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Portuguese proverb


  • A bad knife cuts one's finger instead of the stick.

  • A barking dog was never a good hunter.

  • A beard lathered is half shaved.

  • A beggar's wallet is never full.

  • A bustling mother makes a slothful daughter.

  • A contented ass enjoys a long life.

  • A dead man does not speak.

  • A dog in the manger, that neither eats nor lets others eat.

  • A dull ass near home trots without the stick.

  • A fast horse does not want the spur.

  • A fault confessed is half forgiven.

  • A finger's length in a sword, and a palm in a lance, are a great advantage.

  • A friend is to be taken with his faults.

  • A friend's fault should be known but not abhorred.

  • A full man is no eater.

  • A girl, a vineyard, an orchard, and a bean-field, are hard to watch.

  • A good cock was never fat.

  • A good thing is known when it is lost.

  • A good word quenches more than a cauldron of water.

  • A goose, a woman, and a goat, are bad things lean.

  • A gossiping woman talks of everybody, and everybody of her.

  • A great thrust of a lance at a dead Moor.

  • A house without either a cat or a dog is the house of a scoundrel.

  • A hungry belly hears nobody.

  • A hungry wolf is not at rest.

  • A little gall spoils much honey.

  • A little injury dismays, and a great one stills.

  • A little makes a debtor and much an enemy.

  • A man of straw is better than a woman of gold.

  • A morsel eaten gains no friend.

  • A pig on credit makes a good winter and a bad spring.

  • A poor man is hungry after eating.

  • A ragged colt may make a handsome horse.

  • A rash man, a skin of good wine, and a glass vessel, do not last long.

  • A resolute heart endures no counsel.

  • A rich widow weeps with one eye and laughs with the other.

  • A rich widow weeps with one eye and signals with the other.

  • A seat in the council is honour without profit.

  • A servant and a cock must be kept but one year.

  • A shut mouth keeps me out of strife.

  • A small hatchet fells a great oak.

  • A stout heart breaks ill fortune.

  • A well-formed figure needs no cloak.

  • A woman and a hen are soon lost through gadding.

  • A word and a blow.

  • A word and a stone once let go cannot be recalled.

  • A word from the mouth, a stone from the hand.

  • Alas for the son whose father went to heaven.

  • All bite the bitten dog.

  • All the wool is hair, more or less.

  • An angry man heeds no counsel.

  • An empty purse and a new house make a man wise, but too late.

  • An empty purse, and a finished house, make a man wise, but too late.

  • An estate inherited is the less valued.

  • An honest man's word is as good as the king's.

  • An hour of play discovers more than a year of conversation.

  • An innocent heart suspects no guile.

  • An old man in love is like a flower in winter.

  • An open box tempts an honest man.

  • Another man's trade costs money.

  • Another's misfortune does not cure my pain.

  • As they pipe to me, I will dance.

  • Baskets after the vintage.

  • Before you marry consider what you do.

  • Before you marry reflect, for it is a knot you cannot untie.

  • Better a distant good than a near evil.

  • Better a red face than a black heart.

  • Better a sparrow in the hand than two flying.

  • Better an ass that carries me than a horse that throws me.

  • Better anticipate than be anticipated.

  • Better be killed by robbers than by the kick of an ass.

  • Better be one-eyed than quite blind.

  • Better be silent than speak ill.

  • Better be wrong with the many than right with the few.

  • Better deserve honour and not have it, than have it and not deserve it.

  • Better go round than be drowned.

  • Better have friends in the market-place than money in your coffer.

  • Better have to give than have to beg.

  • Better is a leap over the ditch than the entreaties of good men.

  • Better is my neighbour's hen than mine.

  • Better is one "Take this," than two "I-will-give-you."

  • Better keep, than have to beg.

  • Better lose that lose more.

  • Better mine than ours.

  • Better repair the gutter than the whole house.

  • Better straw, than nothing.

  • Between the hand and the lip the morsel may slip.

  • Beware of a door that has many keys.

  • Beware of a man that does not talk, and of a dog that does not bark.

  • Beware of a pledge that eats.

  • Beware of the dog that does not bark.

  • Birds of prey do not flock together.

  • Bite the biter.

  • Brackish water is sweet in a drought.

  • Broken friendship may be soldered but can never be made sound.

  • Buy your greyhound, don't rear him.

  • By going gains the mill, and not by standing still.

  • Chairs sink and stools rise.

  • Change yourself, and fortune will change with you.

  • Chastise the good man, he will grow better; chastise the bad, and he will grow worse.

  • Children married, cares increased.

