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Proverbs

Is samhradh gach síon go dtí an Nollaig.
All weathers are like summer until Christmas, the really cold weather of the winter comes after Christmas.
Is maith an t-ancaire an t-iarta.
The pot hook in the fireplace is a good anchor; it’s hard to move away from a good fire.
Cad é a dhéanfadh mac an chait ach luch a mharú?
What would the cat’s son do but kill mice? Why would the child behave any other way when its parents are like that?
Is olc an ghaoth nach séideann maith do dhuine éigin.
It’s a bad wind that doesn’t blow good for someone; someone always benefits from adversity.
Fásann níos mó i ngort ná mar a chuirtear ann.
More grows in a field than is planted there; children are individuals.
Ó chaith mé an choinneal, caithfidh mé an t-orlach.
Since I’ve used up the candle, I may as well use up the remaining inch: I’ve come this far, I may as well carry on.
Ní scéal rúin é más fios do thriúr é.
It’s not a secret if three people know it.
Ar mhaithe leis féin a bhíonn an cat ag crónán.
The cat purs for its own sake; people tend not to be entirely altruistic.
Ná déan nós is ná bris nós.
Don’t create a custom or break a custom.
An rud nach féidir ní féidir é.
What can’t be done can’t be done.
Is breá an ní an óige ach ní thagann sí faoi dhó.
Youth is a fine thing but it doesn’t come twice; gather ye rosebuds.
Bíonn gach tús lag.
Every beginning is weak.
Is minic a bhris béal duine a ghaosán.
A man’s mouth often broke his nose.
Is túisce deoch ná scéal.
A drink precedes a story; when someone comes to your house, you should offer them a drink first.
Is fearr mac le himirt ná mac le hól.
Better a son a gambler than a son a drinker; drinking is more destructive than gambling.
Is fearr an mhaith atá ná an dá mhaith a bhí.
Better the good thing that is than two good things that were; it’s no good talking about how great things were in the old days.
Is treise an dúchas ná an oiliúint.
Heredity is stronger than nurture.
Ní chronaítear an t-uisce go dtriomaítear an tobar.
The water isn’t missed until the well dries up.
Is iomaí craiceann a chuireann an óige di.
Youth sheds many a skin; young people are always changing their style.
Is maith an capall a tharraingíonn a chairt féin.
It’s a good horse that pulls its own cart; independence is a good quality.
Is binn béal ina thost.
A silent mouth sounds sweet; silence is golden.
Giorraíonn beirt bóthar.
Company makes the journey shorter.
Gáire maith agus codladh fada, an dá leigheas is fearr i leabhar an dochtúra.
A good laugh and a long sleep, the two best cures in the doctor’s book.
Is doiligh corrán maith a fháil do dhrochbhuanaí.
It’s hard to get a good sickle for a bad reaper; the bad workman blames his tools.
Múineann gá seift.
Need teaches a plan, necessity is the mother of invention.
“Chonaic mé cheana thú,” mar a dúirt an cat leis an bhainne bhruite.
“I’ve seen you before,” as the cat said to the boiling milk; once bitten, twice shy.
Is fearr lúbadh ná briseadh.
It’s better to bend than to break; flexibility is important.
Níl luibh ná leigheas in aghaidh an bháis.
There is no herb or medicine against death.
Is fearr réal inniu ná scilling amárach.
A sixpence today is better than a shilling tomorrow.
Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile.
A beetle recognises another beetle; takes one to know one.
Tús maith, leath na hoibre.
A good start is half of the work.
Tús grá, síoramharc.
The beginning of love, continually looking.
Ná glac duine choíche ar a thuairisc fhéin.
Never accept a person’s account of themselves; don’t take people at face value.
Bíonn súil le muir ach ní bhíonn súil le huaigh.
There is hope with the sea but there is no hope with the grave; people supposedly lost at sea sometimes return but once someone is dead and buried they are gone.
Dhá dtrian galair le hoíche.
Two thirds of sickness at night; the worst of any sickness is at night.
Ná mol fear go bás ná lá go tráthnóna.
Don’t praise a man until he’s dead or a day until evening.
Shíl mé gur den bhaisteadh é.
I thought it was part of the baptism; I thought it was supposed to happen. When Caoilte was being baptised by Saint Patrick, a servant drove a stake through his foot by accident. When he was asked afterwards why he said nothing, his answer was that he thought it was part of the baptism.
Mura mbeadh agat ach pocán gabhair bí i lár an aonaigh leis.
Even if you have only a male goat to sell be in the middle of the fair with it; whatever you have to sell, present it properly.
Is é an dias is troime is ísle a chromann a ceann.
The heaviest ear of corn is the one which bows its head lowest; really talented people are usually modest.
Ní hé lá na gaoithe lá na scolb.
A windy day is not the day for thatching.
Is ait an mac an saol.
Life is strange.
Ní troime don chaora olann agus ní troime don cholainn ciall.
The sheep is no heavier for its wool and a body is no heavier for having sense.
An rud a scríobhann an púca, léann sé féin é.
What the pooka writes, the pooka can read; the person who created it can understand it.
Ní thagann caonach ar chloch reatha.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Is iomaí cor a chuireann maidin earraigh di féin.
A spring morning goes through many changes; the spring weather is unsettled.
Ní chreidtear an fhírinne ó bhréagadóir.
The truth is not believed from a liar; don’t cry wolf.
Bíonn cluasa ar na claíocha.
Fences have ears; walls have ears.
Níl tuile dá mhéad nach dtránn.
