Proverbs

Proverbs are like pearls: precious, concentrated, hidden drops of wisdom our ancestors have forged and transmitted to us. They say a lot about the way people live and think.

This is why my pupils and I are suggesting you all a game: comparing our proverbs. They have chosen and translated a few proverbs on some of their favourite topics and here they are. Do you have similar ones? Will you tell us yours?

FRIENDS

• Show me your friend and I’ll tell you who you are.
• Love your friend moderately, for he may be your enemy some day; hate your enemy moderately, for he may be your friend some day.
• You get to know your friend in times of need.
• One hundred friends is not enough, one enemy is too many.
• Who is alike will rally (Such a sack, such a patch. Such a Turk, such a pistol)
• A friend is worth much more than a bagful of gold.
• Protect me, God, from my friends, for I can protect myself from my enemies.
• Brother or no brother, the cheese is for sale ( meaning:don’t ask me for favours)
• Friendship is a flower that does not grow by the road.
• Where there’s two, the strength will grow.
• Scold your friend privately and praise him in public.
• Make brothers with the devil till you’ve crossed the bridge.

LIFE AND DEATH

• A man’s life is like an egg in a child’s hand.
• The one who fears death lost his life.
• It’s hard for the poor man to live and for the rich one to die.
• The death shuts every mouth
• I’d rather be an eagle for a day than a crow for a lifetime. (The reverse: Better a living ass then a dead wise man.)
• The dead-man won’t return from his grave.
• The one who digs another man’s grave will fall into it himself.
• Anyone who sees birth, sees death.
• Dead with the dead, living with the living
• About the dead, nothing but good (words).
• If the woman’s tongue were shorter, the man’s life would be longer.
• Rather than to live dying, die living.
• The one whom you won’t let die won’t let you live.

MONEY

• Money attract money and lice attract lice. (the rich will grow even richer and the poor, poorer)
• He has as much money as the frog has hairs.
• Money won’t bring schooling, but schooling will bring money.
• The rich won’t believe the poor, the fed won’t believe the hungry.
• Honesty can be neither bought, nor sold.
• To a poor man not even money are drawn. (can’t translate this properly, it’s a rhyme)
• I’d rather get milk from a barren cow than money from you.
• And a funny one: It’s not money that makes you happy….it’s the amount of it.

CATS

• The gentle cat scratches badly. (about hypocrisy, of course)
• The cat wearing a bell catches no mice.
• When the cat is not at home, the mice dance on the table. (this is a rhyme).
• Whatever is born from a cat will eat mice. ( Another version: the owl will not hatch nightingales).
• He bought a cat in a sack. (about imprudence)
• The cat entered the sack, but her claws are showing.
• The mouse with only one hole gets caught by the cat.
• They get along as well as the cat an the dog.
• To pull the cat by the tail (meaning living poorly, having no steady income etc.)
• The cat has nine lives.

Play with us!

Irina and pupils from School 92, Bucharest