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diff --git a/75667-0.txt b/75667-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8c64ea4 --- /dev/null +++ b/75667-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,906 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75667 *** + + + + + + + SCOTS PROVERBS, + + ANCIENT AND MODERN, + + SELECTED FROM + + ALLAN RAMSAY AND OTHERS. + + “An ounce o’ mither-wit, is worth a pound o’ clergy.” + + _BRECHIN_: + PRINTED FOR ALEXANDER BLACK, BOOKSELLER. + 1834. + + + + +SCOTS PROVERBS. + + +A + + A bairn may hae ower muckle o’ his mither’s benison. + A bare moor maks a lean hirsel. + A’ burdens are light except to the bearer. + A blate maiden may mak a bardy gudewife. + A blate suitor should hae a gude cause. + A’ blews are no true blews. + A borrowing man is a sorrowing man. + A begun turn is hauf ended. + A blate cat maks a proud mouse. + A blythe heart maks a blooming look. + A bit but, and a bit ben, maks a mim-mou’d maiden at the board en’. + A bonny bride is soon busket, and a short horse is soon whisket. + A borrowed len’ shou’d gae laughing hame. + Abundance of law breaks nae law. + A careless maister maks a lazy man. + A club fit will no mak a gude shinty. + A close mouth catches nae flees. + A cock’s ay crouse on his ain midden-head. + A cramm’d kyte maks a crazy carcase. + A daft nurse maks a wise wean. + A denk maiden maks a dirty wife. + A drink is shorter than a tale. + A dry summer ne’er made a dear peck. + A dumb man wins nae law. + Ae bird in the hand is worth ten fleein’ by. + A fool may win money, but it taks a wise man to keep it. + A greedy e’e ne’er had a leel heart. + Ae gade turn deserves anither. + Ae hour’s cauld will suck out seven yeer’s heat. + Ae man may lead a horse to the water, but twenty winna gar him drink. + Ae man’s meat is anither man’s poison. + Ae swallow maks na simmer. + Ae scabbed sheep will smit the hale hirtel. + Ae hour in the morning is worth twa in the afternoon. + A fidging mare shou’d be weel girded. + A fleer wad aye hae a follower. + A fool and his money is soon parted. + A fool may gi’e a wise man a counsel. + A friend in court is worth a penny in purse. + A friend in need’s a friend indeed. + Aft counting keeps friends lang thegither. + After meat mustard. + After a storm comes a ca’m. + A fou man and a hungry horse ay mak haste hame. + A fou purse never lacks friends. + A rough bane maks a fou wame. + A fou wame maks a stiff back. + A black hen lays a white egg. + A gaun foot’s ay getting. + A gentle horse shou’d be sindle spurr’d. + A gi’en horse shou’d na be look’d i’ the mouth. + A gi’en game was ne’er won. + A gude beginning maks a gude ending. + A gude cow may hae an ill cauf. + A gude tongue’s a safe weapon. + A gude ingle maks a roomy fire-side. + A gude word is as soon said as an ill. + A gude tale is no the waur to be twice tauld. + A gude name is sooner tint than won. + A green turf’s a gude gudemither. + A green Yule maks a fat kirk-yard. + A great cry and little woo, quoth the deil, when he clippet the sow. + A greedy e’e never gat a gude penny worth. + A hantle cry murder, and are ay uppermost. + A houndless hunter, and a gunless gunner, see ay routh o’ game. + A hungry man’s ay angry. + Ale sellers shou’d na be tale-tellers. + A liar shou’d hae a gude memory. + Alike ilka day maks a clout on Sunday. + A light purse maks a heavy heart. + A’s no gowd that glitters. + A’ the truth shou’d na be tauld. + A’ the corn’s no shorn by kempers. + A’ the winning’s in the first buying. + A’ that’s said in the kitchen shou’d na be tauld in the ha’. + A’ cats are grey i’ the dark. + A’s no tint that’s in hazard. + A’s fish that comes i’ the net. + A’ Stewarts are no sib to the king. + A’ the speed’s i’ the spurs. + A’s weel that ends weel. + A’ things are gude untried. + A red nose maks a raggit back. + A kiss and a drink o’ water maks a wersh breakfast. + A man’s ay crouse on his ain cause. + A man may spit in his loof and do little. + A man canna bear a’ his kin on his back. + A man at five may be a fool at fifteen. + A man is weel or wae, as he thinks himsel sae. + A mouthfu’ o’ meat may be a townfu’ o’ shame. + A muffled cat was ne’er a gude hunter. + An auld mason maks a gude barrowman. + An ill shearer never gat a gude heuk. + An ill-willy cow shou’d hae short horns. + An ill servant ne’er prov’d a gude master. + An ounce of mither-wit is worth a pound o’ clergy. + Ane may lo’e the kirk weel aneugh, yet no be ay riding on the rigging + o’t. + A Scots mist will weet an Englishman to the skin. + As fu’ o’ mischief as an egg’s fu’ o’ meat. + As gude may haud the stirrip as he that loups on. + As lang runs the fox as he has feet. + As lang lives the merry man as the sad. + As lang as ye serve the tod ye maun bear up his tail. + As the sow fills the draff sours. + As the auld cock craws, the young cock learns. + As