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

386
Fear farumach, 's e cothromach ; ceann 'us casan math aige ;
'iLS gun a mliàthair beò.
A man of energy, and well-to-do; with good head and good legs ;
and his mother not alive.
The Lochaber ' beau-ideal ' of an ' eligible ' man.
' Farumach ' expresses the cheerful stir made by a man whose foot
will have 'music in't as he gaes up the stair '.
Foghnaidh feur nach d' fhns do 'n laooh nach d' rugadli.
Grass that hasn't grown will suit the unborn calf.
Gabh an latha math as a thoiseach.
Take the good day early.
Gabh eolas Eudh-a'-bhàird air.
Take it like the Bard's Point.
Avoid it. This is a Lewis saying.
Gàire ri do mhi-chiatadh.
Laughing at your shame.
Ge b'e ghoideadh an t-ubh ghoideadh e 'chearc, nam faodadli e.
Who would steal the egg would steal the hen.
Ge b' oil leis a' mhnaoi, tha 'n cota saoibhir.
In spite of the wife, the coat is unstinted.
A Lochaber saying. The goodwife, W'ho made the cloth, wished to
scrimp the measure, in the spirit of ' Tak yir auld cloak aboot ye.'
Ge bu don' an saor bu mhath a shliseag, mu'n dubhairt bean
an t-saoir 'n uair a chaochail e.
Though bad was the carpenter, good was his chip, as his wife said
when he died.
Ged a gheabhteadh duin air chùir, cha bu choir a shàruchadh.
A good man should not be overtaxed.
If thy friend be honey, do not eat him aW.—Airtb.
Ged is don' an Donas, their a chothrom fhein da.
Give the Devil his due.
Al. Thoir a dhlighe fhein do 'n Donas, ged is don' a choir air.
Is ann 'an casan coin a bhios 'earaL
A dog's caution is in his legs.
Is breagh cuid ceaird dhith.
The jeweller's part of her is fine.
Said of a woman more adorned without than within.
Is cruaidh an cnoc air nach criomadh e.
It's a hard hill where he couldn't get picking.
Is cuagach ceartas an eucoirich.
The justice of the unjust is twisted.
Is e dh' itheas moran am fear nach fhaigh ach beagan.
He will eat much who gets little.
Is e 'n duine 'n t-aodach, 's cha 'n i 'cholainn bhriagach.
The clothes are the man, not the lying body.