  • Children tell in the highway what they hear by the fireside.

  • Conceal not your secret from your friend, or you deserve to lose him.

  • Counterfeit coin passes current at night.

  • Crows do not peck out crow's eyes.

  • Dead men tell no tales.

  • Dear is cheap, and cheap is dear.

  • Death spares neither Pope nor beggar.

  • Deeds are love, and not sweet words.

  • Despise your enemy and you will soon be beaten.

  • Do ill, and expect the like.

  • Do not rear a bird of a bad breed.

  • Don't be a baker if your head is made of butter.

  • Don't leave the high road for a short cut.

  • Don't make yourself poor to one who won't make you rich.

  • Don't pull hard enough to break the rope.

  • Eat of your own, and call yourself mine (i.e. Be my servant and find yourself).

  • Eat with him, and beware of him.

  • Every ant has its ire.

  • Every cock is valiant on his own dunghill.

  • Every fly has its shadow.

  • Every land to its own custom, every wheel its own spindle.

  • Every one is a king in his own house.

  • Every one is wise for his own profit.

  • Every one reaps as he sows.

  • Every peddler praises his own needles.

  • Every pig has it Martinmas.

  • Everybody's friend or nobody's friend, is all one.

  • Everything has its time.

  • Favour oft avails more than justice or reason.

  • Feet accustomed to go cannot be still.

  • Feign death and the bull will leave you.

  • Follow the road and you will reach an inn.

  • Fools sometimes give wise men counsel.

  • Foot firm till death.

  • For a bad tongue scissors.

  • For a voracious beast pebbles in his feed.

  • For lack of men they made my father a justice.

  • For poor people small coin.

  • Friends and mules fail us at hard passes.

  • Friends are known in adversity.

  • From a closed door the devil turns away.

  • From great rivers come great fish.

  • From the soldier who has no cloak, keep your own in your chest.

  • Gain has a pleasant odour, come whence it will.

  • Gifts break rocks.

  • Give a grateful man more than he asks.

  • Give a hint to the man of sense, and consider the thing done.

  • Give me money, not advice.

  • Give me money, not advice.

  • Give orders, and do it yourself, and you will be rid of anxiety.

  • Give orders, and do no more, and nothing will be done.

  • Go not with every ailment to the doctor, nor with every plaint to lawyer.

  • Go not with every hunger to the cupboard, nor with every thirst to the pitcher.

  • Go to bed late, rise early, you will see your own harm and that of others.

  • Go to bed without supper, you will rise without debt.

  • Go to your rich friend's house when invited; to your poor friend's without invitation.

  • God gives clothes according to the cold.

  • God grant me to dispute with those who understand me.

  • God has given nuts to one who has no teeth.

  • God heals, and the doctor gets the money.

  • God permits, but not for ever.

  • Good and bad make up a city.

  • Good fruit never comes from a bad tree.

  • Good is the delay which makes sure.

  • Good management is better than good income.

  • Good manners and plenty of money will make my son a gentlemen.

  • Good table, bad will.

  • Good wind needs no bush.

  • Good words and bad acts deceive both wise and wimple.

  • Hard upon hard does not make a good wall.

  • He avoided the fly and swallowed the spider.

  • He buys very dear who begs.

  • He doubts nothing who knows nothing.

  • He has a head, and so has a pin.

  • He has nothing who is not content with what he has.

  • He has nothing, for whom nothing is enough.

  • He is an old saint, any may leave it in the hands of God.

  • He is no friend that eats his own by himself, and mine with me.

  • He is your friend who gets you out of a scrape.

  • He never was a friend who ceased to be so for a slight cause.

  • He should not complain of being cheated who buys the cloth by the sample.

  • He that does ill never wants for excuses.

  • He that will, does more that he that can.

  • He that would be old long must begin betimes.

  • He threatens many who affronts one.

  • He who has a glass roof must not throw stones at his neighbour's.

  • He who has a good next, finds good friends.

  • He who has four and spends five, has no need of a purse.

  • He who is well prepared has won the battle.

  • He who knows little soon blabs it.

  • He who make more of you than he is wont, either means to cheat you or wants you.

  • He who makes one basket can make a hundred.

  • He who would catch fish must not mind wetting himself.

  • Hedgehogs are not to be killed with the fist.

  • Honey is not for the ass's mouth.

  • Honour a good man that he may honour you, and a bad man that he may not dishonour you.

  • Honour and profit will not keep in one sack.

  • How did you rear so many children? By being fondest of the little ones.

  • Hunger and cold surrender a man to his enemy.

  • I am on good terms with the friend who eats his bread with me.

