Irish proverbs

Many Irish proverbs originated in the , but many have come into common usage among the Irish and their descendants in their translated form. In Irish, proverbs are called "seanfhocail" (literally "old words").

• "Dhúirt bean liom go ndúirt bean léi"
  • Translation: "A woman told me that a woman told her . . ."
  • Meaning: Don't believe everything you are told. It may be just gossip.

• "Never burn a penny candle looking for a halfpenny."
  • Meaning: Don't spend more on something than it is worth.

• "Marry a woman from Truagh and you marry all Truagh."
  • Meaning: You cannot be in a relationship without accepting a person's friends, family, and past affiliations.

• "Though the carpenter is bad, the splinter is good."
  • Meaning:

• "It's hard to make a choice between two blind dogs."
  • Meaning:

• "Don't go putting wool on the sheep's back."
  • Meaning:
  • Similar: Carrying coals to Newcastle

• "Is iomaí slí muc a mharú seachas a thachtadh le him"
• Translation: "There's many ways of killing a pig other than by choking it with butter."
  • Meaning: There's more than one way to do something - usually, more simply.

• "Cailín ag Mór agus Mór ag iarraidh déirce"
  • Translation: "Mór has a maid and yet Mór has to beg."
  • Meaning: Anything to keep up appearances

  • Bíonn grásta Dé idir an diallait agus an talamh
  • The grace of God is found between the saddle and the ground.

• "Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir"
  • Translation: "Time is a good story teller"
  • Meaning: Either "time will tell", or "wisdom comes with age"

• "Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh"
  • Translation: "A good word never broke a tooth"
  • Meaning: It doesn't hurt to pay a compliment

• "Is minic a bhris beál duine a shrón"
  • Translation: "It's often a person's mouth broke their nose"
  • Meaning: Watch what you say--it can hurt you!

• "Ní hé lá na báistí lá na bpáistí"
  • Translation: "A rainy day is not a day for children"

• "Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin"
  • Translation: "There's no hearth like your own hearth"
  • Meaning: There's no place like home.

• "Molann an obair an fear"
  • Translation: "The work praises the man"

• "Ní bhíonn saoi gan locht"
  • Translation: "There's never a wise man without fault"
  • Note:In , this is rendered as "There doesn't be a wiseman without fault".

• "Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí"
  • Translation: "Praise the youth and it will develop"

• "Ceileann searc ainimh 's locht"
  • Translation: "Love is blind"

• "Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile"
  • Translation: "One beetle recognises another"
  • Meaning: It takes one to know one; Like sees like; Birds of a feather flock together

• "Nuair a bhíonn an t-ól istigh, bíonn an chiall amuigh"
  • Translation: "When the drink is in, common sense is gone"

It's not that the Irish are cynical. It's rather that they have a wonderful lack of respect for everything and everybody. Brendan Behan See also: List of proverbs.