the fool thinks, the bell clinks. + As the market gangs the wares maun sell. + As weel be hang’d for a wedder as a lamb. + As ye lo’e me look in my dish. + As ye do yoursel you judge your neibours. + As ye mak your bed, sae ye maun lie down. + A safe conscience maks a sound sleep. + A sillerless man gangs fast through the market. + A sinking master maks aft a rising man. + A slothfu’ hand maks a slim fortune. + As ye brew weel ye’ll drink the better. + A spur in the head is worth twa in the heel. + A sturdy beggar shou’d hae a stout naysayer. + A tale-teller is waur than a thief. + A taking hand will never want. + A tale never tines in the telling. + A wight man never wanted a weapon. + A thread will tye an honest man better than a rape a knave. + A tocherless dame sits lang at hame. + A twapenny cat may look at a king. + A wee bush is better than nae bield. + A wee thing fleys cowards. + Auld men are twice bairns. + Auld sparrows are ill to tame. + Auld springs gi’e nae price. + A yeld sow was never gude to grices. + + +B + + Bare gentry, bragging beggars.—Bastard brood are ay proud. + Be lang sick that ye may be soon hale. + Beggars shou’d na be choosers. + Beg frae beggars you’ll never be rich. + Better a bit i’ the morning than fast a’ day. + Better a clout than a hole out. + Better a dog fawn on you than bark at you. + Better a finger aff than ay wagging. + Better a mouse in the pat than nae flesh. + Better a tocher in her than wi’ her. + Better a toom house than an ill tenant. + Better a wee ingle to warm you, than a muckle fire to burn you. + Better auld debts than auld sairs. + Better sma’ fish than nae fish. + Better be alane than in ill company. + Better be blythe wi’ little than sad wi’ naethin’. + Better be envied than pitied.—Better be idle than ill employed. + Better be out o’ the warld than out o’ the fashion. + Better be kind than cumbersome. + Better buy than berrow.—Better day the better deed. + Better eat grey bread in youth than in eild. + Better flatter a fool than fight wi’ him. + Better find iron than tine siller.—Better gi’e the slight than tak it. + Better haud by a hair than draw wi’ a tether. + Better ha’f egg than toom doup. + Better hain at the brim than at the bottom. + Better hand loose than in an ill tethering. + Better kiss a knave than cast out wi’ him. + Better keep the deil without the door than drive him out o’ the house. + Better keep weel than mak weel. + Better late thrive than ne’er do weel. + Better live in hope than in despair. + Better my bairns seek frae me than I beg frae them. + Better my friend think me fremit than fashious. + Better ne’er begun than ne’er ended. + Better rue sit than rue flit.—Blude’s thicker than water. + Better the end of a feast than the beginning of a fray. + Better to haud than to draw.—Better twa skaiths than ae sorrow. + Better wait on the cook than the doctor. + Better wear shoon than sheets.—Black will tak nae ither hue. + Between the deil and the deep sea.—Burnt bairns the fire dreads. + Bid a man to the roast and stick him wi’ the spit. + Bigging and bairns marrying are great wasters. + Birds of a feather flock thegither. + Birth’s gude but breeding’s better. + Biting and scarting is Scotch fouk’s wooing. + Blind men shou’d na be judges o’ colours. + Boden gear stinks.—Bourd na wi’ Bawty lest he bite ye. + Broken bread makes hale bairns. + Butter and burn trouts are kittle meat for maidens. + Buy a thief frae the gallows and he’ll cut your throat. + + +C + + Cadgers are ay fond o’ creels. + Cast a cat o’er the house rigging ’twill fa’ on its feet. + Cast a bane in the deil’s teeth. + Cats an carlins sit in the sun. + Cauld cools the love that kindles ower het. + Changes are lightsome. + Charity begins at hame. + Come unca’d sits unserv’d. + Comes to my hand like the boul of a pint stoup. + Come wi’ the wind and gae wi’ the water. + Confess’d faut is hauf amends. + Confess debt and crave days. + Confess and be hang’d. + Corn him weel, he’ll work the better. + Count again is not forbidden. + Count siller after a’ your kin. + Count like Jews and ’gree like brethren. + Credit is better than ill won gear. + Credit keeps the crown o’ our causeway. + Crocked carlin, quoth the cripple to his wife. + Cut your coat according to your claith. + Corbys will no pick out corby’s een. + + +D + + Daffin and want o’ wit maks auld wives denard. + Damming and laving is gude sure fishing. + Daughters and dead fish are nae keeping ware. + Dawted bairns dow bear little. + Day-light will peep through a sma’ hole. + Dear bought and far sought is meat for ladies. + Death and marriage break term-day. + Death defies the doctor. + Ding down the nest and the rooks will flee away. + Dinna gut your fish till ye get them. + Dit your mouth wi’ your meat. + Do as the lasses do, say no and tak it. + Dinna meddle wi’ the deil and the laird’s bairns. + Dogs will redd swine. + Dows and dominies leave ay a foul house. + Double charges rive cannons. + Drink he sought, but draff was his errand. + Draff’s gude enough for swine. + Drive a cow to the ha’ she’ll rin to the byre. + Drink and drouth come na ay thegether. + Drink little that ye may drink lang. + Drunken at e’en and dry in the morning. + Dummie winna lie. + + +E + + Early master soon knave.