Matheson Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

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Bonnach air bois, clia bhruich 's cha loisg.
. u ■ -^ ^*^^ on the palm wont toast or hum.
f^^l*^^^(^^\ B'olc an airidh gu'n deanadh an turad h dolaidh.
^ 'Twere a pity that dry v:eather should do harm.
It's a pity fair weather should e'er do harm — Scot.
Breac a linne, slat a coille, 's fiadh a fireach, — mè'irle ^
nach do ghabli duine riamh nàir' aisde. ^ {^vl*<X.>tfi£^J
A fish from the pool, a tvand from the wood, a deer
from the mountain — thefts no man ever vms ashamed of
Al. Slat a coille, fiadh a doire, breac a buinne — tri rudan as
nach do ghabh Gaidheal nàire riamh.
The free doctrine of this old saying is still held in the High-
^ lands, but there is very little poaching, notwithstanding.
/^ Breunau 'us Fudaidh 'an cuideachd a clieile.
Dirty and Rubbishy going together.
A Lewis proverb, taken from a verse by John Morrison of
Bragar, on having sent two servants to pull heather :
Chuir mise Breunan 'us Fudaidh
A lihuain fraoich 'an cuideachd a cheile.;
Thug Breunan dhachaidh an cudthrom,
'S thug Fudaidh dhachaidh na geugan.
I sent B. and F. to pull lieather together : B. brought home
the weight, and F. brought home the boughs.
Brigh gach cluiche gu 'dheireadh.
The essence of a game is at the end.
Bris mo chlaigeann air thus, 's an sin ciùrr mo cliorrag.
First break my skidl, then hurt my finger.
Bristidh am ball acrach 'am meadhoin an t-slaodaidh.
The a7ichor-rope will break in the dragging.
C aaSaH . a SvuoiHl Bristidh an teanga bhog an cnàirnh.
/j^T^ot u;^ .^^''v The smooth tongue breaks the bone.
^^fjt''/ Jlaa^i<pif^J By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue
'**^^'^ ^ breaketh the bone. — Prov. xxv. 15.
A tongue breaketh bone, and itself hath none. — Eng.
This figure is applied in the opposite sense by the son of
Sirach (xxviii. 17) — The stroke of the whip maketh marks in
the flesh, but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bonea.
Bristidh each gun urras cnàimhean.
A horse without vjarrant will break bones.
Bronnach an t-each, seang an lair.
The horse big-bellied, the mare slim.
This is meant as an advice to buyei-s.