Scots Gaelic proverbs

Scots Gaelic proverbs are the folkloric sayings of the Gaels of Scotland, deriving from folkwisdom, pre-Christian myth, and other sources. The following is a small collection of proverbs. They are, of course, in the Scots Gaelic language. The Scottish Gaelic word for proverbs is seanfhaclan, which means "old words".

• Cha d’fhag claidheamh Fhinn riamh fuigheall beuma.
  • Fingal’s sword never had to cut twice.
• Is fhearr fheuchainn na bhith san duil.
  • It’s better to try than to hope.
• Chan eil tuil air nach tig traoghadh.
  • Every flood will have an ebb.
• Is e ’n cadal fada ni ’n t–iomradh teth.
  • Long sleep makes hot rowing.
• Na abair do sheanfhacal gus an toir thu do long gu caladh.
  • Don’t quote your proverb ’til you bring your ship to port.
• Aon bho a bhristeas an garradh, ’s a dha dheug a leumas
  • One cow breaks the fence, and a dozen leap it.
• Is leor luathas na h–earba gun na coin a chur rithe.
  • The roe is swift enough without setting the dogs on her.
• Mhealladh e ’n t–ugh bhon chorra-ghlais, ged bhiodh a da shuil a’ coimhead air.
  • He would cheat the heron of her egg, though her two eyes were fixed on him.
• Is duilich burn glan a thoirt a tobar salach.
  • It’s difficult to draw pure water from a dirty well.
• Is fhearr an t–olc a chluinntinn na fhaicinn.
  • Better to hear the evil than see it.
• Dh’aithnichinn air do sheirc do thabhartas.
  • I would know your gift by your graciousness.
• Far an taine ’n abhainn, ’s ann as mo a fuaim.
  • Where the stream is shallowest, greatest is its noise.
• An car a bhios san t–seana mhaide, ’s duilich a thoirt as.
  • The crook in the old stick is ill to take out.
• Is bior gach srabh san oidhche.
  • Every straw is a thorn at night.
• Is iomadh urchair tha dol san fhraoch.
  • Many a shot goes into the heather.
• Is fad’ an abhainn air nach fhaighear ceann.
  • It’s a long river whose head can’t be found.
• Gheibh righ feachd, ’s gheibh domhan daoine.
  • Kings will find armies, and the world men.
• Ge cruaidh sgarachdainn, cha robh dithis gun dealachadh.
  • Though separation be hard, two never met but had to part.
• Ruigidh an ro-ghiullachd air an ro-ghalar.
  • The best of nursing may overcome the worst disease.
• Eisd ri gaoth nam beann gus an traoigh na h–uisgeachan.
  • Listen to the mountain wind, ’til the streams abate.
• Chan eil gach iuchair san tir an crochadh ri aon chrios.
  • All the keys in the land do not hang from one girdle.
• Mas olc am fitheach, chan fhearr a chomann.
  • If bad be the raven, his company is no better.
• Cuir do lamh sa chliabh, ’s thoir do rogha leabaig as.
  • Put your hand into the creel, and take your choice of flounders.
• Cho corrach ri ugh air droll.
  • As unsteady as an egg on a stick.
• Is fhurasda caisteal gun seisdeadh a ghleidheach.
  • It's easy to keep a castle that's not besieged.
• Ge fagas clach don lar, is faisge na sin Choibhi.
  • Though near be the stone to the ground, closer is the help of Coivi.
• Mar lus an Domhnaich, gun mhath, gun dolaidh
  • Like the herb plucked on Sunday, it does neither good nor ill.
• Is i chuileag bhuidhe bhuachair as airde srann.
  • The yellow dung-fly makes the loudest hum.
• Is minig a bha claidheamh math an droch thruaill.
  • Good sword has often been in poor scabbard.
• Ma bheir thu Muile dhiom, cha toir thu muir is tir dhiom
  • You may take Mull from me, but you can’t take sea and land from me.
• Is minig a thainig comhairle ghlic a ceann amadain.
  • Often has wise counsel comes from a fool’s head.
• Is trom snighe air taigh gun tughadh.
  • Raindrops come heavy on a house unthatched.
• Na geill do ghis, cha gheill gis dhut.
  • Don’t give in to spells, they won’t give in to you.
• Gabh eolas Rubh’ a’ Bhaird air.
  • Take it like the Bard’s Point.
• Is i an dias as truime as isle chromas a ceann.
  • The heaviest ear of corn bends its head lowest.
• Is tric as daoir’ a’ chomain na ’n dubh-cheannach.
  • A favour often costs more than what’s hard-bought.
• Cha bhi suaimhneas aig eucoir, no seasamh aig droch-bheairt.
  • Wrong cannot rest, nor ill deed stand.
• Is ann a tha ’n cairdeas mar a chumar e.
  • Friendship is as it’s kept.
• Am fear nach gleidh na h–airm san t–sith, cha bhi iad aige ’n am a’ chogaidh.
  • He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.
  • (IE: If you want peace, prepare for war. Cf. Latin and French proverbs.)