—Eat your fill but pouch nane. + Eat pease wi’ the prince, and cherries wi’ the chapman. + Eat in measure and defy the doctor. + Eat weel’s drink weel’s brither. + Eating and drinking wants but a beginning. + Eild and poortith’s sair to thole. + Eith learning the cat to the kirn. + Eith working when will’s at hame. + Either win the horse or tine the saddle. + Either the tod or the fearn bush. + E’ening red and morning grey, is a taiken of a bonny day. + E’ening oats are gude morning fodder. + E’en as ye win’t say ye may wear’t. + Embro’ justice, the greater the crime the sma’er the fine. + Eneugh’s as gude’s a feast. + Every ane creeshes the fat sows tail. + Every ane loups the dike where it’s laighest. + Every craw thinks hir ain bird whitest. + Every dog has his day. + Every man can guide an ill wife weel but he that has her. + Every man bows to the bush he gets bield frae. + Every man’s tale’s gude till anither’s be tauld. + Every man at forty is a fool or a physician. + Every man has his ain draff pock. + Every miller wad wyse the water to his ain mill. + Every thing has an end, and a pudding has twa. + Experience teaches fools. + + +F + + Faint heart never won fair lady. + Fair exchange is nae robbery.—Fancy kills and cures. + Fann’d fires and forc’d love ne’er did weel. + Far away fowls hae fair feathers.—Far frae court far frae care. + Far behind that may not follow.—Fast bind, fast find. + Fat paunches bode lean pows.—First come first ser’d. + Feckless foek are ay fond of ane anither. + Fiddler’s wives and gamester’s ale are free to every body. + Fiddler’s dogs and flesh-flies come to feasts unca’d. + Fight dog, fight bear, wha won deil care. + Fine feathers mak fine birds.—Fools’ haste is nae speed. + Fire and water are gude servants, but ill masters. + Flaes and a girning wife are waukrife bed-fellows. + Fleying a bird is no the way to grip it. + Flitting of farms mak mailings dear.—Friends ’gree best sindry. + Fools shou’d nae hae chapping stieks. + Fools ravel and wise men redd.—Fumblers are ay fond o’ weans. + Fools and bairns shou’d nae see a ha’f done turn. + Fools mak feasts, and wise fouk eat them; the wise mak jests, and fools + repeat them. + For fashion’s sake, as dogs gang to the market. + Fore-warn’d, ha’f armed.—Foul water slockens fire. + Fresh fish and poor friends grow soon ill-far’d. + Friends are like fiddle-strings, they mauna be screw’d owre tight. + Frost and fausehood hae baith a dirty waygang. + + +G + + Gaunting bodes wanting.—Gie the deil his due. + Giff-Gaff makes gude friends.—Gie you an inch ye’ll tak an ell. + Gie a dog an ill name and he’ll soon be hang’d. + Gie the deil his due.—Glasses and lasses are bruckle ware. + God help great fowk, the poor can beg. + God ne’er sent the mouth but he sent meat wi’t. + God send you mair wit and mair siller. + Great barkers are nae biters.—Greening wives are ay greedy. + Gie a beggar a bed and he’ll pay you wi’ lice. + + +H + + Haud a hank in your ain hand.—Hae gars a deaf man hear. + Hair and hair makes the earl’s head bare.—Hale-sale’s gude sale. + Hame is hame if it were ne’er sae hamely. + Hang them that hae nae shift, and them that hae owre mony. + Hang a thief when he’s young, and he’ll no steal when he’s auld. + Hanging’s nae better than it’s ea’d.—Hardships sinle come single. + He begs frae them that borrow’d frae him. + He brings a staff to break his ain head. + He does na ay ride when he saddles his horse. + He fells twa dogs wi’ ae stane.—He had his finger in the pye. + He gangs awa to an ill tune that never comes again. + He has a bee in his bannet lug.—He’s like a flea in a blanket. + He has gotten a bite o’ his ain bridle. + He has nae as muckle sense as a cow can haud in her faulded nieve. + He has faut of a wife that marries mam’s pet. + He has mair wit in his little finger than ye hae in a’ your bouk. + He has feather’d his nest, he may flee when he likes. + He has need of a lang spoon that sups wi’ the deil. + He has a slid grip that has an eel by the tail. + He kens na a B by a bull’s foot.—He’s no sae daft as he lets on. + He kens his ain groats amang ither fouks kail. + He’ll soon be a beggar that cannot say nay. + He loo’d mutton weel that licked where the ewe lay. + He’ll no sell his hen on a rainy day. + He may weel swim that has his head hadden up. + He never lies but when the holly’s green. + He needs maun rin that the deil drives. + He’s wise that kens whan he’s weel, and can haud himsel sae. + He’s scant o’ news that tells his father was hanged. + He’s an Aberdeen’s man, he taks his word again. + He’s a wise bairn that kens his ain father. + He’s uneo fou in his ain house that canna pike a bane in his neibour’s. + He’s a proud horse that winna bear his ain provender. + He’s like a singet cat, better than he’s likely. + He’s a worthless gudeman that’s no miss’d. + He stumbles at a strae and loups o’er a won-lyne. + He speaks like a prent-book.