Sicilian proverbs

Proverbs from all Sicilian speaking parts of the world.

C

Chi la dura la vinci.
- Translation: He who perservers shall win.
- English equivalent: Perservere and never fear.
- Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 127. ISBN 0415096243.

Cui a speranza d autru la pignata metti, Nun ha paura di lavari piatti.
- English equivalent: He that waits on another man's trencher, makes many a late dinner.
- von Düringsfield, Ida; von Düringsfield, Otto (1875). "96" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanischen und romanischen Sprachen. I. pp. 45-46.

Cui mali accumensa, peju finisci.
- English equivalent: A bad beginning makes a bad ending.
- Meaning: "It is as impossible that a system radically erroneous, once commenced, should end well, as it is that a mathematical problem, commenced wrong, should come out right."
- Source for meaning: William Henry Porter (1845). Proverbs: Arranged in Alphabetical Order .... Munroe and Company. p. 202.
- Emanuel Strauss (1994). "1". Concise Dictionary of European Proverbs. Routledge. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-136-78978-6.

Cui a speranza d autru la pignata metti, Nun ha paura di lavari piatti.
- English equivalent: He that waits on another man's trencher, makes many a late dinner.
- von Düringsfield, Ida; von Düringsfield, Otto (1875). "96" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanischen und romanischen Sprachen. I. pp. 45-46.

Cui si fa pecura lu lupu si la mancia.
- English equivalent: He that makes himself a sheep shall be eaten by the wolf.
- von Düringsfeld, Ida; von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Otto (1875). "70" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanishcen und romanischen Sprachen Vergleichend. p. 39.

È tintu lu nudu, chiu tintu lu sulu, ma megghiu sulu chi mala accumpagnatu.
- English equivalent: Better be alone than in bad company.
- Source for proverb: Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 572. ISBN 0415096243.

Lu minsugnaru chi dici la verità non è crittu.
- English equivalent: A liar is not believed when he tells the truth.
- von Düringsfeld, Ida; von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Otto (1875). "65" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanishcen und romanischen Sprachen Vergleichend. II. p. 36.

Lu tempu è priziusu.
- Translation: Time is precious.
- English equivalent: There is nothing more precious than time.
- Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 1008. ISBN 0415096243.

Medicu pietusu fa la chiaja verminusa.
- English equivalent: Mild physician – putrid wounds/you need to crack an egg to make an omelet.
- Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 710. ISBN 0415096243.

Nil novi sub sole Suttu lu celu nenti c è di novu dem Himmel gibt's nichts.
- English equivalentː Nothing is new under the sun.
- von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Ida; von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Otto (1875). "174, Neues" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanischen und romanischen Sprachen. p. 96.

Porta rispettu a lu locu unni stai.
- 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.

Quannu s' abbrucia la casa di lu to vicinu, porta l' acqua a casa to.
- ̽English equivalentː When thy neighbour s house doth burn (is on fire) be careful (beware) of thine own.
- von Düringsfeld, Ida; von Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Otto (1875). "Nachbarn, 127" (in German). Sprichwörter der germanishcen und romanischen Sprachen Vergleichend. p. 73.