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Scottish Gaelic proverbs

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Anail na ghael am mullach

A

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  • A' bhiast as mutha ag ithe na beiste as lugha.
    • Translation: Big fish eat little fish.
    • English equivalent: Men are like fish; the great ones devour the small.
    • Meaning: "Small organizations or insignificant people tend to be swallowed up or destroyed by those that are greater and more powerful."
    • Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 1 July 2013. 
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 420. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • A 'nighean mar a mathair.
    • Translation: Such mother, such daughter.
    • English equivalent: Like mother, like daughter.
    • "Daughters may look and behave like their mothers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily."
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 137. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Am mac mar an t-athair.
    • English equivalent: Like father, like son.
    • "Sons may look and behave like their fathers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily."
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 170. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Aon ghlainne, chan fheàirrde ’s cha mhiste. Dà ghlainne, ’s fheàirrde ’s cha mhiste. Trì glainneachan, ’s miste ’s chan fheàirrde.
    • Translation: One glass, not the better of it and not the worse of it. Two glasses, the better of it and not the worse of it. Three glasses, the worse of it and not the better of it.
    • Variant: Aon ghlainne, chan fheàirrde ’s cha mhiste mo chorp no m’ anam e. Dà ghlainne, ’s fheàirrde mo chorp e, ’s cha mhiste m’ anam e. Trì glainneachan, ’s miste m’ anam e, ’s chan fheàirrde mo chorp e.
      • Translation: One glass, not the better and not the worse my body or my soul of it. Two glasses, the better my body of it and not the worse my soul of it. Three glasses, the worse my soul of it and not the better my body of it.
  • A staigh air an dala cluais 's amach air a' chluais eile (or an t-eile).
    • In at one ear and out at the other.
    • English equivalent: Advice most needed are the least heeded.
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 179. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

B

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C

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  • Chan eil thu tuilleach 's sean airson ionnsachadh fhathast
    • English equivalent: We are to learn as long as we live.
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 182. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Chan urrainn do dhuine 'sambith seirbhis a dhéanamh do dhà mhaighstir.
    • Nobody can serve two masters.
    • English equivalent: Also, Nobody can serve two masters.
    • "One cannot serve two conflicting causes simultaneously. If this is attempted neither will be served properly."
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 283. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Chuir sin an clamhan gobhlach am measg nan cearc.
    • Translation: That put the red kite among the hens.
    • English equivalent: That put the cat among the pigeons.
    • English equivalent: That put the hawk among the chickens.
  • Coinnichidh na daoine far nach coinnich na cnuic.
    • English equivalent: A mountain never meets a mountain, but a man meets a man.
    • "There are some things/events that are impossible, like an encounter of mountains, but there is always a chance for people to meet. or Once can always find a possibility for revenge."
    • Source for proverbs and meaning: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 213. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

D

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  • Dail chuach am bainne ghobhar, suath ri d’ aghaidh, ’s chan eil mac rìgh air an domhan nach bi nad dhèidh.
    • Translation: With violets and goats’ milk anoint your face, and every king’s son in the world will be after you.
  • Droch bhrògan air bean greusaiche, droch cruidhean air each gobha, droch bhriogais air gille tàilleir, droch chart aig saor.
    • Bad shoes on a shoemaker's wife, bad horseshoes on a smithy's horse, bad trousers on a tailor's son, a bad cart at a jointer.
    • English equivalent: Cobblers' children are worst shod.
    • "Working hard for others one may neglect one's own needs or the needs of those closest to him."
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "7". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 65. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

E

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  • Èist ri gaoth nam beann gus an traogh na h-uisgeachan.

F

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G

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I

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  • Is da thrian tionnsgnadh.
    • Begun is two-thirds done.
    • English equivalent: Well begun, is half done.
    • "Starting properly ensures the speedy completion of a process. A – beginning is often blocked by one or more obstacles (potential barriers) the removal of which may ensure the smooth course of the process."
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 228. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Is fheàrr Gàidhlig bhriste na Gàidhlig sa chiste.
  • Is minig a bha droch bhròg air mnaoi griasaiche.
    • Often has a shoemaker's wife had bad shoes.
    • English equivalent: The cobbler's wife is the worst shod.
    • "Working hard for others one may neglect one's own needs or the needs of those closest to him."
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "7". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 65. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

M

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  • Mu tha thu airson a bhith buan, na teid eadar an té ruadh agus a' chreag.
    • Translation: If you want to live a life that is long, don't die (literally 'don't go between the redheaded (woman) and the cliff').

N

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S

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  • S ionnan tosd is aideachadh.
    • "Those who do not reply to a request or accusation, or who raise no objection to something said or done, are assumed to have accused."
    • Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. 
    • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "94". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 430. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

T

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  • Tha fios aig an luch nach 'eil an cat a's tigh.
    • English equivalent: If the cat is away, the mice play.
    • "In the absence of the person in authority those under his control will often neglect the duties/rules imposed on them."
    • Martin H. Manser (2007). "17". The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 8 September 2013. 

See also

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