foreign proverbs and expressions

[whase]

We all know at least some proverbs and expressions in our own language, but have you ever tried to translate any to English? I bet a lot would start sounding really weird!

to start with, here's some Dutch proverbs translated to English to start off with:

"een appeltje voor de dorst bewaren" = saving an apple for when you're thirsty

"in de aap gelogeerd" = stayed in the monkey

"komt voor de bakker" = comes before the baker

"de hamvraag" = the ham question

"op je eigen houtje" = on your own wood

also, our monkey comes out of a sleeve, not a bag.

now show me a few from where you are from, don't forget translating them to English! (and don't use google translator, try it yourself!)

and if the English language is your main one, tell us the weirdest one you can find.

(also, a 100 points if you can guess what the above expressions mean, no cheating by being Dutch!)

[Rewjeo]

"een appeltje voor de dorst bewaren" = saving an apple for when you're thirsty

Like saving something for the wrong occasion?

"in de aap gelogeerd" = stayed in the monkey

I have no idea. Is it just supposed to confuse someone?

"komt voor de bakker" = comes before the baker

Something is more important than whatever the other person said? Vice versa?

"de hamvraag" = the ham question

I don't know exactly what ham would mean to the Dutch beyond the meat, but I'd guess something like the obvious question or maybe the joke question.

"op je eigen houtje" = on your own wood

Do it without affecting what I'm doing?

I'm American, so of course the ones I know are already in English, but there's one I remember from Japanese class- "A frog's child is a frog." like "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." That one doesn't sound too weird, but some of the ones you posted certainly do.

[Original Alear]

"een appeltje voor de dorst bewaren" = saving an apple for when you're thirsty

Perceiving the gap between need and want.

"in de aap gelogeerd" = stayed in the monkey

To enter a static state/to stop evolving/to practise one's basest instincts (or not to be raised any higher than above those instincts)

"komt voor de bakker" = comes before the baker

Chicken before egg style proverb.

"de hamvraag" = the ham question

The question too big to answer??? If not wat Rewjeo said, which is more likely.

"op je eigen houtje" = on your own wood

?????

also, our monkey comes out of a sleeve, not a bag.

Our trick is a surprise, not from where you expect it.

As for my favorite proverbs, just about anything from Borges touches me deeply:

Do you want to see what human eyes have never seen? Look at the moon. Do you want to hear what ears have never heard? Listen to the bird's cry. Do you want to touch what hands have never touched? Touch the earth. Verily I say that God is about to create the world.

It seemed incredible that this day, a day without warnings or omens, might be that of my implacable death.

http://classiclit.ab...lboresquote.htm

Also, with the ones about the monkey, especially those about staying within the monkey, I submit a poem from Wilmot, Earl IIRC of Rochester: accept, at least, those last two lines of his which resonated so with me.

Were I (who to my cost already am

One of those strange, prodigious creatures, man)

A spirit free to choose, for my own share,

What case of flesh and blood I pleased to wear,

I'd be a dog, a monkey or a bear,

Or anything but that vain animal

Who is so proud of being rational.

The senses are too gross, and he'll contrive

A sixth, to contradict the other five,

And before certain instinct, will prefer

Reason, which fifty times for one does err;

Reason, an ignis fatuus in the mind,

Which, leaving light of nature, sense, behind,

Pathless and dangerous wandering ways it takes

Through error's fenny bogs and thorny brakes;

Whilst the misguided follower climbs with pain

Mountains of whimseys, heaped in his own brain;

Stumbling from thought to thought, falls headlong down

Into doubt's boundless sea, where, like to drown,

Books bear him up a while, and make him try

To swim with bladders of philosophy;

In hopes still to o'ertake th' escaping light,

The vapor dances in his dazzling sight

Till, spent, it leaves him to eternal night.

Then old age and experience, hand in hand,

Lead him to death, and make him understand,

After a search so painful and so long,

That all his life he has been in the wrong.

Huddled in dirt the reasoning engine lies,

Who was proud, so witty, and so wise.

Pride drew him in, as cheats their bubbles catch,

And made him venture to be made a wretch.

His wisdom did his happiness destroy,

Aiming to know that world he should enjoy.

And wit was his vain, frivolous pretense

Of pleasing others at his own expense,

For wits are treated just like common whores:

First they're enjoyed, and then kicked out of doors.