  • I hate fetters though they be of gold.

  • I have nothing for dinner, sit down to table.

  • I kiss thee hide, because thou art to be a wine-bag.

  • I meant to cross myself and put out one of my eyes.

  • I renounce the friend who eats what is mine with me, and what is his own by himself.

  • I renounce the golden basin in which I have to spit blood.

  • I saw a man, who saw another man, who saw the sea.

  • I see by my daughter's face when the devil lays hold of my son-in-law.

  • I want more for my teeth than for my relations.

  • If a poor man gives to you, he expects more in return.

  • If you have a friend who is a physician, send him to your enemy's house.

  • If you know what a dollar is worth, try to borrow it.

  • If you want clear water, draw it from the spring.

  • If you want to be served, serve yourself.

  • If you would be a good judge, hear what every one says.

  • If you would be healthy, be sage betimes.

  • If you would be in good repute, let not the sun find you in bed.

  • If you would grow poor without perceiving it, employ workmen and go to sleep.

  • If you would make an enemy, lend a man money, and ask it of him again.

  • Ill befal the belly that forgets eaten bread.

  • Ill fares the young bird in the urchin's hand.

  • In default of bread, meal cakes are good.

  • In war, hunting, and love, for one pleasure a hundred pains.

  • Iron that is not used soon rusts.

  • It befits the king to be liberal, for he is sure of never falling into poverty.

  • It dawns none the sooner for all one's early rising.

  • It fares ill with the house when the distaff commands the sword.

  • It is bad to have a servant, but worse to have a master.

  • It is nothing, they are only killing my husband.

  • It is the nature of the greyhound to carry a long tail.

  • It is well to know how to be silent till it is time to speak.

  • Jack is as good as his master.

  • Keep good company and you shall be of the number.

  • King's entreaties are commands.

  • Laws go where dollars please.

  • Laws go where money pleases.

  • Laws go where money pleases.

  • Lay your hand on your bosom and you will not speak ill of another.

  • Lean meat from a fat pig.

  • Let every man look to the bread upon which he must depend.

  • Let every man mind his own business, and leave others to theirs.

  • Let every one be content with what God has given him.

  • Let every sheep hand by its own leg.

  • Let him eat the tough morsel who eat the tender.

  • Let not him that has a mouth ask another to blow.

  • Let the dog bark at me, so he don't bite me.

  • Let the giver be silent and the receiver speak.

  • Like father, like son.

  • Like king, like law; like law, like people.

  • Little chips kindle fire, and big logs sustain it.

  • Live to live and you will learn to live.

  • Love has no law.

  • Love knows no law.

  • Lovers' quarrels are love redoubled.

  • Lying pays no tax.

  • Mad love, I for you and you for another.

  • Make a silver bridge for a flying enemy.

  • Make good flour and you need no trumpet.

  • Make the night night, and the day day, and you will live pleasantly.

  • Make your son you heir and not your steward.

  • Many kiss the hand they would gladly see cut off.

  • Marry me forthwith, mother, for my face is growing wrinkled.

  • Marry, marry, and what about the housekeeping.

  • Marry, marry, sounds well but tastes ill.

  • Martha sings well when she has had her fill.

  • Meddle not in what you don't understand.

  • Michael, Michael, you have no bees, and yet you sell honey!

  • Money is not gained by losing time.

  • Money is the measure of all things.

  • Money lent, an enemy made.

  • Money soothes more than the words of a cavalier.

  • Money wins the battle, not the long arm.

  • More grows in a garden than the gardener sows there.

  • Mouth of honey, heart of gall.

  • Much caution does no harm.

  • Much chatter, little wit.

  • Much laughter, little wit.

  • Much straw and little corn.

  • My chest locked, my soul safe.

  • My life and soul at your service, but not the pack-saddle.

  • My money, your money, let us go to the tavern.

  • Neither a dumb barber nor a deaf singer.

  • Neither handsome enough to kill nor ugly enough to frighten away.

  • Neither trust or contend, nor lay wagers or lend, and you'll have peace to your end.

  • Never cut what can be untied.

  • Never mention a rope in the house of a thief.

  • Never say, of this water I will not drink, of this bread I will not eat.

  • Never tell all that you know, or do all that you can, or believe all that you hear.

  • No one has seen to-morrow.

  • No one is a good judge in his own cause.

  • No one is always right.

  • No one is content with his lot.

  • No one is poor but he who thinks himself so.

  • No woman is ugly if she is well dressed.

  • No word is ill spoken, that is not ill taken.

  • Of evils, choose the least.

