J. F. Campbell Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

112
Cha 'n 'eil carrai^,' air nach caochail smth.
lliere is no rock that the stream won't change.
Gutta cavat lapidem. — Ovid.
Cha'n 'eil Clann Mliic Neacail dioghaltach.
The Nicolsons (or MacNicols) arc not revengeful.
Cha 'n 'eil cleitli air an olc ach gun a dheanamh.
There's no hiding of evil hut not to do it.
Cha 'n. 'eil cù eadar e 's a' chroich.
There is not a dog heticeen him and the galloms.
Cha 'n 'eil de dh-uaill air an aodach ach am fear a
dh' f haodas a cheannach.
There's nothing in dress to he 2y'>'oud of hut the 2'>ov:er
of huying it.
Cha 'n 'eil de mhath air fuighleach a' chait ach a
thoirt da fhc'in.
The cat's leavings are fit only for himself.
Applied to men who would palm the dregs on others, after
they have drunk the cream.
Cha 'n 'eil dearbhadh gun diachainn.
There is no jjroof icithout trial.
P^xperto crede. — Virgil.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating;.— Eng.
Cha 'n 'eil deathach 'an tigh na h-uiseige.
Tiicre is no smoke in the lark's house.
This is a pretty saying. The bird of most aspiring and happy
song has untainted air in its lowly home.
Cha 'n 'eil deireadh ann a's miosa na'n siolraan-coirce.
Thcix is no refuse ivorse than that of oats.
' Said of mean gentry.' — Note Inj Macintosh. 'Corruptio optimi,'
oats being the staff of life, and men the ' crown of things '.
Cha 'n 'eil dicliuimhne ann a's bòidliche na 'n di-
chuimhne ghleidhteach.
' The finest forgetfulness, forgetting what was kept.
Cha 'n 'eil do dhuine sona ach a bhreith, 's bidh duine
dona 'n a lom-ruith.
The lucky man needs hut to he horn, the unlucky runs
ever hare.
Nid rhaid i ddedwydd namyn ei eni. — Welsh.
Char chain duine dona a chuid ariamh.— T/ie unlucky man
never lost his means (because he had none !) — Ir.