Talk:Manx proverbs

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B

• Boayl ta gioee ta keck, as boayl ta mraane ta pleat.

• Translation: Where there are geese there is dirt, and where there are women there is talking.

• Boght, boght dy bragh.

• Translation: Poor, poor for ever.

• Brishys accyrys trooid boallaghyn cloaie.

• Translation: Hunger will break through stone walls.

C

• Caghlaa obbyr aash.

• Translation: Change of work is rest.

• Cha dennee rieau yn soogh y shang.

• Translation: The well-fed never felt like the ill-fed.

• Cha jarg oo dty choayl y chreck.

• Translation: You cannot sell your loss.

• Cha nee yn wooa smoo eieys smoo vlieaunys.

• Translation: It's not the cow that calls most which gives most milk.

• Cha stamp rieau yn dow doo er e chass.

• Translation: The black ox never trod on his own foot.

• Cha vel eh laccal gerjagh ta soylley jeh aigney booiagh.

• Translation: He lacks not comfort who enjoys a contended mind.

• Cha vel fer erbee cha bouyr, as eshyn nagh jean clashtyn.

• Translation: None is so deaf as the one who will not hear.

• Commee obbyr commee bee.

• Translation: Partner in work, partner in food.

• Cur meer da'n feeagh as hig eh reesht.

• Translation: Give a piece to the raven and he will be back.

D

• Dy chooilley ghooinney er e hon hene, as Jee son ooilley.

• Translation: Every man for himself, and God for all.

E

• Eddyr daa stoyl ta toyn er laare.

• Translation: Between two stools, your arse is on the floor.

• Eshyn nagh gow rish briw erbee t'eh deyrey eh hene.

• Translation: He who acknowledges no judge condemns himself.

• Eshyn yiow skeilley, yiow eh craid.

• Translation: He who is harmed shall be mocked.

• Eshyn ta geddyn dooinney mie da e inneen t'eh cos ney mae. Agh eh ta geddyn drogh-chleuin t'eh coayl inneen.

• Translation: A man who gets a good man to marry his daughter gains a son, but a man who gets a bad son-in-law also loses a daughter.

F

• Faaid mooar moayney son oie'l fingan.

• Translation: A big sod of turf for St. Thomas's Eve.
• It is a Manx tradition on St Thomas's Day (21 December) to catch venison or mutton for the Christmas meal.

• Foddee yn moddee s'jerree tayrtyn y mwaagh.

• Translation: Perhaps the last dog is catching the hare.

K

• Keeayl chionnit yn cheeayl share, mannagh vel ee kionnit ro gheyr.

• Translation: Bought wit is the best wit, if it is not too expensive.

• Kione mooar er y beggan cheilley, as kione beg gyn veg edyr. Towse cheilley rish.

• Translation: A big head on the smallest wits, and a little head with none at all. Use it to measure sense.

L

• Laa er-meshtey as laa er ushtey.

• Translation: A day drunk, and a day drinking water.

M

• Mannagh vow cliaghtey cliaghtey, nee cliaghtey coe.

• Translation: If customs are not customary, custom will mourn.

• Myr sloo yn cheshaght share yn ayrn,
  Myr smoo yn cheshaght s'reaie yn chloie.

• Translation: The smaller the company, the better the share; the bigger the company, the merrier the play.

• Myr sniessey da'n chraue s'miljey yn eill.

• Translation: The nearer the bone, the sweeter the flesh.

N

• Ny jean balk jeh thalloo mie.

• Translation: Plough the patches you missed to make the earth good.

S

• S'mooar ta eddyr y chair as yn aggair.

• Translation: There is a great difference between the just and the unjust.

• Soddag chamm bolg jeeragh.

• Translation: Crooked bannock, straight belly.
• Bannock is a type of pan-made bread distinctive to the Isle of Man and parts of Scotland.

T

• Ta airh er cushagyn ayns shen.

• Translation: There is gold on those ragworts.

• T'ad beaghey bwoailley er keyt as bwoailley er moddey.

• Translation: They are living hitting a cat and hitting a dog.

• T'ad craa nyn moyrn er y chielley.

• Translation: They are shaking their pride on each other.

• Ta craplag smoo ayns dty hoyn nish na va roie.

• Translation: There is a bigger wrinkle in your arse than before.

• Ta cree dooie ny share na kione croutagh.

• Translation: A kind heart is better than a crafty head.

• Ta fooillagh naareydagh ny smelley na ee scammyltagh.

• Translation: Shameful leftovers are worse than disgraceful eating.

• Ta lane chyndaaghyn ayns carr y phoosee.

• Translation: There are many turns in the marriage tune.

• Ta'n aghaue veg shuyr da'n aghaue vooar.

• Translation: The little hemlock is a sister to the big hemlock.
• Meaning: A small sin is a sister to a big one.

• Ta ynsagh coamrey stoamey yn dooinney berchagh, as t'eh berchys y dooinney boght.

• Translation: Learning is the stately clothing of the rich man, and the riches of the poor man.

Y

• Yn chiuney smoo erbey geay jiass sniessey j'ee.

• Translation: The greater the calm, the nearer to the South wind.