Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926
Historical Dictionary of Irish
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Proverbs.
Title
Proverbs.
Author(s)
Ní fios,
Compiler/Editor
Ó Gramhnaigh, Eoghan
Composition Date
1894
Publisher
Connradh na Gaedhilge
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Set Dates
1600
1926
Proverbs. Galway:— Is namhaid an cheird gan a fogh- luim, a trade not learned is an enemy. Ní'l amadán ar bith gan a chiall féin, there is no fool who has not his own kind of sense. Líontar an sac lé póirínibh, a sack can be filled even with poreens (small refuse pota- toes). Is fearr leath ioná meath, one (sound) half is better than a deceased whole (crop). Tá 'ch euil fhear go lághach go dtéidh bó 'na gharrdha, everyone is affable until a cow goes into his garden. Té buailtear 'san mullach, bidheann faitchíos air, the man struck in the skull is (afterwards) afraid (cautious). Ní h-iad na fir mhóra a bhaineas an foghmhar, it is not the big men who reap all the harvest. Tíoghbhas na píghne, a's dul i mudha na sgil- linge, economy of a penny, loss of a shil- ling (= penny wise, pound foolish). This word, tíoghbhas, the older, tígheas, is still used in that form in Munster; as ag déanamh an tíghis, housekeeping. Níor dhúin Dia beárna nach bhfoisgleochadh sé bearna, God never closed a gap, that He would not open a gap. Ní bhidheann feur na ceud-choda buidheach ná díomhbuidheach, the man who gets the first share is neither thankful (satisfied) or un- thankful. Ag tuilleadh is ag trághadh, 'seadh chaitheann sé an lá, flowing and ebbing, it spends the day. Is mairg ghnidheas an t-olc, 's a bhidheas go bocht 'na dhiaidh, miserable is he who does evil, and who is poor after it. Is dána muc ioná gabhar, acht sháruigh bean an diabhal, a pig is more impudent than a goat, but a woman surpasses all. I bhfad uainn an anachain, may evil keep away from us. Cork (Seandún):— Mol an óige a's tiocfaidh sí, praise youth , and it will come — a reproof to unkind people. Is mó croi- ceann a chuireas an óige dhí, many a skin does youth cast off. Ní thagann ciall rime (roimhe) aois, sense comes not before full age. Both proverbs mean that young people will become wiser as they grow older. Is luachmhar an nidh an óige, do'n té chuireann í ar fóghnamh, a precious thing is youth to him who puts it to good use. Is olc a théidheann deireadh fir chnáide, a giber ends badly; or, is olc an chríoch a bheireann <L 39> ar fhear cnáide, bad is the end which over- takes the giber. Ní bhidheann triúg gan adbhar, no occurrence (this word is not known to me — Ed) is without a cause. Tart ar bhruach srotha, thirst on the brink of a stream = a desire about to be gratified. Cork (Kingwilliamstown):— Ní'l sprid (spioraid) ná púca gan fhios a chúise féin, there is not a ghost or pooka that does not know its own history. Bidheann duine ina leanbh dhá uair, man is twice a child. Is dóith le fear na buile gur ab é féin fear na céille, the madman thinks that himself is the sane man. Ní h-iad na mna deasa chuireann pota ar fiuchadh, it is not beauty (pretty women) boil the pot. Duine gan dínnéir, beirt gan suipéir, one without dinner is as bad as two without supper. Is fearr an té chuireann aitinn ar cloidh ioná an té churieann caisleán san gcoill, better is he who plants whins ins a dyke, than he who builds a castle in a wood. West Clare:— Is trom í an chearc i bhfad, at a distance a hen looks heavy (= hills are green far away). Ní do'n abhras an cheud- shnáithe, the first thread is not part of the yarn. (Cp. the Connemara bheith aig iar- raidh abhrais ar phuicide, looking for yarn on a goat). Gach neach ag tochras ar a cheirtlín fein, everyone is winding-in his own ball (consulting for his own interests). Is beag an mhaith an bhó an tan dhóirteas sí a cuid bainne, little good is the cow when she spills her milk. Is fearr súil le beul an chuain, ioná súil le beul na h-uagha, it is better to have hopes (of return of friends) from the mouth of the sea, than from the mouth of the grave. (Other versions, is fearr súil le muir ioná súil le h-úir (= clay); is fearr súil le glas (prison) ioná súil le h-uaigh). Nuair a theidheann an gabhar go h-ursain, ní h-áil leis go dtéidh go h-altóir (= get an inch an take an ell), lit., when the goat goes (= is allowed to go) as far as the porch, he is not satisfied until he goes up to altar (front seat). Is minic do bhain bean slat do bhailfeadh í féin, often did a woman pull a rod which would beat herself. Is dána é an madradh i ndoras a thighe féin, the