The pleasure past, a threatening doubt remains

That frights th' enjoyer with succeeding pains.

Women and men of wit are dangerous tools,

And ever fatal to admiring fools:

Pleasure allures, and when the fops escape,

'Tis not that they're belov'd, but fortunate,

And therefore, that they fear at heart, they hate.

But now, methinks, some formal band and beard

Takes me to task. Come on, sir; I'm prepared.

Then, by your favor, anything that's writ

Against this gibing, jingling knack called wit

Likes me abundantly; but you take care

Upon this point, not to be too severe.

Perhaps my muse were fitter for this part,

For I profess I can be very smart

On wit, which I abhor with all my heart.

I long to lash it in some sharp essay,

But your grand indiscretion bids me stay

And turns my tide of ink another way.

"What rage ferments in your degenerate mind

To make you rail at reason and mankind?

Blest, glorious man! to whom alone kind heaven

An everlasting soul has freely given,

Whom his great Maker took such care to make

That from himself he did the image take

And this fair frame in shining reason dressed

To dignify his nature above beast;

Reason, by whose aspiring influence

We take a flight beyond material sense

Dive into mysteries, then soaring pierce

The flaming limits of the universe,

Search heaven and hell, find out what's acted there,

And give the world true grounds of hope and fear."

Hold, mighty man, I cry, all this we know

From the pathetic pen of Ingelo,

From Patrick's Pilgrim, Sibbes' soliloquies,

And 'tis this very reason I despise:

This supernatural gift, that makes a mite

Think he's the image of the infinite,

Comparing his short life, void of all rest,

To the eternal and the ever blest;

This busy, puzzling stirrer-up of doubt

That frames deep mysteries, then finds 'em out,

Filling with frantic crowds of thinking fools

Those reverend bedlams, colleges and schools;

Borne on whose wings, each heavy sot can pierce

The limits of the boundless universe;

So charming ointments make an old witch fly

And bear a crippled carcass through the sky.

'Tis this exalted power, whose business lies

In nonsense and impossibilities,

This made a whimsical philosopher

Before the spacious world, his tub prefer,

And we have modern cloistered coxcombs who

Retire to think, 'cause they have nought to do.

But thoughts are given for action's government;

Where action ceases, thought's impertinent.

Our sphere of action is life's happiness,

And he who thinks beyond, thinks like an ass.

Thus, whilst against false reasoning I inveigh,

I own right reason, which I would obey:

That reason which distinguishes by sense

And gives us rules of good and ill from thence,

That bounds desires with a reforming will

To keep 'em more in vigour, not to kill.

Your reason hinders, mine helps to enjoy,

Renewing appetites yours would destroy.

My reason is my friend, yours is a cheat;

Hunger calls out, my reason bids me eat;

Perversely, yours your appetite does mock:

This asks for food, that answers, 'What's o'clock?'

This plain distinction, sir, your doubt secures:

'Tis not true reason I despise, but yours.

Thus I think reason righted, bur for man,

I'll ne'er recant; defend him if you can.

For all his pride and his philosophy,

'Tis evident beasts are, in their degree,

As wise at least, and better far than he.

Those creatures are the wisest who attain,

By surest means, the ends at which they aim.

If therefore Jowler finds and kills his hares

Better than Meres supplies committee chairs,

Though one's a statesman, th' other but a hound,

Jowler, in justice, would be wiser found.

You see how far man's wisdom here extends;

Look next if human nature makes amends:

Whose principles most generous are, and just,

And to whose morals you would sooner trust.

Be judge yourself, I'll bring it to the test:

Which is the basest creature, man or beast?

Birds feed on birds, beasts on each other prey,

But savage man alone does man betray.

Pressed by necessity, they kill for food;

Man undoes man to do himself no good.

With teeth and claws by nature armed, they hunt

Nature's allowance, to supply their want.

But man, with smiles, embraces, friendship, praise,

Inhumanly his fellow's life betrays;

With voluntary pains works his distress,

Not through necessity, but wantonness.

For hunger or for love they fight or tear,

Whilst wretched man is still in arms for fear.

For fear he arms, and is of arms afraid,

By fear to fear successively betrayed;

Base fear, the source whence his best passions came:

His boasted honor, and his dear-bought fame;

That lust of power, to which he's a slave,

And for the which alone he dares be brave;

To which his various projects are designed;

Which makes him generous, affable, and kind;

For which he takes such pains to be thought wise,

And screws his actions in a forced disguise,

Leading a tedious life in misery

Under laborious, mean hypocrisy.

