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

229
Is diiilich cupan Ian a ghiùlan.
A full cup is hard to carry.
Is duilich duin' a lorgacliadh troimh amhuinn.
It is difficult to track a man tliroucjli a river.
Our greatest Scottish king, Kobert the Bruce, once proved the
truth of this, when followed by blood-hounds in Galloway, set on
by less respectable creatures. See Barbour's Bruce, B.V., 11. 300-50.
Is duilich rath a cliur air duine dona.
You can't put luck on a worthless man.
Ekki ma feigum forSa — The fey one cannot he saved. — Icel.
Is duilich roghainn a thoivt a diù.
'Tis hard to choose the best of worst.
Is duilich triubhas a thoirt de mhàs 16m,
It's ill to take the trews off a hare huttock.
Is deacair brighiste a bhaint de thòin lom. — Ir.
It's ill to tak' the breeks aff a Hielandman. — Scot.
Is duine coir e, 's na iarr a chuid.
He's a fine man, if you don't ask of him.
There is a delicate Celtic irony in this.
Is duine coir fear da bho ;
Is duine ro-chòir fear a tri ;
'S cha 'n fhaigh fear a coig no sia
Coir no ceart le fear nan naoi.
Tlie two- cow man is a worthy man ; very worthy is the
man of three ; and the man of five or six can do nothing
against the man of nine.
Is duine dona gun fheuna a chuireadh cuireadh orm
fhein 'us caitheamh.
He is a pitiful fclloio who tvould invite me and leave
me to pay.
Is duine gach òirleach dheth. He's a man every inch.
Is e am bial a dh' obas mu dheireadh.
It's the mouth that gives in last.
Is e am brag a ni an cruadhachadh.
When the cracking begins the grain gets dried.
Is e 'm broc a 's luaithe dh' f hairicheas 'fhàileadh fhein.
The badger is the first to smell himself.
Is e am bròn a's fhasa fhaotainn.
Grief is easiest to get.