—He that comes unca’d sits unserv’d. + He that aught the cow gangs nearest her tail. + He that buys land buys stanes, and he that buys beef buys banes. + He that buys nuts buys shells, he that buys ale buys naithing else. + He that canna mak sport shou’d mar nane. + He that deals in dirt has ay foul fingers. + He that can near Dumback may bear Dumbarton. + He that keeps the cat’s dish keeps her ay crying. + He rises owre soon that’s hanged e’er noon. + He that gies a’ wad gies naithing.—He that has muckle gets ay mair. + He that has muckle wad ay hae mair. + He that has a gude cramp may thole some thistles. + He that has nae siller in his purse shou’d hae silk on his tongue. + He that hides is the best at seeking. + He that has a muckle nose thinks ilk ane speaks o’t. + He that hews aboon his head may get a speal in his e’e. + He that’s ill to himsel will be gude to naebody. + He that laughs at his ain joke spills the sport o’t. + He that speers a’, only gets wit o’ part. + He wad skin a loose for the tallow. + He that sleeps wi’ dogs maun rise wi’ flaes. + He’s no sae daft as he’s daft like.—His egg has ay twa youks. + He that winna when he may, he shanna when he wad. + He that woos a widow should woo her day and night. + He that wad eat the kirnel maun crack the nut. + He that will to Coupar will to Coupar. + He wad gang a mile to flit a sow.—He wad rake hell for a bodle. + He wats na whilk end o’ him’s uppermost. + He wad gar you trow that the moon’s made o’ green cheese. + He wad tine his lugs if they werna tacked to him. + His bark is war than his bite.—Hooly and fairly gangs far in a day. + Hungry dogs are blythe o’ bursten puddings. + + +I + + I canna sell the cow and sup her milk.—I hae ither tow on my rock. + I can see as far into a mill-stane as he that pick’d it. + I hae a gude bow, but its in the castle. + I had rather gae by your door than o’er your grave. + I hae got an ill kame for my ain head. + I hae mair ado than a dish to wash. + I hae baith my meat and my mense. + I hae seen mair than I hae eaten, or ye wadna be there. + I ken by my cog my cow’s milked.—I ne’er sat on your coat tale. + I’ll gar his ain gartens tye up his ain hose. + I’ll ne’er lout sae laigh and lift sae little. + I’ll ne’er put the rogue aboon the gentleman. + I’ll ne’er keep a dog and bark mysel. + I’ll tak the best first, as the priest did o’ the plumbs. + I’ll ne’er brew drink to treat drunkards. + I’m o’er auld a cat to draw a strae before. + I’m no sae blind as I’m bleer-ey’d. + I’m nae sae scant o’ clean pipes as to blaw wi’ a burnt cutty. + I’m speaking o’ hay and you o’ horse corn. + I’m neither sma’ drink thirsty, nor grey bread hungry. + I ne’er lo’ed meat that craw’d in my crapin. + I wad be scant o’ claith to sole my hose wi’ dockens. + I wadna fother you for your muck. + I wadna ca the king my cousin tho’ he were my uncle’s son. + I wadna be deav’d wi’ your keckling for a’ your eggs. + I wadna mak fish o’ ane and flesh o’ anither. + I wish you readier meat than a rinning hare. + If ae sheep loup o’er the dike a’ the lave will follow. + _If_ and _and_ spoils mony a gude charter. + If a man gangs down the brae ilk ane gies him a jundie. + If he bind the pock she’ll sit down upon’t. + If he be nae a souter he’s a gude shoe clouter. + If I canna keep geese I’ll keep gaislins. + If I canna do’t by might I’ll do’t by sleight. + If it be a faut it’s nae ferly.—If it winna sell it winna sour. + If stakes be gude to gie they’ll be gude to get. + If the deil be laird ye’ll be tenant.—If ye lo’e me let it kythe. + If the deil find you idle he’ll set you to wark. + If wishes were horses beggars wad ride. + If ye hae little gear guide it the better. + If ye ca’ me scabbed I’ll ca’ you sca’d. + If ye be angry, claw your wame, and cool in the skin ye het in. + If you sell your purse to your wife, gi’e her your brecks to the bargain. + If ye had as little money as ye hae manners, ye wad be the poorest man o’ + your kin. + If ye win at whoring ye’ll tine at naething. + If ye serve the tod ye maun bear up his tail. + Ill bairns get ay broken brows.—Ill bairns are best heard at hame. + Ill beef ne’er made good broe.—Ill doers are ay ill dreaders. + Ill counsel will gar a man stick his ain mare. + Ill getting het water frae ’neath cauld ice.—Ill herds mak fat foxes. + Ill hearing maks wrang rehearsing.—Ill news are aft owre true. + Ill laying up maks mony thieves.—Ill payers are ay gude cravers. + Ill to tak and eith to tire.