Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

42
An uair a's lugha 'n naigheachd, 's ann a 's mo an t-sitli.
Least news most i^eace.
No news is good news. — Eng.
An uair a 's mo 'n eigin, dearbhar an caraid dileas.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. — Eng.
An uair a's truim' an t- uisge, 's ann a's giorr' a
When the rain is heaviest 't ivill be sootiest over.
An uair a's teinne air duine, 's e 'cheann a cheart
mhuineal.
When a man is most in straits, his head is his best
support.
Literally, ' his head is his real neck,' i.e., he must rely on his
own brains to hold up his head. See ' An uair a theid duine '.
An uair a'steinn'an taod, 's ann a's dòch' e bristeadh.
When the rope is tightest it is nearest breaking.
Po tjTiaf fo'r llinyn cynt af y tyr. — Welsh.
Naar Strsengen er stindest, da brister han snarest. — Dan.
An uair a sguireas am miar de shileadli, sguiridh am
bial de mboladb.
When the finger ceases to distil, the mouth ceases to
'praise.
Irish and Manx nearly in same words, ' làmh ' for ' miar '.
An uair a shaoil leat a bhi air muin na muice, 's ann
a bha thu làmh rithe 's an liiib.
When you thought you were on the sov/s bach, you iverc
beside her in the ptuddle.
An uair a thainig e gus a h-aon 's gus a dlià.
When it came to one and two.
An uair a tharruingeas gach duin' a cbuid h-uige,
's mairg a bhios gun cliuid aige.
When every man draws his share, pity him who has
none at all.
An uair a tbeid a' chailleach 'n a ruith, theid i 'n a
deann-ruith.
When the old wife runs she runs with a vengeance.
An uair a theid duine gu luim, 's e 'dhruim a's taice
dha.
When a man goes down, his oivn bach is his svjJj^ort.
Selbst ist der Mann. — Germ.