Look to the bottom of his vast design,

Wherein man's wisdom, power, and glory join:

The good he acts, the ill he does endure,

'Tis all from fear, to make himself secure.

Merely for safety, after fame we thirst,

For all men would be cowards if they durst.

And honesty's against all common sense:

Men must be knaves, 'tis in their own defence.

Mankind's dishonest, if you think it fair

Amongst known cheats to play upon the square,

You'll be undone.

Nor can weak truth your reputation save:

The knaves will all agree to call you knave.

Wronged shall he live, insulted o'er, oppressed,

Who dares be less a villain than the rest.

Thus, sir, you see what human nature craves:

Most men are cowards, all men should be knaves.

The difference lies, as far as I can see,

Not in the thing itself, but the degree,

And all the subject matter of debate is only:

Who's a knave of the first rate?

All this with indignation have I hurled

At the pretending part of the proud world,

Who, swollen with selfish vanity, devise

False freedoms, holy cheats, and formal lies

Over their fellow slaves to tyrannize.

But if in Court so just a man there be

(In Court a just man, yet unknown to me)

Who does his needful flattery direct,

Not to oppress and ruin, but protect

(Since flattery, which way soever laid,

Is still a tax on that unhappy trade);

If so upright a statesman you can find,

Whose passions bend to his unbiased mind,

Who does his arts and policies apply

To raise his country, not his family,

Nor, whilst his pride owned avarice withstands,

Receives close bribes through friends' corrupted hands?

Is there a churchman who on God relies;

Whose life, his faith and doctrine justifies?

Not one blown up with vain prelatic pride,

Who, for reproof of sins, does man deride;

Whose envious heart makes preaching a pretense,

With his obstreperous, saucy eloquence,

To chide at kings, and rail at men of sense;

None of that sensual tribe whose talents lie

In avarice, pride, sloth, and gluttony;

Who hunt good livings, but abhor good lives;

Whose lust exalted to that height arrives

They act adultery with their own wives,

And ere a score of years completed be,

Can from the lofty pulpit proudly see

Half a large parish their own progeny;

Nor doting bishop who would be adored

For domineering at the council board,

A greater fop in business at fourscore,

Fonder of serious toys, affected more,

Than the gay, glittering fool at twenty proves

With all his noise, his tawdry clothes, and loves;

But a meek, humble man of honest sense,

Who, preaching peace, does practice continence;

Whose pious life's a proof he does believe

Mysterious truths, which no man can conceive.

If upon the earth there dwell such God-like men,

I'll here recant my paradox to them,

Adore those shrines of virtue, homage pay,

And, with the rabble world, their laws obey.

If such there be, yet grant me this at least:

Man differs more from man, than man from beast.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Loki Laufeyjarson

[Magical CC]

"Gieo gió gặt bão" - "Sow the wind, reap the storm"

"Phép vua thua lệ làng" - "The king's law loses to the village's custom"

Vietnamese proverbs, anyone wanna try?

Edited July 22, 2011 by Rathalos Sulley

[Original Alear]

"Gieo gió gặt bão" - "Sow the wind, reap the storm"

Harvest the energy of something small, be torn apart by something large.

"Phép vua thua lệ làng" - "The king's law loses to the village's custom"

The small and numerous rule the large and singular.

[whase]

hmm, none of you were completely right about the Dutch proverbs

here's the answers if you want to know:

"een appeltje voor de dorst bewaren" = saving an apple for when you're thirsty

if you don't spend everything now, you will have something when you really need it.

"in de aap gelogeerd" = stayed in the monkey

be deceived

"komt voor de bakker" = comes before the baker

no problem, it will be done

"de hamvraag" = the ham question

the question it is all about

"op je eigen houtje" = on your own wood

on your own, without any help of others

"Gieo gió gặt bão" - "Sow the wind, reap the storm"

if something is risky, you'll usually get more from it?

"Phép vua thua lệ làng" - "The king's law loses to the village's custom"

no matter how powerful you are, when you're truly outnumbered, it doesn't matter?

[Magical CC]

"Gieo gió gặt bão" - "Sow the wind, reap the storm"

It has the same mean with "you got what you deserve" but if you do evil thing, what you got will be a lot worser than what you deserve.