—Ill weeds wax weel. + Ill workers are ay gude to putters.—Ill-will ne’er spak weel. + Ill won gear winna enrich the third heir.—Ill won, as ill wair’d. + It cam wi’ the wind let it gang wi’ the water. + It maun be an auld-farrant mouse that can kittle in a cat’s lug. + It’s a bare moor that ye gang thro’ and no get a heather cow. + It’s a cauld stammock that naething heats on. + It’s a gude goose that draps ay.—It’s a hard task to be poor and leal. + It’s a gude poor man’s blade, it will bow or break. + It’s a lang lane that hasna a turning. + It’s an ill wind that blaws naebody gude. + It’s an ill cause that the lawyers think shame o’. + It’s time to gie owre piping when youv’e lost the upper lip. + It’s an ill pack that’s no worth the custom. + It’s a mean mouse that has but ae hole.—It’s no a’ tint that fa’s by. + It’s a nasty bird fyles its ain nest.—It’s a sin to lie on the deil. + It’s a poor house whare thers’s neither a bairn nor a mouse. + It’s a shame to eat the cow and worry on the tail. + It’s a sorry hen that canna scrape for ae bird. + It’s a sair dung bairn that mayna greet.—It’s gude to be sib to siller. + It’s a’ tint that’s done to auld fo’k and bairns. + It’s but kindly that the pock sa’r of the herring. + It’s better to sup wi’ a cutty than want a spoon. + It’s dear coft honey that’s lick’d aff a thorn. + It’s eith crying Yule on anither man’s stool. + It’s fair in ha’ where beards wag a’.—It’s gude sleeping in a hale skin. + It’s gude maut that comes o’ will.—It’s gude to be side but no trailing. + It’s gude gear that pleases the merchant. + It’s gude to be gude in your time, ye kenna how lang it may last. + It’s gude to hae twa strings to your bow. + It’s hard to gar an auld mare leave aff flinging. + It’s hard to sit in Rome and strive wi the Pope. + It’s hard for a greedy e’e to hae a leal heart. + It’s ill to be ca’d a thief and no found picking. + It’s ill to bring out o’ the flesh what’s bred i’ the bane. + It’s ill getting breeks aff a Higlandman. + It’s ill taking corn frae geese.—It’s no tint that a friend gets. + It’s ill making a silk purse o’ a sows lug, or a touting horn o’ a tods + tail. + It’s ill bringing butt what’s no there ben. + It’s kittle shooting at corbies and clergy. + It’s kittle to waken sleeping dogs.—It’s needless to bid a wren rin. + It’s lang or the deil be found dead at a dike-side. + It’s lang or ye need to cry, shou, to an egg. + It’s lang or like-to-die fill the kirk-yard. + It’s muckle gars the tailor laugh, for suitors girn ay. + It’s needless to pour water on a drown’d mouse. + It’s no the cowl that maks the friar.—It maun be true that a’ fo’k says. + It’s nae sin to tak a gude price, but in gi’ing ill measure. + It’s nae play when ane laughs and anither greets. + It’s no what is she? but what was she? + It’s nae laughing to girn in a widdy.—It’s weel war’d wasters want. + It’s o’er far between the kitchen and the ha’. + It’s o’er late to spare when the bottom’s bare. + It’s past joking when the head’s aff. + It’s weel that our fau’ts are no written on our face. + It’s time enough to skreigh when ye’re strucken. + It’s time enough to mak my bed when I’m gaun to lie down. + It’s lang or four bare legs gather heat in the bed. + It may come in an hour that winna come in seven year. + It will be a feather out o’ your wing. + It sets a sow weel to wear a saddle. + It sets you weel to gab again wi’ your bannet on. + It was ne’er for naething that the gled whistled. + + +J + + Joke at leisure, you kenna wha may joke yoursel’. + + +K + + Kail hains bread.—Kame sindle came sair.—Kamesters are ay creeshy. + Keep woo and it will be dirt, keep lint and it will be silk. + Keep your ain fish guts to your ain sea-maws. + Keep your kill-dry’d taunts to your mouldy-hair’d maidens. + Keep your breath to cool your crowdie. + Keep your mouth close and your een open. + Kindness comes a-will, it canna be coft. + Kindness will creep whare it canna gang. + Kindle a candle at baith ends it will soon be done. + King’s cauff’s worth other fo’ks corn.—Kissing gans by favour. + King’s cheese gaes hauf awa in pairings. + Kiss a carl and clap a carl, and that’s the way to tine a carl. + Kythe in your ain colours that fo’k may ken you. + + +L + + Ladies and turkies need delicate upbringing. + Laith to bed and laith to rise.—Lang straes are nae motes. + Lang fasting hains nae meat.—Learn young, learn fair. + Lang tongu’d wives gae lang wi’ bairn. + Langest at fire soonest finds cauld. + Lang speaking part maun spill.—Love me love my dog. + Law’s costly, tak a pint and gree. + Law-makers should na be law-breakers. + Laugh at leisure, ye may greet ere night. + Laugh and lay’t down again.—Let alane maks mony loons. + Lay the head o’ the sow to the tail o’ the grice. + Learn the cat to the kirn and she’ll ay be licking. + Letna the plough stand to kill a mouse. + Let a’ treads live, quoth the wife, when she burnt her besom. + Let ay bell’d wathers break the snaw. + Let by-ganes be by-ganes.