Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge/Imleabhar 5/Uimhir 7/Proverbs: Cork

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Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge, Imleabhar V, Uimh. 7  (1894)  by Domhnall Mac Cába
Proverbs—Cork
[ 104 ]

PROVERBS—CORK.

(From Mr. DANIEL M‘CABE, BANTEER.)


1. Ní ḃreiṫeann eagnuiḋe níḋ naċ dtuigeann.

A wise person does not judge what he does not understand.

2. Olc do ġní olc do ṫig.

Who does ill, fares ill.

3. Ní uaisleaċd gan suḃailce.

No nobility without virtue.

4. Ní saiḋḃir go glóir-ṡealḃaḋ.

Nothing is rich but the possession of glory.

5. Ní ḟuil glóir aċt glóir Neiṁe.

There is no glory but Heaven’s.

6. Ní ionnsuiġeann gaċ aon an t-anaċ cóir.

Not everyone gains the right path.

7. Is fearr ḃeiṫ i n-aonar ’ná i ndroċ- ċuideaċda.

Better to be alone than in ill company.

8. An rud is ceart do ḋuine is dleaġṫaċ do ḋuine eile.

What is right for one, is lawful for another.

9. Na trí neiṫe líonas ioṫlainn, tnúṫ ⁊ soláṫar ⁊ síor-ċaiṫis, óir mara (muna) mbeiḋir i n-a ċaiṫis beiḋir i n-a aiṫis.

The three things that fill a haggard—longing, industry, and constant attention, for if you are not in attendance, you will be in shame.

10. Corr i n-aġaiḋ an ċaim ⁊ cam i n-aġaiḋ an ċoirr.

Twisted against bent, and bent against twisted.

11. An ġaoṫ a dtuaiḋ ’s an ġrian a ndeas, cloiḋe cluṫṁar ⁊ bolg lán.

12. Geiḃeall lorgánaiġ geiṁreaḋ gortaċ.

A hungry winter is the sluggard’s fetter.

13. Ioṫlainn ċruaċaċ ġníḋeann duine uaiḃreaċ.

A well-stacked haggard makes a man haughty.

14. Dá áirde éiriġeann an priompollán, luiḋeann ar otraċ.

However high the beetle soars, it lights on dung.

15. Meud an luais laiġead an ċnuais.

The more the speed, the less the col- lection.

16. Mairg do ġní eugcóir meaḃlaċ.

Woe to him that does a treacherous wrong.

17. Mian ṁualaċáin doirċeaċt.

The mualachán’s desire is darkness.

18. Má’s buaiḋearṫa an ceann, is claon na baill.

If the head is troubled, the limbs are disordered.

19. Má’s greugaċ an ṗeucóg, ní piocṫar a cnáṁ.

Though the peacock be gaudy, its bone is not picked.

20. An rud ná himṫiġeann, faċtar é.

What does not vanish is found.

21. An rud ṫéiḋeann i ḃfad, téiḋeann sé i ḃfuaire.

What goes far, grows cold.

22. Aiṫniġeann mórḋaċt moḋaṁlaċt.

Majesty knows modesty.

23. Ar aon annaṁ beiḋ ċoiḋċe dearmad.

What occurs but once will be forgotten for ever.

24. An tseoid do-ḟaġála, ’sí is áilne.

The rare jewel is the fairest.

25. An duiḃ-ġné, ní haṫruiġṫear é.

The black countenance is not changed.

26. Dearḃráṫair leadránaċ ólaċán.

Drink is a slothful brother. [ 105 ]27. Is mairg laḃras go teann.

Woe to him that speaks harshly.

28. Ná deun mar déuna siad, aċt deun mar adeura siad.

Do not do as they will do, but do as they will say.

29. Daoine eugṫa, ní innsid breuga.

Dead men tell no lies.

30. Ins an áit i mbíonn do ċisde, is ann ḃíos do ċroiḋe.

Where your treasure is, there is your heart.

31. An té ná bíonn láidir, ní fuláir dó ḃeiṫ glic.

He who is not strong should be cunning.

32. Claoiḋeann neart ceart, a’s eugann ceart i ríṫ le daiḋḃreas.

Might overcomes right, and right dies in peace with poverty.

33. Fear na bó féin faoi n-a hearball.

The cow’s own man under her tail.

34. Súil an ṁaiġistir ḃeaṫuiġeas an eaċ.

It is the master’s eye that fees the steed.

35. Ní’l a ḟios ag neaċ cá ngortuiġeann an ḃróg aċt ag an té ċaiṫeas í.

No one knows where the shoe hurts but he who wears it.

36. An té ḃuailfeaḋ mo ṁadraḋ ḃuailfeaḋ mé féin.

He who would strike my dog would strike myself.

37. Bíonn ceann caol ar an óige.

Youth has a small head.

38. Ceannuiġ sean-rud a’s beiḋir gan aon rud.

Buy an old thing and you will be with- out anything.

39. Cíos do ṫiġearna talaiṁ, nó biaḋ do leanaiḃ.

Your landlord’s rent or your child’s food.

40. Cogaḋ gan eagla, gorta ⁊ riaċdanas.

Wanton war (causes) famine and need.

41. Deun gáire a’s do ċealg sáiḋte.

Laugh, when your sting is inserted.

42. Deun aon uair aṁáin é, ⁊ tá sé deunta go deoiḋ.

Do it once and it is done for ever.

NOTES.

10. The Goban Saor was building a court for a foreign noble, and, learning that he was to be put to death when the court was complete, made up his mind to go away beforehand, giving the excuse that he had a certain tool at home necessary to finish the work. The nobleman re- fused to let him go, saying that he would send his own son for the tool. The Gobán agreed, and gave the name of the tool as corr i n-aġaiḋ an ċaim ⁊ cam i n-aġaiḋ an ċoirr. When the nobleman’s son arrived, the Gobán’s wife, learning the name of the tool, at once divined her husband’s danger, “The tool is here in a large chest,” she said, “but I am with child and cannot go into it. You must go in yourself.” When he was inside, she closed the chest and kept him there as a hostage till her husband was allowed to return safe.

17. Mualaċán: I do not know what this is, perhaps for ullċaḃċán, the owl.

20. Faċtar = faġṫar. See also 82.

34. One must take the tail of his own cow to lift her, if she has sunk in a bog.—Ed.

(To be continued.)