Irish proverbs (seanfhocail) everyone should know
The top 3 according to 68 votes from people: Ní thagann ciall roimh aois. · Ní mar a shíltear a bhítear. · Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh.. (Updated Jul 24, 2022.)
"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.
Top 16
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1
Ní thagann ciall roimh aois.
Sense does not come before age.
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2
Ní mar a shíltear a bhítear.
Things are not as they seem.
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3
Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh.
A good word never broke a tooth.
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4
An cleas a bhíos ag an deaid, bíonn sé ag an mac.
The trick the father has, the son has too.
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5
Ba mhinic droch-éadach ar tháilliúr 's droch-bhróg ar ghréasaidh.
The tailor is often badly dressed and the cobbler badly shod.
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6
Is trian de'n obair tús a chur.
Beginning is a third of the work.
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7
Leig isteach ar chluas as amach ar cluas.
In one ear and out the other.
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8
Ní bhíonn airgead amadáin i bhfad ina phóca.
A fool's money is not long in his pocket.
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9
Ní thuigeann an seach an seang.
The well-fed does not understand the hungry.
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10
Na h-éisg bheaga a bheathuigheas na h-éisg mhóra.
The little fish feed the big fish.
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11
Bíonn gach tosú lag.
Every beginning is weak.
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12
Casar na daoiní ar a chéile, ach ní chastar na cnuic.
People meet each other, but the hills never do.
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13
Na tabhair malairt de do chapall nuair ata tu ag dul trasna ar an abhainn.
Don't swap horses while crossing the river.
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14
Ní gnáthach caonnach ar an gcloich bhíonn a' sior-chorruighe.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
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15
Níl aon bhean is gnáthiage drochbhróga uirthí ná bean an ghréasaidhe.
No woman is worse shod than the cobbler's wife.
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16
Bíonn cluasa ar na clathacha.
The ditches have ears.
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