—Let horns gang wi’ the hide. + Let him tak a spring on his ain fiddle. + Let him haud the bairn that aught the bairn. + Let him cool in the skin he het in. + Let ilka sheep hang by its ain shank. + Let the muckle horse get the muckle wonlyn. + Let the morn come and the meat wi’t. + Let the kirk stand in the kirk-yard.—Live and let live. + Lie for him and he’ll swear for you.—Little gear the less care. + Light supper mak lang life-days.—Like’s an ill mark. + Little winning maks a heavy purse.—Love o’erlooks mony fauts. + Lightly come, lightly gane.—Little kend the less cared for. + Like draws to like, as a scabbed horse to a fail dyke. + Like Scotsmen, ay wise ahint the hand. + Likely lies aft i’ the mire, when unlikely wins through. + Like the maidens o’ Bayordine ye learn by the ear. + Like hens, ye rin ay to the tap o’ the heap. + Like the bairns o’ Falkirk, ye mind naething but mischief. + Like frien’less dogs mair sleep than meat. + Like the cat, fain fish wad ye eat, but ye are laith to weet your feet. + Like the wife wi’ the mony daughters, the best comes hindmost. + Lippen to me but look to yoursel’. + Little Jock gets the little dish, and that hauds him lang little. + Little said is soon mended, little gear’s soon spended. + Little wit i’ the head maks muckle travel to the feet. + Little may an auld nag do that maunna nicher. + Live upon love as lavrocks do on leeks. + Loud on the loan was ne’er a gude milk cow. + Love and light winna hide.—Love me lightly love me lang. + Love’s as warm among cotters as courtiers. + Love o’er het soonest cools. + + +M + + Maidens shou’d be mim till they’r married, then they may burn kirks. + Maidens shou’d be mild and meek, quick to hear and slaw to speak. + Maidens tochers and ministers stipends are ay less than ca’d. + Mair hamely than welcome.—Mair haste the waur speed. + Mair by luck than gude guiding.—Malice is aye mindfu’. + Mak friends o’ fremit fo’k.—Measure twice, cut but ance. + Mak the best o’ an ill bargain you can. + Mak your hay when the sun shines. + May-bees flee not at this time o’ the year. + Maybe your pot may need my clips. + Mealy-mou’d maids stand lang at the mill. + Muckle may fa’ between the cup and the lip. + Mills and wives are ay wanting.—Mony hands mak light wark. + Mistress afore fo’k, gude wife behind backs, where lies the dish-clout? + Money is welcome in a dirten clout. + Mony a ane kisses the bairn for love o’ the nurse. + Mony fair promises at marriage mak few at tocher-paying. + Mony say weel when it was ne’er waur. + Mony a ane serves a thankless master. + Mony ways to kill a dog tho’ ye dinna hang him. + Mony cooks ne’er made gude kail. + Mony irons i’ the fire part maun cool. + Mony a ane opens their pack and sells nae wares. + Mony a ane speers the gate they ken fu’ weel. + My son’s my son ay till he get a wife, my daughter’s my daughter a’ the + days o’ her life. + + +N + + Nae fool like an auld fool.—Nae friend like a friend in need. + Nae man can thrive unless his wife lets him. + Nae sooner up than her head’s in the am’ry. + Nae safe wading in unco water.—Necessity hae nae law. + Nae wonder ye be auld like, ilka thing fashes ye. + Naething sae crouse as a new washen louse. + Naething’s ill to be done when will’s at hame. + Naething’s to be done in haste but gripping of flaes. + Naething to do but draw in your stool and sit down. + Naething venture naething win.—New lords hae new laws. + Nane but fools and knaves lay wagers. + Nane can mak a bore but ye’ll find a pin till’t. + Nane can play the fool sae weel as a wise man. + Near’s my sark but nearer’s my skin.—Ne’er ower auld to learn. + Nearest the heart nearer the mou.—Ne’er rax aboon your reach. + Nearest the kirk the farthest frae gude. + Neck or naething the king loes nae cripples. + Need will gar an auld wife trot, and a naked man rin. + Ne’er draw your durk when a daunt will do. + Ne’er find faut wi’ my shoon unless ye pay my cobler. + Ne’er gae to the deil wi’ a dish-clout about your head. + Ne’er gae me my death in a toom dish.—Ne’er quat certanty for hope. + Ne’er let on but laugh in your ain sleeve. + Ne’er marry a widow, unless her first man was hang’d. + Ne’er scad your lips in other fo’k’s kail. + Ne’er seek a wife till ye ken what to do wi’. + Ne’er shaw your teeth unless ye can bite. + Ne’er strive against the stream. + Ne’er take a fore-hammer to break an egg, when ye can do it wi’ a + pen-knife.—Nipping and scarting’s Scotch fo’k’s wooing. + Ne’er let the nose blush for the sins o’ the mouth. + Nineteen naesays o’ a maiden are ha’f a grant. + + +O + + Ower haly was hang’d, and rough and sonsy wan awa’. + Ower muckle o’ aething is gude for naething. + Ower mony grieves but hinders the wark. + O’ twa ills choose the least.—Out o’ debt out o’ danger. + Out o’ the peat-pot into the gutter. + + +P + + Pay him hame in his ain coin.