"Phép vua thua lệ làng" - "The king's law loses to the village's custom"

You will never able to completely control what the hell your subordinates do. And there are always someone who will rebel, act against or hate you no matter how good a leader you are.

no matter how powerful you are, when you're truly outnumbered, it doesn't matter?

There's another proverb for it: "mãnh hổ nan địch quần hồ" - "What can a lone tiger do facing an army of foxes?"

[Wist]

All of those listed thus far have had explanations provided for them, so here are some new ones.

Brennt barn forðast eldinn. = A burned child avoids fire.

Það er skammgóður vermir að pissa í skóna sína. = Warm a short time if you piss in your shoes.

Eitt skyldi ganga yfir okkr bæði = One should walk over us both (Big hint: this one's old and poetic, pretend "fate" follows "one").

足元から鳥が立つ。 = A bird stands from one's feet.

馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない。 = An idiot not dead hasn't cured.

花より団子。 = Rather dumplings over flowers.

[whase]

hmm, tough ones

Brennt barn forðast eldinn. = A burned child avoids fire.

you learn from making mistakes

Það er skammgóður vermir að pissa í skóna sína. = Warm a short time if you piss in your shoes.

everything negative has something positive to it

Eitt skyldi ganga yfir okkr bæði = One should walk over us both (Big hint: this one's old and poetic, pretend "fate" follows "one").

to fate, we are all equal

足元から鳥が立つ。 = A bird stands from one's feet.

馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない。 = An idiot not dead hasn't cured.

花より団子。 = Rather dumplings over flowers.

not a clue about either of these three XD

[Rewjeo]

Brennt barn forðast eldinn. = A burned child avoids fire.

Seems rather obvious to me. You learn from mistakes.

Það er skammgóður vermir að pissa í skóna sína. = Warm a short time if you piss in your shoes.

We should follow the example of vultures. Except to warm us up instead of cooling us off. I'm gonna guess that's wrong, but that's what went through my head.

Eitt skyldi ganga yfir okkr bæði = One should walk over us both (Big hint: this one's old and poetic, pretend "fate" follows "one").

Either, like whase said, to fate we are all equal, or it might be more personal and say something like "I'll stick with you no matter what and take whatever fate throws at you."

足元から鳥が立つ。 = A bird stands from one's feet.

WHY SO MUCH KANJI

Anyways, I'm guessing this is talking about the timidity of birds and their unwillingness to be near people? I don't know what this is trying to say without context, though.

馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない。 = An idiot not dead hasn't cured.

No clue, other than it sort of sounds like they're saying the obvious. If someone has a problem, and it hasn't killed them, they haven't been cured of the problem.

花より団子。 = Rather dumplings over flowers.

Be practical, like taking food over beauty.

[Freohr Datia]

English proverbs?

Well I recently found out one that was proven inaccurate.

"like a bull in a china shop"

It's supposed to refer to someone who just comes and destroys everything in its path.

But I watched MythBusters disprove it where they built up a ton of shelves with china cups and stuff, then let bulls in it (this was outside) and they just maneuvered around the shelves, trying not to spill anything. xD Though I don't think they were trying not to spill anything, rather than they tried to not hurt themselves running into things.

Umm, a rolling stone gathers no moss?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

A good friend is someone who will bail you out of jail, but your best friend is the one sitting next to you saying "Man, that was fun!" xD

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

All that glitters is not gold

Lol getting some from spongebob squarepants

Beggars can't be choosers

Curiosity killed the cat ;-;

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Heehee ain't =]

Lol that's all for now I suppose. A lot of these (that I'm posting) seem pretty obvious, but it could be because I've grown up around these...

[Original Alear]

馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない。 = An idiot not dead hasn't cured.

An idiot not dead isn't ready to eat (cured = prepared to eat).

[Wist]

Answers for mine in the spoiler:

Brennt barn forðast eldinn. = A burned child avoids fire.

Implies hesitance to do something that has had negative consequences in the past, so pretty much correctly guessed as one learns from one's mistakes.

Það er skammgóður vermir að pissa í skóna sína. = Warm a short time if you piss in your shoes.

Unfortunately more negative than whase guessed, this one means that temporary / insufficient / half-hearted fixes don't last very long.

Eitt skyldi ganga yfir okkr bæði = One should walk over us both (Big hint: this one's old and poetic, pretend "fate" follows "one").