dog is bold when standing in the doorway of his own house. Ní fearr Éire ioná a luach, nothing (lit., not even Ireland) is better, worth more, than its value. Ní fhanann muir le fear ualaigh, the sea does not wait for a man with a cargo. Iomarcaidh ban i dtigh gan abhras, nó iomar- caidh capall i mbaile gan treabhaireacht, too many women in a house without yarn (household work), or (is the same as) too many horses in a place without ploughing. Ní feoil putóg, agus ní bainne bláthach, a “pudding” is not meat, and buttermilk is not (mere) milk. An uair rachair ag mar- bhadh do mhathar, marbh í, age quod agis, lit., when you go to kill your mother, kill her. Ní fearr iomarcaidh de'n léigheann ioná fá n-a bhun, too much learning is not better than too little (than under it). Two of doubtful meaning:— is fearr suidhe i mbun na cruaidhe ioná suidhe in a h-áit, cf. is fearr suidhe 'na aice ioná suidhe 'na ionad. Is beag an rud (or, is beag rud?) is buaine ioná an duine. Kerry. — Cúngrach tighe, cúngrach croidhe, cúngrach bidh trí anacra móra; narrowness of house, n. of hear, n. of food (some say corcáin, no. of the pot for cooking), three great evils. Níor mhothuigh an sáthach sámh an t-ocrach riamh, the contented, well-fed man never felt for the hungry man, cp., ní thui- geann an sáthach an sreang. Ní féasta gan róstadh, ní céastar go bpóstar, no feast is without a roast piece, no real torment is ex- perienced until marriage. Ní biadh bainne, ní bainne bláthach; ní feoil putóg acht déanaidh sásamh, they satisfy us. Is fearr an mhaith a déantar 's a maoidhtear, ioná an mhaith ná déantar agus ná maoidhtear, the good that is done an boasted of, is better than what is undone and unboasted of. <L 40> Doubtful:— ní maith leis na mnáibh deall- mha (?) an bláthach. Collected by Mr. Bushe — Ní fhanann tuile, tráth, na glaodhach ó Dhia le aoinneach, tide, time, or a call from God, wait for no one. Ní thig leis an ngobadán an dá thráigh fhreasdail, the gubbadhaun (some shore bird) cannot attend to the two strands at once. Tá an fear chomh cleasach agus chomh tlá sin go gcuirfeadh sé cosa faoi chuileógaibh (no cosa croinn faoi na cearcaibh), the man is that “classical” (tricky) and that plausi- ble, that he would put feet under flies (Meath), or wooden legs under the hens (Galway). 'Nuair a fáighte cú, ní fáighte fiadh, when a hound is found, a deer is not forthcoming (= fagh-tear). An rud choinneoghas an fuacht amach, coin- neóghaidh sé an teas, what keeps out the cold will keep out the heat. An fear nach n-iomchrann a chóta inn lá breágh, ní bhidheann sé aige inn lá fliuch, ná fuar, the man who does not carry his coat on a fine day, is without it on a wet or cold day. Tá mé idir breac agus riabhach mar a bhidheans na fraganna ins an bhfóghmhar, I am between bracket and brown (grey?), as the frogs are in harvest. Ach maiseadh! Tá tú an-aisdeach, mar an tsean-bhean a d'aithin a cuid salainn féin ar bhrochán a comharsan, well, but you are very clever, like the old woman who recog- nized her own salt in her neighbour's gruel. Duine ar bith a bhidheans a'magadh faoi dhuine eile, bidheann a leath faoi fhéin, when any one makes game of another, the half of it tells against himself. Is milis an faidhirín an tsláinte, agus is searbh an rud a bheith gan í, health is a plea- sant “fairing” (boon), and it is a bitter thing to be without it. Is mac duit do mhac go bpóstar é, acht is inghean duit d'inghean go dteidhidh sí 'sa gcré, your son is your son till he is married, but your daughter is your daughter until she goes to the grave. Chomh gnaitheach le sean-bhean ar aonach, as busy as an old woman at a fair. Leith-phighinn cloch-bhuin puint, a halfpenny is the foundation stone of a pound. O'n Dochtúir Pádraig O'Róighin. “Is maith liom a rádh go dtaitnigheann an t-Irish- leabhar liom go righ-mhaith, agus nach bhfeud- fain dhéanadh dá uireasbhaidh, ar chaoi ar bith, anois. Cuirim cugat an 'Gníomh Grása thar éis Béilidh' a bhí aig m'athair; ní fhacas riamh in aon leabhar é, agus níor chualas ó dhuine ar bith eile é. Tá an ghrása gearr blasta mar leanas:— In ainm an Athar, agus an Mhic, agus an Spioraid Naoimh. Amén. Míle buidheachas dhuit, a Thighearna Dé, an té thug an bheatha so dhuinn go dtugaidh sé an bheatha shíorruidhe d'ar n-an- mannaibh. Má's fearr atámuid andiu, go mba seacht bhfearr a bhéidheas muid bliadhain ó 'ndiu; ar gcuid agus ar ndaoine slán, i ngrádh Dé agus i ngrádh na comhursan, i dtrócaire agus i ngrásta, i saoghal agus i sláite. Amén.”
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