Matheson Collection > Gaelic proverbs and proverbial sayings, with English translations

86 GAEWC PROVERBS.
He knows nevertheless that perfection is not to be
expected. Burns' " I^ass of Ballochniyle " notwithstanding :
and so he says : —
421 Na gabh te air bith mar mnai
A sheallas i fhèin gun mheang.
Take no woman for a wife
Who presents herself without a flaw.
He is still more persistent when he sa5'-s : —
422 Nuair a chi thu bean oileanach,
Beir oirre, beir oirre ;
Mar a beir thus' oirre,
Beiridh fear eil' oirre.
When you see a well-bred womafi,
Catch her, catch her ;
If you don't do it,
Someone else will match her.
^ 423 lyùb am fàillean nuair a tha e maoth.
Bend the sapling while it is young.
424 Ivcig leis na marbh laidhe.
Let the dead lie.
425 Mar a mheasas duin' e fein,
\S ann a mheasas each e.
As a man esteems himself
So will he he esteemed by others.
426 Mas fearail thu, na biodh gruaim ort.
// you are manly, don't be gloomy.
"b^X 427 Ma dh' innseas duine na's lèir dha
Innsidh e na's nàir' dha.
If a man tells all he sees, he'll tell what will
shame him.