Rewjeo got this one, this is an intimate statement; it came from a quote from an old saga and perhaps best translates to "the same fate should befall us both".

足元から鳥が立つ。 = A bird stands from one's feet.

Pardon my bad translation, but the idea is that a bird not looked for has appeared between ones feet, with the implication that unexpected things can happen near you without you doing anything.

馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない。 = An idiot not dead hasn't cured.

Rewjeo sort of got it. It means there's no cure for idiocy (except for death).... Loki Laufeyjarson's response was funny. It would have been more natural for me to have said "been cured", but that implies external intervention, or "healed" (which I probably should have used).

花より団子。 = Rather dumplings over flowers.

Rewjeo got this one as well, practicality over appearance.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

I haven't heard this one before, I can't tell if it's facetious or if I'm misinterpreting it.

[Freohr Datia]

I haven't heard this one before, I can't tell if it's facetious or if I'm misinterpreting it.

That's actually a fairly common one =o

[whase]

...MythBusters...

yes, the mythbusters have done more like these. only other one I can think of now is "you can't polish a turd". in fact, I think they found out it can even shine better than bronze can (I'm not sure anymore though)

[Freohr Datia]

Lol yeah I remember that. It was pretty gross, but he did it xD

[Original Alear]

yes, the mythbusters have done more like these. only other one I can think of now is "you can't polish a turd". in fact, I think they found out it can even shine better than bronze can (I'm not sure anymore though)

If the turd is big enough how do you even get started?

[HongLei]

I can remember a couple 中文 Chinese ones

唾面自干 (tuo mian zi gan) = literally means if someone spits in your face let it dry there

I'll post another if I can remember what it means.

Edited July 27, 2011 by HongLei

[Original Alear]

唾面自干 (tuo mian zi gan) = literally means if someone spits in your face let it dry there

Sounds like you should put up with everything with no complaints.

Sort of similar to something I once heard about "the wisest of silences broken by drunkenness into verbose idiocy" in a fantasy book by Steven Erikson.

[Wist]

That's actually a fairly common one =o

Really? What does it mean? I interpreted it as meaning a friend who is in need of assistance, perhaps in the form of advice or money, is assuredly a friend, but that strikes me as odd as it seems to advocate for naïvely submitting to parasitic relationships.

唾面自干 (tuo mian zi gan) = literally means if someone spits in your face let it dry there

Does this mean to not respond to provocation (or perhaps petty provocation)?

Here's a Japanese saying with spit:

天に唾する。 = To spit into the sky.

[Freohr Datia]

Really? What does it mean? I interpreted it as meaning a friend who is in need of assistance, perhaps in the form of advice or money, is assuredly a friend, but that strikes me as odd as it seems to advocate for naïvely submitting to parasitic relationships.

While it doesn't look like it says this, it seems to me that it has to do with how someone who is there to help that friend who's in need is truly a friend. I really don't understand how it means that but that's how I've come to understand it. I could probably try google to see if there's any other meaning that people have gotten out of that or not...

[whase]

唾面自干 (tuo mian zi gan) = literally means if someone spits in your face let it dry there

like Æterʒyl said, don't give into provocation.

天に唾する。 = To spit into the sky.

to do something that turns against you in the end.

[Parrhesia]

'A friend (who remains loyal when you are) in need is a friend indeed.'

Not exactly poetic, but since when has English ever been simple? It's just advocating against fairweather friends and such.

I might as well throw in "A camel is a horse designed by committee."

Edited July 28, 2011 by Furetchen

[Original Alear]

I might as well throw in "A camel is a horse designed by committee."

A more specialized oddity built to survive a specific environment tends to be formed by multiple minds?

(And the more ideas, the better it is in one specific situation and the worse it is more generally.)

I must admit this one has me slightly befuddled!

[Wist]

'A friend (who remains loyal when you are) in need is a friend indeed.'

Not exactly poetic, but since when has English ever been simple? It's just advocating against fairweather friends and such.

That makes sense, though it's rather confusing that so much is left out of the saying. I'm reminded of the phrase "I could care less".

天に唾する。 = To spit into the sky.

to do something that turns against you in the end.

More or less. It describes hurting oneself in trying to hurt another.

I might as well throw in "A camel is a horse designed by committee."

Is this criticizing bureaucracy?