[From Mannin #8,1916]

National Proverbs

Tra ta’n dooinney boght cooney lesh dooinney boght elley, ta Jee Hene garaghtee.

An older and better, and better-known form is:

Tra ta’n derrey voght cooney lesh y boght elley ta Jee Hene garaghtee:

When one poor body helps another poor body, God Himself laughs.

Myr smoo oc, s’mennick lhieu:

The more they have, the oftenest with them—-- or, The more they have, the more often they use it.

Roud sheear ny roud shiar:

Too far east or too far west—i. e. an extremist.

Cadley ny moddee tra ta ny mraane creearey:

The sleep of dogs while the women are sifting—i.e. wide awake, but eyes shut. This is said of a ‘ sleech.’

J annoo feill jeh nane as yeeast jeh nane elley:

Making flesh of one and fish of another—i.e. showing partiality.

Shegin bwoailley as fasney roish fuinney. We must thresh and winnow before we bake.

Yn jeeas strimmey ta croymmey yn chione s’inshley:

It is the heaviest ear of corn that bends the head lowest.

Cha chum yn saagh agh e lane:

The vessel can hold but its fill.

Foddee un vroddagh, ga jeant lesh skynn veg, e ghiunn-vaaish y choyrt da dooinney:

Maybe one stab, though given with a little knife. will give a man his death-wound.

Share obbal ny daa ghialdyn:

One denial is better than two promises.

Skeeal eddyr jees, skeeal dyn insh;

Skeeal eddyr tree t’eh ersooyl:

A tale between two, is a tale untold;

A tale between three is away.

Cur-jee twoaie jeh mraane as moddee:

Beware of women and dogs.