Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926

Proverbs and Popular Sayings.

Title
Proverbs and Popular Sayings.
Author(s)
Féach bailitheoir,
Compiler/Editor
Mac Néill, Eoin
Collector
M'Cabe, Daniel
Composition Date
1894
Publisher
Connradh na Gaedhilge

Search Texts

Poetry/Prose
1600 1926

PROVERBS AND POPULAR
SAYINGS.



(from Mr. Daniel McCabe, Banteer, Cork.)



78. Ní'l luibh na leigheas i n-aghaidh an
bháis.



There is neither herb nor physic
against death.



79. Ní rin' mé lámh láidir ar aon ghear
riamh, achd do dheunfainn í iadhadh do'n
bhrathadóir.



I never acted with a high hand to
any man, but I would deal a closed
hand to the spy.



80. Nuair stadann an síoladóir, stadann
an fhuirse, agus 'nuair stadann an
píobaire, stadann an port.



When the sower stops, the harrow
stops, wand when the piper stops,
the tune stops.



81. 'Nuair laguigheann an lámh, laguigheann
an grádh.



When the hand weakens, love weakens.



82. Árd-ríoghacht Dé, gan duadh ní dual go
bhfachtar.



God's high kingdom, without diffi-
culty, it is not likely to be attained.



83. 'Siad na seodaidhe i gcluasa na muc
iad.



They are pearls in swine's ears.



84. Sliseoga do'n tsail cheudna iad.



They are chips of the same beam.



85. 'Sé teacht an tseagail é, teacht fada
mall.



It is the coming of the rye, a long late
coming.



86. 'Sé ordughadh na caillighe, mar is áil
léi féin.



It is the old women's order, as it
pleases herself.



(from “Mac N.,” Galway.)



1. Ní hairighthear fosgadh na toime go
mbíonn sí imthighthe.



The shelter of the bush is not noticed
till it is gone.



2. An té nach gcleachtann an mharcuigheacht
dearmadann sé na spuir.



He who is not used to riding forgets
the spurs.



3. Is maith an bádóir an fear bhíos ar an
talamh.
The man on the land is a good boat-
man.



4. Beatha do dhuine a thoil, dhá dtéidheadh
sé (do) chodladh 'n-a throsgadh.



A man's eill is his sustenance, should
he go to bed fasting.



5. Ní thigeann olc i dtír nach fearrde
duine éigin.



No evil comes ashore but somebody
is the better of it.



6. An té chailleas a chuid, cailleann sé é.



He who loses his share, loses it.



7. An rud is goire do'n chroidhe, is é is
goire do'n bheul.



What is nearest the heart is nearest
the mouth.



8. Itheann cat ciuin féin im.



9. Ní lia tír 'ná gnás.



There are not more lands than customs.



10. Ní liathaidh tír ná gnás.



Neither land nor custom grow old.



(from Tuam)



11. Is fearr leo suaimhneas ar shop 'ná
buaidh ar chnoc.



They prefer peace on a wisp of straw
to victory on a hillside.


L. 140


(from N.B., Mayo.)



12. A beggar described the fare of a certain
house as:—



'Rán mór leathan ar bheagán taois
Mug mór fada agus bainne fada shíos.



A great broad cake of little dough,
A great deep mug and milk far down.



13. Tá mo sháith agam anocht agus tá Dia go
maith le haghaidh an lá (lae) amárach.



I have enough to-night, and God is
good for to-morrow (said when there
is just enough at table).



14. Instead of Dia linn, when an infant
sneezes, I have noticed that they
say baisdeadh leat. They use a
word in a rather contemptuous way
for bathers, fámuididhe or fámuídhe
fairrge (fámuiridhe about Galway).



(From Mr. N. O'Leary, Kilmallock, Co.
Limerick.)



15. Ní bheith ar meisge is leisge liom
Acht leisge meisge d'fheiscint ann.



It is not that I am reluctant to be
drunk,
But reluctance that drunkeness should
be seen.



16. Teine Chill' Mocheallóg, fód agus leath-
fhód.



The Kilmallock fire, a sod (of turf) and
a half-sod.



17. Ní hí an aingcis acht an tarcuisne
leanann í.



It is not poverty but the contempt that
follows it.



(From Fíonán O Loingsigh, Kilmakerin,
Cahirciveen.)



18. Do sgríobh file éigin an cheathramha so
shíos ar cheithre radharcaibh aoibhne i
n-aice Chille Áirne:—



Is aoibhinn leamhain maidin cheodhach,
Is aoibhinn feoráin Locha Léin,
Is aoibhinn faithche Dúnaló,
Is aoibhinn Achadh Dá Eo le gréin.



19. Moladh Mháire Ní Dhuibh ar Ghleann
Chárthaigh le fear do bhí dá cheannach
nó dá thógáil ar chíos uaithe:—



Tá cois abhann síos ann agus cois abhann
suas ann,
Tá foithine an lae fhuair ann agus fionn-
fhuaradh an lae the.



20. So tuarasgbháil an fhir ar an ngleann
ceudna, tar éis a fheicsint do —



Tá basgadh 'n-a lár agus bá i n-a bhun,
A chúil 'san ngréin agus a aghaidh san tsioc.



(from Domhnall O Súilliobháin, Ciarraighe.)



21. Ar m'éirghe amach ar maidin, do bhuail
an bhean ruadh liom, ch'nnoc (= do
chonnac, I saw) an gearr-fhiadh dubh
ar an ndrúchd, agus chuala (I heard) an
chuach am' chúl, agus ann sin d'aithneas
féin ná héireochadh an bhliadhain sin
liom (signs of ill-luck with the super-
stitious).



On going out in the morning, I met
the red woman, I saw the black hare
on the dew, and I heard the cuckoo
behind me, and I knew then that
that year would no succeed with me.



22. Aifreann Dé ná tréig le faillighe,
Agus déirc le deagh-chroidhe deár-
nuigh (= deun),
Mar mhaithfidh Mac Dé go leir do
pheacaidhe,
Tar éis na haithrighe tháinig.



(Fragment of a beautiful hymn popular
with the peasantry.)



God's Mass forsake not through negligence,
And alms-deeds with good heart do,
As the Son of God will wholly forgive your
sins
After the penitence that has come (from
you).



23. An té na bíonn a leas ar maidin
roimhe, ní bhíonn sé tráthnóna.



Whose bettering is not before him at
morning, it is not at evening.



24. Le heagla bheith bocht, bí comhnaidheach.



For fear of being poor, be settled.



25. Another version of rann na gceithre
ngaoth:


L. 141


Gaoth andeas, bíonn sí tais, agus cuireann
rath ar shíoltaibh,
Gaoth adtuaidh, bíonn sí fuar, agus cuireann
sí fuacht ar dhaoinibh,
Gaoth aníar, bíonn sí dian, agus cuireann
sí iasg i líontaibh,
Gaoth anoir, bíonn sí dubh, agus cuireann
sí sioc 'san oidhche.



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