—Penny wise and pound foolish. + Pennyless sauls may pine in purgatory. + Pleying at law’s like fighting through a whin buss, the harder the + blows the sairer the scar. + Poortith parts gude company.—Possession is eleven points o’ the law. + Pride ne’er leaves its master till he get a fa’. + Poets and painters hae liberty to lie. + Put a coward to his metal and he’ll fight the deil. + Put your hand nae farther than your sleeve will reach. + Put your hand i’ the creel, and tak out an adder or an eel. + + +Q + + Quey caufs are dear veal.—Quick returns mak rich. + + +R + + Rackless youth maks ruefu’ eild.—Raw leather raxes. + Raise nae mae deils than your able to lay. + Rather spoil your joke than tine your friend. + Raw dawds mak fat lads.—Rich fou’k hae routh o’ friends. + Rich fo’k’s wit rives puir fo’k’s jaws.—Rob Peter to pay Paul. + Ride fair and jaup nane.—Right wrangs nae man. + Rob Gib’s contract, stark love and kindness. + Rome was nae bigget in ae day.—Royet lads may mak sober men. + Rooks and writers are ay to be found about ruined houses. + Roose the ford as ye find it.—Rue and time grow baith in ae garden. + + +S + + Sair cravers are ay ill payers.—Satan reproving sin. + Saut, quoth the sutor, when he had eaten a cow a’ but the tail. + Seethe stanes in butter the broo will be gude. + Second thoughts are best.—Ser’ yoursel till your bairns come in age. + Set a beggar on horseback he’ll ride to the deil. + Set a stout heart to a stay brae.—Shame’s past the shade o’ your hair. + Sharp stomachs mak short graces.—Stown dints are sweetest. + Shallow waters mak maist din.—Sinle seen soon forgotten. + She’s as leal a maiden as her man left her. + She hauds up her head like a hen drinking water. + She brack her elbow at the kirk door.—Standing dubs gather dirt. + She’ll wear like a horse shoe, ay the langer the clearer. + Short fo’k are soon angry, their heart’s soon at their mou. + Slaw at meat slaw at wark.—Sorrow and ill weather come unsent for. + Some hae a hantle o’ fauts ye’er only a neer-do-weel. + Souters and tailors count hours.—Speak o’ the deil and he’ll appear. + Speak gude o’ pipers, your father was a fiddler. + Speak when your spoken till, and drink when you’re drucken till. + Strike the iron as lang as it’s het. + + +T + + Tak your will o’t as the cat did o’ the haggis. + Tak the bit and the buffet wi’t.—Tak me not up before I fa’. + Tak your ain will and then ye’ll no die o’ the pet. + Tak a hair o’ the dog that bit you.—That’s Halkerton’s cow. + Tak nae mair on your back than you’re able to carry. + Tak a man by his word and a cow by her horn. + Tarry breeks pay nae fraught.—Tapped hens like cock crawing. + Tell nae your fae when your foot’s slipping.—That’s a tee’d ba’. + That bout cam ne’er out o’ your bag.—The best is ay cheapest. + That’s carrying saut to Dysart and puddings to Tranent. + That’s the piece a step-bairn ne’er gat.—Time tries a’. + That winna be a mot i’ your marriage.—The deil’s ay gude to his ain. + The back and the belly hauds every ane busy. + The bairn speaks i’the field what he hears at the fireside. + The bird maun flighter that flees wi’ ae wing. + The better day the better deed.—The warld is bound to nae man. + The blind man’s peck should be weel measur’d. + The cure may be waur than the disease. + The death o’ ae bairn winna skail a house. + The dorty dame may fa’ i’ the dirt.—The deil’s bairns hae deil’s luck. + The deil ay drives his hogs to an ill market. + The deil’s gaen o’er John Wabster.—The e’ening brings a hame. + The farthest way about is aft the nearest gate hame. + The richer the souter, the blacker his thumbs. + The first fuf o’ a fat haggis is ay the bauldest. + The gravest fish is an oyster, + The gravest bird’s an owl; + The gravest beast’s an ass, + And the gravest man’s a fool. + The kings errand may come in a cadger’s gate. + The langer we live we see the mair fairlies. + The mae the merrier, the fewer the better cheer. + The masters e’e maks the horse fat.—The still sow eats up the draff. + The simple man’s the beggar’s brither. + The subject’s love is the kings life guard. + The smith’s mare and the souter’s wife are ay warst shod. + The thiefer like the better sodger.—The tod’s whelps are ill to tame. + The thing that lie nae in your gate breaks na your shins. + The thing that’s in your wame’s not in your testament. + The thrift o’ you was the death o’ your gude-dame. + The tod keeps his ain hole clean. + The worth o’ a thing is best kend by the want o’t. + The wife’s ay welcome that comes wi’ a crooked oxter. + There’s mony a true tale tauld in jest. + There’s mukle to do when burghers ride. + There’s nane sae blind as them that winna see. + There’s naething ill said that’s nae ill tane. + There’s nae place like hame, as the deil said when he fan’ himsel in the + Court o’ Session. + There was ne’er a silly Jocky but there was as silly a Jenny. + There’s beild aneath an auld man’s baird. + There is a teugh sinew in an auld wife’s heel. + There is a differ betwixt the piper and his bitch. + There is a wawp i’ the raip.