love or fear is a great thing.
An beagán, go minic, a fhágas roic sa sparán.
A little, often, leaves wrinkles in the purse.
Is trom cearc i bhfad.
A hen is heavy when carried far.
Is onóraí poll ná paiste.
A hole is more honorable than a patch.
Mair a chapaill agus gheobhaidh tú féar.
Live, horse and you will get grass.
Is cuma le fear na mbróg cá leagann sé a chos.
The man with the boots does not mind where he places his foot.