Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

279
Is mios' amaideachd na h-aois na amaideachd ua
h-òÌQe.
The folly of age is worse than the folly of youth.
See 'Cha 'n 'eil amadan'.
Is mios' an fhead na 'n eubh.
The whistle is worse than the cry.
The whistle of a thief or cateran.
Is mios' an t-eagal na 'n cogadli.
Fear is loorse tlmn fighting.
A wise and manly sentiment.
Is mios' an t-sochair na 'mlièirle.
Carelessness is tcorse than theft.
More loss is caused by the one than by the other.
Is miosa na 'n uireasbhuidh tuiUe 's a choir.
Too much is u-orse thaii tvant.
Per con. 'S mios' an t-uireasbhuidh na tuille 's a' choir— Want
is worse than too much.
There is some truth in both these, combined in the prayer of
Agur, ' Give me neither poverty nor riches'.
Is mios' an t-urras na'n t-earras.
The security is luorse tlmn the prineiijal.
Is miosa droch earbsa na 'blii gun earbs' idir.
Ill-lilaeed trust is worse than none.
Is miosa 'fear a chleitheas a' mèirleacli na 'mèirleach
flièin.
He that cloaks the thief is vjorse than him.
Is miosa 'fear beag na Frangach.
The wee man is v:orse than a Frenchman.
This is said to have been spoken of a little Strathspey man
called John MacAndrew, a noted bowman, who shot down his
enemies one after another, as they appeared at the door of his
house, which they had invaded. See Cuairtear, 1842, p. 131.
Is miosa seo na 'n t-alum !
This is worse than the alum 1
A Highland minister once ordered some 'sugar-candy' from
Glasgow by a little ' merchant,' one of his parishioners. When
the sugar was tried, it turned out to be alum. The minister was
naturally displeased, and to soothe him, the bhop-keeper, on the
ad\-ice of a kno^idng brother of the minister, determined to bring
a peace-offering to the manse, in the shape of a small ' pig ' of
Ferintosh. Not feeling sure of his reception, however, he hid the