Matheson Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

88
Clia chat mi f hein nach aitlanich blàthach.
/ am not a cat that doesnt know luttermilk.
Cha cheil amadan a bheachd.
A fool can't hide his thought.
Ni chel ynfyd e feddwl. — Welsh.
A fool uttereth all his mind. — Prov. xxix. 11.
The fool's heart is in his month. — Eccl. (Jes). Arab,
A fool's bolt is soon shot. — Eng.
Narren Bolzen ist bald verschossen. — Germ.
Cha cheil e ni a chi no 'chluinneas e.
He can't hide what he sees or hears. . /) • f-j/ \
(>/^aA>ù>- p \ Cha cheil cearraich' a dhlsnean. ^a^ui^U*^ [^'''^ /
( ^oei-^t*'*'^/ A gamester VJon't conceal his dice.
Cha cheil gruaidh cuaradh cridhe.
The cheek hides not a hurt heart. ^ # ^ i «
Ni chel grùdd gystudd calon.- Welsh. %. tWif f'iO
Cha cheòl do dhuine a bhròn uile aithris.
'Tis no music for a man to tell all his grief.
Cha chiall saoilsinnean, 's cha ghaol ràiteannas.
Supposing is not sense, nor is talk love.
Stultum est dicere, putabam. — Lat.
Cha chinn barrag air cuid cait.
The cat's milk makes no cream.
Al. Cha bhi ce air cugainn cait.
Cha d-tig uachtar air bhoinne an chait. — Ir.
Cha chinn coinneach air clach an udalain.
Moss grows not on the oft-turned stone.
Al. A' chlach a thionndaidhear trie, cha tig coinneach oiire.
This saying is found in almost every European language,
ancient or modern. The usual application of it shows that a very
popular saying may be founded on a very superficial analogy.
It implies that the gathering of moss is a useful and meritorious
function for a stone, and that the stone which innocently rolls
when set in motion is not so well employed as the one that sits
still and gathers moss !
The philosophy of the German proverb, ' Ein Miihlstein wird
nicht moosig,' A millstone gets not mossy, is much better.
Aidos KvXiofievos (j)vKos òv TToui. — Gr.
Saxum volutum nou obducitur musco. — Latin.
Pietra mossa non fa musco. — It.
Piedra movediza nunca moho la cubija. — Sjian.
Pierre qui roule n' amasse point de mousse. — Fr^
Wiilzender Stein wird nicht moosig. — Germ.