  • Of oil, wine, and friends, the oldest.

  • Of soup and love, the first is the best.

  • Of the good man a good pledge, and of the bad neither pledge nor surety.

  • Of two cowards, the one who attacks conquers the other.

  • Pay what you owe, you will get well of your malady.

  • Peace with a cudgel in hand is war.

  • Pigs in the cold and men in drink make a great noise.

  • Play with an ass, and he will slap your face with his tail.

  • Poverty never sped well in love.

  • Pray to the saint until you have passed the slough.

  • Prepare a nest for the hen and she will lay eggs for you.

  • Promising is not giving, but serves to content fools.

  • Seat yourself in your place, and they will not make you rise.

  • Send a man of sense on the embassy, and you need not instruct him.

  • Serve a lord, and you will know what it is to be vexed.

  • Show me a poor man, I will show you a flatterer.

  • Shut your door, and you will make your neighbour good.

  • Soft water constantly striking the hard stone, wears it at last.

  • Speak little and well, they will think you somebody.

  • Spilt salt is never well collected.

  • Spinner, spin softly, you disturb me; I am praying.

  • Supper is soon served up in a plentiful house.

  • Taking out without putting in, soon comes to the bottom.

  • Talk of the wolf and behold his skin.

  • Tell your friends a lie; if he keeps it secret tell him the truth.

  • The ass dead, the corn at his tail.

  • The ass embraced the thistle, and they found themselves relations.

  • The ass of many owners is eaten by wolves.

  • The ass that is hungry eats thistles.

  • The ass that trespasses on a stranger's premises will leave them laden with wood (i.e. cudgelled).

  • The ass well knows in whose house he brays.

  • The ass's son brays one hour daily.

  • The beast that goes well never wants a rider to try its paces.

  • The belly does not accept bail.

  • The belly warm, the foot at rest.

  • The bigger the river the bigger the fish.

  • The bigger the river the bigger the fish.

  • The blind man has picked up a coin.

  • The blunders of physicians are covered by the earth.

  • The cat is a good friend, only she scratches.

  • The cat well knows whose beard she licks.

  • The dead open the eyes of the living.

  • The devil is not so ugly as he is painted.

  • The dog that barks much is never good for hunting.

  • The dog that barks much, bites little.

  • The envious man's face grows lean and his eye swells.

  • The fingers of the same hand are not alike.

  • The fisherman fishes in troubled water.

  • The gentle calf sucks all the cows.

  • The guests will go away, and we will eat the pasty.

  • The headache is mine and the cows are ours.

  • The key at the girdle keeps me good and my neighbour too.

  • The king of the bees has no sting.

  • The lame goat does not take a siesta.

  • The law devised, its evasion contrived.

  • The mouth that says "Yes," can say "No."

  • The nest made, the bird dead.

  • The ox that tossed me threw me into a good place.

  • The poor man eats at double cost.

  • The pot that boils too much loses its flavour.

  • The rat does not leave the cat's house with a bellyful.

  • The rat that knows but one hole is soon caught.

  • There are ills that happen for good.

  • There is plenty of corn in Castile, but he who has none, starves.

  • There's no catching trouts with dry breeches.

  • There's no handsome woman on the wedding day, except the bride.

  • There's no living without friends.

  • Though the heron flied high the falcon kills it.

  • Though we are negroes, we are men, and have souls.

  • Times passes like the wind.

  • To be like a fish in the water.

  • To get out of the mire and fall into the river.

  • To get out of the smoke and fall into the fire.

  • To live in clover.

  • To make of a flea a knight cap-a-pie.

  • To rain upon the wet.

  • To reckon without one's hostess.

  • To sell honey to one who keeps hives.

  • To start the hare for another's profit.

  • To steal a sheep and give away the trotters for God's sake.

  • To the bold man Fortune holds out her hand.

  • To the lean pig a fat acorn.

  • Too much familiarity breeds contempt.

  • Too much wax burns the church.

  • Trust not a dog that limps.

  • Trust not tow with firebrands, not a woman with men.

  • Truth and oil come to the surface.

  • War is sweet to him who does not go to it.

  • Water washes everything.

  • We have not saddled and yet we are riding.

  • What's everybody's work is nobody's work.

  • Who holds his peace and gathers stones, will find a time to throw them.

  • Would you have me serve you, good king, give me the means of living.

  • Would you know your daughter? See her in company.

  • You can't make a good shaft of a pig's tail.

  • You have lent and not recovered; and if recovered, not so much; and if so much, not such; and if such, a mortal enemy.

  • Your wife and sheep early at home.

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