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

311
Mar a 's liigha 'theirear, 's ann a 's fhiisa 'leigheas.
The least said, the soonest mended. — Eng.
Mar a 's mo glieibh an cù, 's ann a 's mo a dli' iarras e.
The more the dog gets, the more he desires.
Mar a 's sine 'm hoc, 's ann a's cruaidhe 'n adharc.
The older the luek, the harder his horn.
Mar a's truime 'n uallach, 's ann a's teinn' an crios-
guailne ; mar a's teinn' an crios-guailne, 's ann a's luaithe
'bhristeas.
The heavier the load, the tighter the shoidder-strap ; the
tigther the shoidder-strap, the nearer to breaking.
Mar a tlieid an t-ian o dliuilleag gn duilleag, theid a'
mianan o dhuine gu duine.
As the bird goes from leaf to leaf, the yawn goes from
man to man.
Al. Tlieid a' mianan, &c., mar' tlieid an t-ianan o dhoire gu
doire.
Mar a thuiteas a' chraobh, 's ann a laidheas i.
As the tree falls, so shall it lie.
In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. — Eccl. xi. 3.
Mar an crodh a' dol do'n bhuaile, cuid romham 's cuid
'am dheigh.
Like the cattle going to the fold, some before me, some
behind me.
Mar astar doill 'an cabaraich,
No imeachd air garbh-leacannan,
Mar tliathuinn gadhair 'an gleann fas,
Tlia teagasg dha na h-aineolaich.
Like blind man going through a wood.
Or loalking on rough rocky slopes,
Or bark of hound in desert glen,
Is teaching to the ignorant.
Ni '1 acht tafan gadhair a n-gleann glas, a bheith tagradh le
cionn gan eolus. — Ir.
Mar cho-shogan ris a' chuideachda, mar a chaidh an
luid a dhannsa.
For mirth to the company, as the slattern went to dance.