There is no flood which doesn’t dry up sometime.
Ní hé lá na báistí lá na bpáistí.
The rainy day is not the day for children.
An té nach bhfuil láidir, ní mór dó bheith glic.
The person who is not strong must be shrewd.
Anáil na beatha an t-athrú.
Change is the breath of life; a change is as good as a rest.
Is beag an rud is buaine ná an duine.
Even small things are more long-lasting than a person.
Luigh leis an uan agus éirigh leis an éan.
Go to sleep with the lamb and rise with the bird; early to bed and early to rise.
Is breá an rud an óige ach í a cheansú.
Youth is a fine thing if it is tamed.
Is maith leis an chat iasc ach ní maith leis a chrúba a fhliuchadh.
The cat likes fish but he doesn’t like to get his paws wet.
Ní huaisle mac rí ná a chuid.
A prince is no nobler than what he does; nobility counts for nothing if the person does not have a noble nature.
Tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán.
Everything comes when it’s mentioned but a fox and a dead man; talk of the Devil.
Ní bhíonn rath ach mar a mbíonn smacht.
There is only success where there is discipline.
Is fearr réchonn ná iarchonn.
Foresight is better than hindsight.
Is mias é an díoltas is fearr a ithe fuar.
Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.
Ní fhaigheann dorn dhruidte ach lámh iata.
A closed fist gets nothing but a closed hand; people who are mean are treated meanly by others.
Is geall le fleá bia go leor.
Enough food is as good as a feast.
Is leor ó Mhór a dícheall.
Her best is enough from Mór; a person can only do their best.
Ní lia tír ná nós.
Countries are not more numerous than customs; when in Rome.
Ní buan cogadh na gcarad; má bhíonn sé crua, ní bhíonn sé fada.
A war between friends doesn’t last; however fierce it is, it tends not to be long.
Is ionann an cás an t-éag is an bás.
Expiring and dying is the same thing; it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Is minic a ghearr duine slat a bhuail a dhroim féin.
A man often cut a stick which beat his own back.
Is olc an t-éan a shalaíonn a nead féin.
It’s a bad bird that soils its own nest.
Is fearr an troid ná an t-uaigneas.
Arguing is better than loneliness.
An rud a thig thar dhroim an diabhail, imíonn sé faoina bholg.
What is got over the devil’s back, it goes under his belly; ill-gotten gains are spent in evil ways.
Is maol gualainn gan bhráthair.
A shoulder is bare without a companion’s hand; people need friends.
Nuair a bhíonn an bolg lán is maith leis na cnámha síneadh.
When the belly’s full the bones like to stretch; when you’ve had a good meal you like to relax.
Capall na hoibre an bia.
Food is the horse of work; food is the source of energy.
Tarraingíonn scéal scéal eile.
A story draws a story; one story leads on to another.
Is fearr cogar i gcluas Nóra ná scairt ón chnoc is airde.
Better a whisper in Nóra’s ear than a shout from the highest hill; don’t share your secrets with people.
Tiocfaidh an lá go fóill a mbeidh gnó ag an bhó dá heireaball.
The day will come some day when the cow will have a use for its tail; unlikely things sometimes come in handy.
Ní bhíonn deatach ann gan tine.
There is no smoke without fire.
Is fearr bheith ar lorg bia ná ar lorg goile.
It is better to be looking for food than looking for an appetite.
Is trom an t-ualach an leisce.
Laziness is a heavy burden.
Beidh Lá eile ag an bPaorach.
Power will have another day. (Said by Edmund Power of Dungarvan on the scaffold as he was about to be hanged for his part in the 1798 uprising).
Is minic a mhaolaigh béile maith brón.
A good meal often lessened sadness.
Téann íseal agus uasal chuig tórramh
Both poor and rich attend funerals; everybody has to die, regardless of social status.
Ní thig leis an ghobadán an dá thrá a fhreastal.
The sandpiper cannot serve two strands, you can’t do two things at once.
Ina dhiaidh a thuigtear gach beart.
It is easy to be wise after the event.
Is fearr rith maith ná drochsheasamh.
Better a good run than a bad standing, discretion is the better part of valour.
Ní thagann ciall roimh aois.
Sense does not come before age; young people can be thoughtless.
Briseann an dúchas trí chrúba an chait.
The true nature of the cat shows in the way it uses its claws.
Is minic cuma aingil ar an diabhal féin.
The devil himself often looks like an angel.
Bíonn dhá insint ar scéal agus dhá leagan déag ar amhrán.
There are two versions of every story and twelve versions of every song. (There are always two sides to every story).
Is folamh, fuar teach gan bhean.
A house without a woman is empty and cold.
An té nach gcuirfidh greim, cuirfidh sé dhá ghreim.
The person who won’t make a stitch will have to make two stitches; a stitch in time saves nine.
Is i ndiaidh a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin.
Castles are built one after the other; do things one at a time.
Mol gort is ná mol geamhar.
Praise the fully-grown crop and not the stubble, don’t count your chickens.
Bíonn siúlach scéalach.
People who travel have lots of stories to tell.
Is minic bréag ar aonach.
There is often a lie at the fair; people are often dishonest when money is involved.
Ní neart go cur le chéile.
There is no strength without co-operation; unity is strength.
Is minic a bhí cú mall sona.
A slow hound was often lucky.
An rud is annamh is iontach.
The rare thing is the most amazing; man bites dog.
Is fearr mall ná go brách.
Better late than never.
Éire ar phingin agus cá bhfuil an phingin?
Ireland for a penny and where’s the penny? So near and yet so far.