Henry Bohn - A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

Une once de faveur vaut mieux qu’une livre de justice. An ounce of favour goes further, or is worth more, than a pound of justice.

Une poule aveugle peut quelquefois trouver son grain. A blind hen can sometimes find her corn.

Une science requiert tout son homme. An art requires a whole man.

Une tromperie en attire une autre. One deceit brings on another.

Un fou avise bien un sage. A wise man may learn of a fool.

Un fou fait toujours commencement. A fool is always beginning.

Un homme averti en vaut deux. A man warned is as good as two.

Un homme bien monté est toujours orgueilleux. A man well mounted is always proud.

Un homme de paille vaut une femme d’or. A man of straw is worth a woman of gold.

Un homme mort n’a ni parents ni amis. A dead man has neither relations nor friends.

Un homme, nul homme. One man, no man.

Un homme qui se noie s’attache à un brin d’herbe. A drowning man clings to a blade of grass.

Un homme riche n’est jamais laid pour une fille. A rich man is never ugly in the eyes of a girl.

Un jour en vaut deux pour qui fait chaque chose en son lieu. One day is as good as two for him who does everything in its place.

Un malheur ne vient jamais seul. Misfortunes never come single.

Un marteau d’argent rompt une porte de fer. A silver hammer breaks an iron door.

Un mauvais accommodement vaut mieux qu’un bon procès. A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit.

Un moineau dans la main vaut mieux qu’une grue qui vole. A sparrow in the hand is better than a crane on the wing.

Un noble prince ou roy n’a jamais pille ne croix. A noble prince or king never has a coin to bless himself.

Un petit homme projette parfois une grande ombre. A little man sometimes casts a long shadow.

Un peu d’absence fait grand bien. A little absence does much good.

Un peu d’aide fait grand bien. A little help does a great deal.

Un peu de fiel gâte beaucoup de miel. A little gall spoils a great deal of honey.

Un seigneur de paille mange un vassal d’acier. A lord of straw devours a vassal of steel.

Un seul homme ne peut suffire à tout. No living man all things can.

Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l’admire. One fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.

Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l’auras. One take-this is better than two thou-shalt-haves.

Un ver se recoquille quand on marche dessus. Tread on a worm and it will turn.

Un vieux four est plus aisé à chauffer qu’un neuf. An old oven is easier to heat than a new one.

Vache de loin a lait assez. A cow from afar gives plenty of milk.

Vache ne sait ce que vaut sa queue jusqu’à ce qu’elle l’ait perdue. A cow does not know what her tail is worth until she has lost it.

Valet devant, maître derrière, en pont, en planche, en rivière. At a bridge, a plank, a river, the servant foremost, the master behind.

Vent au visage rend un homme sage. Adversity makes a man wise.

Ventre affamé n’a point d’oreilles. A hungry belly has no ears.

Ventre plein conseille bien. A full belly counsels well.

Veux-tu meilleur pain que de froment? Do you want better bread than wheaten?

Viande d’ami est bientôt prête. A friend’s meat is soon ready.

Vides chambres font femmes folles. Empty rooms make giddy housewives.

Vie de pourceau, courte et bonne. A pig’s life, short and sweet.

Vieilles amours et vieux tisons s’allument en toutes saisons. Old love and old brands kindle at all seasons.

Vieux amis et comptes nouveaux. Old friends and new reckonings.

Vieux b”oe]uf fait sillon droit. An old ox makes a straight furrow.

Vieux chien n’aboie pas en vain. An old dog does not bark for nothing.

Vilain affamé, demi enragé. A hungry clown is half mad.

Vilain enrichi ne connaît parent ni ami. A clown enriched knows neither relation nor friend.

Vilain ne sçait qu’esperon vaut. A churl knows not the worth of spurs (i. e. honour ).

Ville qui parlemente est moitié rendue. The town that parleys is half surrendered.

Vin versé n’est pas avalé. Wine poured out is not wine swallowed.

Vivre au jour la journée. To live from hand to mouth.

Voix du peuple, voix de Dieu. The people’s voice, God’s voice.

Voler un voleur n’est pas voler. To rob a robber is not robbing.

Vouloir, c’est pouvoir. Will is power.

Vraie noblesse nul ne blesse. True nobility is invulnerable.

Abbiamo pur fiorini che troveremo cugini. Let us have florins and we shall find cousins.

Abbi piuttosto il piccolo per amico, che il grande per nemico. Rather have a little one for your friend, than a great one for your enemy.

Abbondanza genera fastidio. Plenty makes daintiness.

A bisogni si conoscon gli amici. Friends are known in time of need. ( Friends in need are friends indeed. )

A buona derrata pensaci su. At a good bargain pause and ponder.

A buon cavaliere non manca lancia. A good cavalier never lacks a lance.

A buon cavallo non manca sella. A good horse never lacks a saddle.

A buon cavallo non occorre dirgli trotta. No need to say “trot” to a good horse.

A buon intenditor poche parole. A word to the wise is enough.

A buon vino non bisogna frasca. Good wine needs no bush.

A cader va chi troppo in alto sale. He who climbs too high is near a fall.

A can che fugge, dagli, dagli. When a dog runs away, hit him! hit him!

A can che lecchi cenere, non gli fidar farina. The dog that licks ashes is not to be trusted with flour.

A cane scottato l’acqua fredda pare calda. A scalded dog thinks cold water hot.

A cattiva vacca Dio dà corte corna. God gives a curst cow short horns.

A cattivo cane corto legame. A mischievous dog must be tied short.

A causa perduta, parole assai. Plenty of words when the cause is lost.

A caval donato, non guardar in bocca. Look not a gift horse in the mouth.

A caval donato, non si mira il pelo. Never heed the colour of a gift horse.

A cavalli tristi o buoni, sempre porta i tuoi sproni. Be the horse good or bad always wear your spurs.

A caval magro vanno le mosche. Flies flock to the lean horse.

A cavar di casa un morto, ci voglion quattro vivi. It takes four living men to carry one dead man out of a house.

Accasca in un punto quel che non accasca in cento anni. That happens in a moment which may not happen in a hundred years.

Accenna al savio e lascia far a lui. Give the wise man a hint and leave him to act.

Accordatevi, dice Arlotto, ed io farò piovere. Agree between yourselves (as to the time), quoth Arlotto, and I will make it rain.

Accosta più la camicia che il giubbone. The shirt is nearer than the doublet.

Accostati a’ buoni e sarai uno di essi. Associate with the good and you will be one of them.

A chi compra non bastan cent’occhi, e à chi vende ne basta un solo. For the buyer a hundred eyes are too few, for the seller one is enough.