# Irish proverbs (seanfhocail) everyone should know

"A good word never broke a tooth", "Sense does not come before age" and "People meet each other, but the hills never do": classic Irish-language proverbs, or seanfhocail, with their English translation, from Wikiquote's collection.

- 68 votes · 16 items
- Jul 24, 2022 · Courtney R.
- https://even.best/en/l/5110/irish-proverbs-seanfhocail-everyone-should-know

## Top 16

1. **Ní thagann ciall roimh aois.** (8 · ▲9 ▼1) — Sense does not come before age.
2. **Ní mar a shíltear a bhítear.** (7 · ▲7 ▼0) — Things are not as they seem.
3. **Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh.** (4 · ▲5 ▼1) — A good word never broke a tooth.
4. **An cleas a bhíos ag an deaid, bíonn sé ag an mac.** (4 · ▲5 ▼1) — The trick the father has, the son has too.
5. **Ba mhinic droch-éadach ar tháilliúr 's droch-bhróg ar ghréasaidh.** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — The tailor is often badly dressed and the cobbler badly shod.
6. **Is trian de'n obair tús a chur.** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — Beginning is a third of the work.
7. **Leig isteach ar chluas as amach ar cluas.** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — In one ear and out the other.
8. **Ní bhíonn airgead amadáin i bhfad ina phóca.** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — A fool's money is not long in his pocket.
9. **Ní thuigeann an seach an seang.** (2 · ▲3 ▼1) — The well-fed does not understand the hungry.
10. **Na h-éisg bheaga a bheathuigheas na h-éisg mhóra.** (2 · ▲3 ▼1) — The little fish feed the big fish.
11. **Bíonn gach tosú lag.** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Every beginning is weak.
12. **Casar na daoiní ar a chéile, ach ní chastar na cnuic.** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — People meet each other, but the hills never do.
13. **Na tabhair malairt de do chapall nuair ata tu ag dul trasna ar an abhainn.** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — Don't swap horses while crossing the river.
14. **Ní gnáthach caonnach ar an gcloich bhíonn a' sior-chorruighe.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — A rolling stone gathers no moss.
15. **Níl aon bhean is gnáthiage drochbhróga uirthí ná bean an ghréasaidhe.** (0 · ▲2 ▼2) — No woman is worse shod than the cobbler's wife.
16. **Bíonn cluasa ar na clathacha.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — The ditches have ears.

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