Flemish proverbs

Flemish is a regiolect of Dutch spoken in northern Belgium.

A

• Aanhouden doet gedaan.
  • English equivalent: God is with those who persevere; Persevere and never fear.
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). "130". Dictionary of European Proverbs. I. Routledge. p. 126. ISBN 978-1-134-86460-7. 

• Appeltje smaakt gemeenlik bomig.
  • English equivalent: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
  • Meaning: "Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents."
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 488. ISBN 0415096243. 
  • Source for meaning of English equivalent: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "48". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 259. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

D

• Die noten woll smaken, die moet ze kraken.
  • English equivalent: He that would eat the kernel must crack the nut.
  • Meaning: "Nothing is achieved without effort."
  • Source for meaning of English equivalent: Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. 
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 680. ISBN 0415096243. 

E

• Een blind man schiet somtijds wel een kraai.
  • Translation: A blind man shoots sometimes a crow.
  • English equivalent: Even a blind pig may occasionally pick up an acorn.
  • Meaning: "An incompetent person or an unsystematic approach is bound to succeed every now and then by chance."
  • Source for meaning of English equivalent: Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 8 September 2013. 
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 36. ISBN 0415096243. 

G

• Gebraden patrijsen komen niemand in de mond.
  • English equivalent: Birds fly not into our mouth ready roasted.
  • Meaning: "One cannot (or should not) expect to benefit without making some effort."
  • Source for meaning: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 455. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 171. ISBN 0415096243. 

• Gelyken by gelyken .
  • English equivalent: Like will to like.
  • von Düringsfield, Ida; von Düringsfield, Otto (1875). "601, Gleich" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanishcen und romanischen Sprachen Vergleichend. II. pp. 311-313. 

H

• Hooge klimmers en diepe zwemmers staen meest kwalyk.
  • English equivalent: The best swimmers often drown.
  • von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Ida; von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Otto (1875). "348, Schwimmer" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanischen und romanischen Sprachen. II. p. 194. 

L

• Lieve kinderen krygen lieve naemtjes.
  • von Duringsfeld, Ida; von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Otto (1875). "141, Namen" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanischen und romanischen Sprachen vergleichend zusammengestellt von Ida von Duringsfeld und Otto Freihern von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld. 

M

• Men moet de huid niet willen verdelen voor dat de beer duud is.
  • English equivalent: Sell not the bear's skin before you have caught him.
  • Meaning: "Do not plan too far ahead and do not be too optimistic. One cannot be sure of the success of a job until it is completed. Unforeseen unfavourable developments can never be excluded."
  • Source for meaning of English equivalent: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "X". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 217. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 641. ISBN 0415096243. 

• Men nyght onder den boom, daermen te bet afheeft.
  • English equivalent: Cast no dirt into the well that gives you water.
  • "People who can put themselves in the place of other people – who can understand the workings of their minds, need never worry about what the future has in store for them."
  • Dale Carnegie, How To Win Friends And Influence People (1934)
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 634. ISBN 0415096243. 

• Met het fluitken gewonnen, met het trommelken verteerd.
  • English equivalent: Easy come, easy go.
  • Meaning: "Things that are easily acquired, especially money, are just as easily lost or spent."
  • Source for meaning of English equivalent: Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 7 September 2013. 
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 762. ISBN 0415096243. 

O

• Oud zo is duivels zot.
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1998). Concise Dictionary of European Proverbs (Abbreviated ed.). Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 0415160502. 

T

• Twist verguist, eendrecht maakt macht.
  • English equivalent: United we stand, divided we fall; Union is strength.
  • Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 79. ISBN 0415096243. 

V

• Veel hairkens maken eenen borstel.
  • "Many hairs make a brush."
  • English equivalent: Many a mickle makes a muckle.

See also

• Afrikaans proverbs
• Dutch proverbs
• Frisian proverbs
• Old Flemish proverbs