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

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Is fearr eòlus an uilc nà an t-olc gan eòlus. — Ir. Share yn oik
sbione dooin na yn oik nagli nliione dooin. — Manx.
Gwell i ddyn y drwg a wyr na'r drwg nis gwyr. — Welsh.
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of. — Hamlet, III., 1.
Better the ill ken'd than the guid unken'd. — Scot.
Is fhearr am bonnacli beag leis a' blieannaclid, na 'in
bonnach mor leis a' nihollachcl.
The little hmmoch with a blessing is letter than the lig
one with a curse.
This saying occurs in some of the old Gaelic tales, when a son
is going from home, and is asked by his mother which he prefers.
See Dr. M'Leod's Caraid nan Gaidheal, p. 273.
Al. an t-ubh beag — the little egg; an leth beag — the little half.
Is fhearr aon ian 's an làimh, na 'dhà dhiag air iteig.
A bird in the hand is vjorth a dozen on wing.
Fearr dreoilin ann dorn na corr air chairde (free).— Ir.
Ta ushag ayns laue chammag (cho math) as jees (dithisj sy
thamniag (hush). — Manx.
(J well aderyn yn (one bird) y Haw na dau ynllwyn (tv^o in
ii'ood). — JVelsh.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the wood. — Ji'/fr/.
A bird in the hand's worth twa fleeiu' by. — Scot.
A thousand cranes in the air are not worth a sparrow in the
fist. — Arab.
Mas vale pajaro (sparroiv) en la mano, que buitre (vulture)
Tolando. — Span.
Beter eene vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht {shy).— L utch.
E meglio un ucello in gabbia che cento iuovi.—Ital.
Is fliearr aon laogh na da chraicionu.
Oiu calf is better than two shins.
Is tliearr aon oidliclie Mhairt na tri latlia Fogliair.
One night in March is worth three days in Autumn.
For growth.
Is fhearr aon sine na ceathramh coirce.
One teat (of a coiv) is better than a quarter of oats.
Al. Is fliearr aon sine bà na bolla dhe 'n mhin bhàn — Better one
teat of a coio than a boll of Lowland meal.
Would that all lairds and sheep-farmers considered this, who
have crofters on their lands, with children, but no cows to give
them milk ! Unhappily, there is less of milk, both of cows, and of
human kindness, in some places where once they were not wanting.
Is fliearr aon taisgeach na seaclid teagraidh.
littler one secure than seven to be gathered.