—Thole weel is gude for burning. + There is a sliddery stane before the ha’ door. + There is as gude fish i’ the sea as e’er cam out o’t. + There grows nae grass at the cross.—Thoughts beguil maidens. + There is life in a mussel as lang as she cheeps.—Time tries a’. + There is little for the rake after the shool.—Tine heart and a’s gane. + They are ay gude that are far awa.—True blue will ne’er stain. + They are like the grices, if you kittle their wame they fa’ on their + backs. + They hae need o’ a canny cook that hae but ae egg to their dinner. + They ne’er saw great dainties that think a haggis a feast. + They shou’d kiss the gude-wife that wad win the gude-man. + They that see you a’ day winna break the house for you at night. + They that get a word o’ soon rising may lie a’ day. + They that laugh in the morning may greet ere night. + They that drink langest live langest. + They that hae routh o’ butter may lay it thick on their scone. + They that lie down for love shou’d rise for hunger. + They were scant o’ bairns that brought you up. + They were never fain that fidg’d, nor fa’ that licked dishes. + They ne’er ga’e wi’ the speet but they get wi’ the ladle. + Three can keep a secret if twa be awa. + Time and tide will tarry for nae man. + Touch a gawd horse on the back and he’ll fling. + Tramp on a snail and she’ll shoot out her horns. + Twa blacks will ne’er mak a white. + Twine two, your minny was a gude spinner. + + +U + + Up hill spare me, down hill tak tent to thee. + Use makes perfectness. + + +W + + Wanton kittens mak douce cats.—When drink’s in wit’s out. + Wae’s the wife that want’s the tongue, but weel’s the man that gets her. + Weans maun creep ere they gang.—Women’s wark’s ne’er done. + Wedding and ill wintering tame baith man and beast. + Weel kens the mouse when the cat’s out o’ the house. + Welcom’s the best dish in the kitchen. + We’ll ne’er ken the worth o’ the water till the well gae dry. + We’re ay to learn as lang’s we live.—We canna baith sup and blaw. + We’ll bark oursels ere we buy dogs sae dear. + We may ken your eild by the runkles o’ your horn. + We may ken your meaning by your mumping. + What’s gotten owre the deil’s back will gang awa under his belly. + When ae door stecks anither opens.—Wilfu’ waste maks waefu’ want. + When friends meet hearts warm.—Woo sellers ken ay woo buyers. + When the tod preaches tak tent o’ the lambs. + When the wame’s fou, the banes wad be at rest. + When petticoats woo, brecks come speed. + When you’re serv’d a’ the geese are water’d. + While the pow’s shaving the lice maun flit. + When ye’re gaun and coming the gate’s no toom. + Where the dyke’s laighest it is eithiest to loup. + Where there’s owre muckle courtesy, there’s little kindness. + Winter thunder bodes simmer hunger. + Work for nought maks fo’k dead sweer. + + +Y + + Ye’re as lang o’ tuning your pipes as ane wad play a spring. + Ye cam a day after the fair.—Ye hae gotten a ravel’d hesp o’t. + Ye cut lang whangs out o’ ither fo’k’s leather. + Ye canna preach out o’ your ain pupit.—Ye hae a crap for a’ corn. + Ye canna get leave to thrive for thrang. + Ye drive the plough before the owsen. + Ye hae gien the wolfe the wedder to keep. + Ye hae sitten your time, as mony a gude hen has done. + Ye hae o’er foul feet to come sae far ben. + Ye hae tint your ain stomach and fund a tike’s. + Ye hae the wrang sow by the lug.—Ye ken wha drinkers dree. + Ye kenna wha may cool your ain kail yet. + Yelping curs may rise mastiffs.—Ye’re mair fley’d than hurt. + Ye may get waur bodes or Beltane. + Ye may dight your neb and flee up. + Ye mete my pease by your ain peck. + Ye ne’er saw green cheese but your een reel’d. + Ye ride sae near the rumple ye’ll let nane loup on behind you. + Ye’re like a miller’s dog, you lick your lips ere the pock be opened. + Ye’re sae keen o’ the clocking you’ll die in the nest. + Ye’re nae chicken for a’ your cheeping. + Ye’re come o’ blude, and sae’s a pudding. + Ye’re like hens, ye rin ay to the heap. + Ye shape shoon by your ain shachel’d feet. + Ye watna what wife’s ladle may cogue your kail. + Your bread’s baken, you may hing by your girdle. + + +Transcriber’s Note + +List of minor amendments made to the text: + + Page 12, “mauu” changed to “maun” (He that wad eat the kirnel maun crack + the nut.) + Page 13, “diel” changed to “deil” (If the deil find you idle he’ll set + you to wark.) + Page 16, “Kindess” changed to “Kindness” (Kindness will creep whare it + canna gang.) + Page 22, “bleu” changed to “blue” (True blue will ne’er stain.) + +Defective punctuation was amended as necessary without further note. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75667 *** |