Spanish proverbs

Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
- Translation: River shrimp that falls asleep is swept away by the current
Caras vemos, corazones no sabemos.
- Translation: Faces we see, hearts we don't know.
Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos
- Transliteration: Raise a raven, and it will peck out your eyes.
Cuando el indio va de culo, no hay barranco que lo ataje.
- Translation: When the indian slides on his butt, there's no way to stop him.
Cuando te toca, te toca.
- Translation: When it's your time, it's your time.
- Interpretation: Shit happens and good things too.

D

Del árbol caído todos hacen leña.
- Translation: Everyone gets wood from a fallen tree.
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho.
- Translation: There's a great distance between the word to the deed.
- English proverb: Easier said than done.
Dios le da sombrero al que no tiene cabeza / Dios le da pan al que no tiene dientes
- Translation: God gives a hat to the one with no head / God gives bread to that whom has no teeth
- Interpretation: Often the ones who get the thing you desperately want, don't appreciate it or don't even know what to do with it.

E

El mal escribano le echa la culpa a la pluma. / El cojo le echa la culpa al empedrado.
- Translation: The poor writer blames the pen. /The limping man blames the pavement.
- English proverb : It's a poor workman who complains about his tools.
El que con niños se acuesta, meado se despierta.
El que con niños se acuesta, mojado amanece.
- Translation: Those who go to bed with babies get up damp.
El que no habla, Dios no lo oye.
- Translation: To he who does not speak, God does not listen.
El que no llora no mama.
- Translation: He who doesn't cry, doesn't suckle.
- English proverb : It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.
El queso está viejo y mohoso.
- Translation: The cheese is old and moldy
En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
- Translation: A closed mouth gathers no flies.
En casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo.
- Translation: In the blacksmith's house, wooden knife
El que con lobos anda, a aullar aprende.
- Translation: He who walks with wolves, learns to howl.
El que a buen arbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija.
- Translation: He who takes shelter under a big tree, a good shade will cover him.
El que más tiene, más quiere.
- Translation: He who has much, desires more.
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.
- Translation: He who grabs a lot, holds little.
- English proverb: Jack of all trades, master of none.
El que nada debe, nada teme.
- Translation: He who owes nothing, fears nothing.
El que no nada se ahoga.
- Translation: He who does not swim, drowns.
El que parpadea pierde.
- Translation: He who blinks, loses.
El mentiroso cae mas pronto que el cojo.
- The liar falls sooner that the one-legged man.
Estoy buscando el burro, y soy montado en él.
- Translation: I am looking for the donkey, and I am riding on him.

F

Fue por lana y salió trasquilado.
- Translation: He went looking for wool and came back shorn.
- Interpretation: If you go for something it might end up biting you in the face - you woo someone but end up heartbroken; you try to rob someone but get robbed yourself.

G

Gato escaldado del agua fría huye.
- Translation: The cat that has been scalded flees from cold water.
- Interpretation: Once bitten, twice shy.

L

Lagarto que traga, no vomita.
- Translation: The lizard that swallows doesn't vomit.
Llover a cántaros.
- Translation: "Raining pitchers", roughly: "raining cats and dogs"

M

Más vale llegar a tiempo que en convidado.
Más vale llegar a tiempo que ser invitado.
- Translation: It's better to arrive at the right moment than to be invited.
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
- Translation: A bird in the hand is better than a hundred flying birds. -
- English proverb : A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- Dutch proverb: "Better one bird in the hand than ten in the air"

N

Ni raja ni presta el hacha.
- Translation: He does not cut, nor does he lend the axe.
No hables de la soga en casa del ahorcado.
- Translation: Don't talk about rope in a hanged man's home.
No hay mal que por bien no venga.
- Translation: There's no bad that something good doesn't come from it.
- English proverb : Every cloud has a silver lining.
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano.
- Translation: Dawn doesn't hurry if you get up earlier.

P

Perro ladrador, poco mordedor. / Perro que ladra no muerde.
- Translation: A barking dog doesn't bite.
- English proverb : His bark is worse than his bite.

Q

Quien a buen árbol se arrima buena sombra lo cobija.
- Translation: If you lean on a good tree you will be protected by a good shadow.
Quien fue a Sevilla perdió su silla
El que fue a Melipilla perdió su silla
El que fue a Melilla perdió su silla; el que fue a Melillón perdió su sillón
El que fue a Matilla perdió su silla
El que fue a Quellón perdió su sillón
El que va a la villa perdió la silla
El que se va a Barranquilla pierde su silla
El que va para Quito pierde su barquito
- Translation: He who went to [insert city of choice here that rhymes], lost his seat. This is not actually a proverb. Usually uttered to someone you have taken a seat from (obviously), it can be equated to "You snooze, you lose."