• Cha tig muir mhor tron chaolas chumhann.
  • A great sea comes not through a narrow strait.
• Tha fios fithich agad.
  • You have a raven’s knowledge.
• Cha tuig an t–og aimbeart, ’s cha tuig amadan aimhleas.
  • Youth foresees not poverty, nor the fool his mischief.
• Chan e ciad sgeul an t–sagairt bu choir a chreidsinn.
  • It is not the priest’s first story that should be believed.
• An uair as laine ’n cupan, ’s ann as dorr’ a ghiulan.
  • When the cup is fullest it is most difficult to carry.
• Is mios’ an t–eagal na ’n cogadh.
  • Fear is worse than fighting.
• Bidh gach fear a’ tarraing uisge gu mhuileann fhein.
  • Each draws water to his own mill.
• Bheir duine beath’ air eiginn, ach cha toir e rath air eiginn.
  • A man may force a livelihood, but cannot force fortune.
• Dean maorach fhad ’s a bhios an traigh ann.
  • Get bait while the tide is out.
• Is uaine feur na faiche as fasaiche.
  • Green is the grass of the least trodden field.
• Ma tha Dia ann, ’s chan eil fhios a bheil, fag eadar sinn fhein ’s na biodagan!
  • If there be a God, and no one knows whether there be, leave it between ourselves and the dirks!
• Is minig a bha an fhirinn searbh ri h–innse.
  • Truth is often harsh to tell.
• Is buaine bladh na saoghal.
  • Renown is more lasting than life.
• Na tarraing mi gun adhbhar, ’s na pill mi gun chliu.
  • Neither draw me without cause, nor return me without honour.
  • (A sword inscription.)
• Is cruaidh a leonar an leanabh nach innis a ghearan.
  • The child is sadly hurt that doesn’t tell his illness.
• Caidlidh duine air gach cneadh ach a chneadh fhein.
  • A man can sleep on every hurt but his own.
• Is fhearr na ’n t–or sgeul innse air choir.
  • Better than gold is a tale rightly told.
• Chan or a h–uile rud buidhe, ’s chan uighean a h–uile rud ban.
  • All that’s yellow is not gold, and all white things are not eggs.
• Tha chomhachag ri bron, thig tuiltean oirinn.
  • The owl is mourning, rain is coming.
• Fialachd don fhogarrach, ’s cnaimhean briste don eucorach!
  • Hospitality to the exile, and broken bones to the oppressor!
• Ruithidh an taigeis fhein le bruthaich.
  • Even a haggis will run downhill.
• Is ioma doigh a th’ air cu a mharbhadh gun a thachdadh le ìm.
  • There are many ways of killing a dog without choking him with butter.
• Is mor toirm cuilce gun dol troimhpe.
  • The storm of reeds is loud till you go through them.
• Is lugha na fride mathair a’ chonnsachaidh.
  • The mother of dissension is smaller than a mite.'
• Mar a theid an t–eun o dhuilleag gu duilleag, theid am meanan o dhuine gu duine.
  • As the bird goes from leaf to leaf, the yawn goes from man to man.
• Moran sgalan, ’s beagan ollainn, mun dubhairt Muisean ’s e lomairt na muice.
  • Great cry and little wool, as the Devil said when he sheared the sow.
• Na innis do run do d’charaide gorach, no do d’namhaid glic.
  • Tell not thy mind to thy foolish friend, nor to thy wise enemy.
• Ithear cruach ’na breacagan.
  • A stack can be eaten in cakes.
• Chan e gogadh nan ceann a ni an t–iomradh.
  • It is not the nodding of heads that does the rowing.
• Is math an sgathan suil caraide.
  • A friend’s eye is a good looking-glass.
• Is fhearr deagh chainnt na h–asail na droch fhacal faidh.
  • The good speech of an ass is better than the bad word of a prophet.
• Shaoil leis gum bu leis fhein an cuan fo gheasaibh.
  • He thought the ocean his own under his spells.
• Is binn gach eun ’na dhoire fhein.
  • Sweet sings each bird in his own grove.
• An rud a nitear sa chuil, thig e dh’ionnsaigh an teine.
  • What’s done in the corner will come to the hearth.

Source: Gaelic Proverbs, by Alexander Nicolson. October 2003; Birlinn, Limited.

Internal Links

• proverb
• Albanian proverbs
• Chinese proverbs
• English proverbs
• French proverbs
• German proverbs
• Italian proverbs
• Japanese proverbs
• Latin proverbs
• Polish proverbs
• Portuguese proverbs
• Romanian proverbs
• Russian proverbs
• Serbian proverbs
• Spanish proverbs

External Links

• Gaelic proverbs and sayings
• Gaelic proverbs from Gaelic Proverbs and Proverbial Sayings by T.D. MacDonald
• More from Gaelic Proverbs and Proverbial Sayings
• Gaelic proverbs from Mull (all in Gaelic)
• More Gaelic proverbs (translated from other languages)
• Sabhal Mór Ostaig's Irish and Old Irish proverb page
• Manx Gaelic proverbs.