Scottish proverbs
Traditional saying. The library holds 934 of them. Here are the 60 most quoted; search the library in the maker for the rest.
Often about: wisdom, money, nature, time, faith, family
The 60 best known
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When poverty comes in at the door love flies out at the window.
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Hang a thief when he’s young, and he’ll no steal when he’s auld.
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Were it no for hope the heart wad break.
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If the deil were dead, folk would do little for God’s sake.
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Put your finger in the fire and say it was your fortune.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
A man at five may be a fool at fifteen.
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What may be dune at ony time will be dune at nae time.
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Fast bind, fast find.
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Where there’s muckle courtesy there’s little kindness.
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On the sea sail, on the land settle.
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Every man can guide an ill wife but him that has her.
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Drive a cow to the ha’ and she’ll run to the byre.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
Keep a thing seven years, and you find a use for it.
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A man at forty is either a fool or a physician.
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Nae man can thrive unless his wife will let him.
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Time and thinking tame the strongest grief.
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He that winna be counselled canna be helped.
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Better leave than lack.
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Kings and bears aft worry their keepers.
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Kindness will creep where it canna gang.
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Beauty is but skin deep.
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Penny wise and pound foolish.
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He that lives on hope has a slim diet.
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Honest men marry soon, wise men never.
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Marry for love and work for siller.
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Eat in measure and defy the doctor.
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Keep your tongue within your teeth.
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Law’s costly; tak a pint and ‘gree.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
Better my freen’s think me fremit as fasheous, i.e., strange rather than troublesome.
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When bairns are young they gar their parents’ heads ache; when they are auld they make their hearts break.
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Credit keeps the crown o’ the causey, i.e., is not afraid to show its face.
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Send your son to Ayr; if he did weel here, he’ll do weel there.
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Hae you gear (goods), or hae you nane, Tine (lose) heart, and a’s gane.
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He behoves to have meat enou’ that sal stop ilka man’s mou’.
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The foot at the cradle and the hand at the reel, is a sign that a woman means to do weel.
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A fool may speer (ask) mair questions than a wise man can answer.
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He kens muckle wha kens when to speak, but far mair wha kens when to haud (hold) his tongue.
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Keep oot o’ his company wha cracks o’ his cheatery, i.e., boasts of cunning.
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Gie him tow enough and he’ll hang himsel’, i.e., give him enough of his own way.
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A man may love his house weel, and no ride on the riggen o’t.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
It is better to be the head o’ the commonalty than the tail o’ the gentry.
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He that’s poor when he’s married shall be rich when he’s buried.
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Fair maidens wear nae purses (the lads always paying their share).
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He that has an ill wife likes to eat butter (but her, i.e. without her).
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Freends are like fiddle-strings; they maunna be screwed ower tight.
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A horse broken and a wife to break, is a horse made and a wife to make.
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A man may woo where he will, but must wed where he’s weird.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
March comes in with adder heads and goes out with peacock tails.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
The Englishman weeps, the Irishman sleeps, but the Scotsman gaes till he gets it.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
Riches have made mair men covetous than covetousness has made men rich.
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A wise man carries his cloak in fair weather, an’ a fool wants his in rain.
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Maidens should be mild and meek, quick to hear, and slow to speak.
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When I did weel I heard it never; when I did ill I heard it ever.
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A man may love his house weel, and no ride on the roof o’t.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
Riches are got wi’ pain, kept wi’ care, and tint (lost) wi’ grief.
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Gie a bairn his will and a whelp his fill, an’ neither will do well.
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Marriage wad tame the sea, if a match could be got for her.
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The hen’s egg aft gaes to the ha’ To bring the guse’s egg awa’.
translated by Walter K. Kelly -
Let him tak’ his fling, and find oot his ain wecht (weight).
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He that drinks when he’s no dry will be dry when he has nae drink.