S

Ser como el perro del hortelano, que ni come las berzas, ni deja comer al amo.
- Translation: To be like the gardener's dog, who doesn't eat the cabbages, nor lets the master eat them.
Si quieres el perro, acepta las pulgas.
- Translation: If you want the dog, accept the fleas.
Si tu mujer quiere tirarte de un tejado, procura que sea uno bajo.
- Translation: If your wife wants to throw you off the roof, try to find a low one.
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
- Translation: "The devil is wiser because he is old,not because he is the devil."

T

Tanta carne y yo comiendo bacalao./Tanta carne y yo sin dientes
- Translation: " So much flesh (meat), and I am eating codfish."
Tanto te quiero perrito, pero pan poquito.
- Translation: How much I love you puppy, but as to [give you] bread, very little

V

Vámonos que nos vamos a mojar.
- Translation: Let's go we're getting wet (Knowing when to take one's leave)
Vivieron felices y comieron perdices (y a mí no me dieron).
- Translation: They lived happily and ate partridge (and didn't give me any).
- English equivalent: And they lived happily ever after.

Y

Yo solo se que no se nada
- Translation: I only know that I know nothing

Z

No por levantarte mas pronto amanece mas temprano. / No por mucho madrugar se amanece más temprano.
- Translation: Getting up earlier does not mean the sun will get out earlier.

NB: The sound files are read in a slight Argentinian accent.

A buen hambre no hay pan duro. (There is no hard bread if you are hungry) - "Hunger is the best gravy" (Shakepeare) (sound)
A caballo regalado no le mires el dentado. A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes. (Don't look a gift horse in the mouth)
A donde fueres haz lo que vieres. (Wherever you go, do what you see) - When in Rome, do as the Romans do. (sound)
A falta de hombres buenos, a mi padre hicieron alcalde. (For lack of good men, they made my father mayor) (sound)
A perro flaco, todo son pulgas. (To a skinny dog, all are fleas.)
A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. (God helps those who get up early) - God helps those who help themselves. Or, The early bird gets the worm. (sound)
A todo cerdo le llega su San Martín (Every pig has its San Martin's day) - What goes around, comes around. (sound)
Caras vemos, corazones no sabemos. (We see the faces, we do not know about the hearts)
Cuando el indio va de culo, no hay barranco que lo ataje. (When the indian slides on his butt, there's no way to stop him)
Del árbol caído todos hacen leña (Everyone gets wood from a fallen tree.)
Del dicho al hecho, hay mucho trecho (There's a great distance between the word to the deed)
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres (Tell me who is by your side and I'll tell you who you are.) - Birds of a feather flock together. Or, A man is known by the company he keeps. (sound)
El mal escribano le echa la culpa a la pluma (The poor writer blames the pen) - It is a poor workman who complains about his tools. (sound)
El que con niños se acuesta, molido (or meado) se despierta (Those who go to bed with babies get up damp) - Lie down with dogs and you wake up with fleas.
El que no llora no mama (He who doesn't cry, doesn't suckle) - The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
El que se ha quemado con leche al ver una vaca llora (He who has scalded himself on milk, weeps when he sees a cow)
En boca cerrada no entran moscas (A closed mouth gathers no flies) - Same in English. (sound)
En casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo (In the house of a smith, they use a wooden knife)
Gato escaldado del agua fría huye (The cat that has been scalded flees from cold water)
Más vale llegar a tiempo que en convidado (It's better to arrive at the right moment than to be invited)
Más vale pájaro en mano que cientos volando (A bird in the hand is better than a hundred flying birds) A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
No hables de la soga en casa del ahorcado (Don't talk about rope in a hanged man's home) (sound)
No hay mal que por bien no venga (There's no bad that something good doesn't come from it) - Every cloud has a silver lining. (sound)
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano (Dawn doesn't hurry if you get up earlier) (sound)
Quien a buen árbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija (If you lean to a good tree you will be protected by a good shadow)
Ser como el perro del hortelano, que ni come las berzas, ni las deja comer al amo (To be like the gardener's dog, who doesn't eat the cabbages, nor lets the master eat them)
Si quieres el perro, acepta las pulgas (If you want the dog, accept the fleas.) (sound)
Si tu mujer quiere tirarte de un tejado, procura que sea uno bajo (If your wife wants to throw you off the roof, try to find a low one)