A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs

A qui il meschet on lui meffaict. Where misfortune befals injuries follow.

A qui vendez-vous vos coquilles? A ceux qui viennent de Saint Michel. To whom do you offer your shells for sale? To people who come from Saint Michel (where shells abound).

A qui veut rien n’est impossible. Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.

A raconter ses maux souvent on les soulage. By telling our woes we often assuage them.

Argent ard gent. Money burns many.

Argent comptant porte médecine. Ready money works great cures.

Argent emprunté porte tristesse. Money borrowed is soon sorrowed.

Argent est rond, il faut qu’il roule. Money is round, it must roll.

Argent reçu, le bras rompu. The money paid, the workman’s arm is broken.

A Rome comme à Rome. At Rome do as Rome does.

A rude âne rude ânier. For a stubborn ass a stubborn driver.

Assez a qui se contente. He has enough who is content.

Assez demande qui bien sert. Who serves well asks enough.

Assez dort qui rien ne fait. He slumbers enough who does nothing.

Assez écorche qui le pied tient. He flays enough who holds the foot.

Assez gagne qui malheur perd. He gains enough who loses sorrow.

Assez n’y a si trop n’y a. There’s not enough if there’s not too much.

Assez parents, assez tourments. Much kindred, much trouble.

Assez sait qui sait vivre et se taire. He knows enough who knows how to live and keep his own counsel.

Assez tôt se fait ce qui bien se fait. That is done soon enough which is well done.

Assez tôt si assez bien. Soon enough if well enough.

A tard crie l’oiseau quand il est pris. Too late the bird cries out when it is caught.

A toile ourdie Dieu envoie le fil. For a web begun God sends thread.

A tout il y a commencement. Everything must have a beginning.

A tout oiseau son nid est beau. To every bird its nest seems fair.

A tout seigneur tout honneur. To every lord every honour.

A trop acheter n’y a que revendre. For overbuying there’s no help but selling again.

Au battre faut l’amour. By beating love decays.

Au besoin l’on connaît l’ami. A friend is known in time of need.

Au dernier les os. For the last-comer the bones.

Au diable tant de maîtres, dit le crapaud à la herse. To the devil with so many masters, said the toad to the harrow.

Aujourd’hui marié, demain marri. Married to-day, marred to-morrow.

Au long aller petit fardeau pèse. Light burdens borne far become heavy.

Au nouveau tout est beau. What is new is always fine.

Au pays des aveugles les borgnes sont rois. The one-eyed are kings in the land of the blind.

Au petit pourceau Dieu donne bonne racine. God puts a good root in the little pig’s way.

A un pauvre homme sa vache meurt et au riche son enfant. Death takes the poor man’s cow and the rich man’s child.

Au plus débile la chandelle à la main. The weakest must hold the candle.

Au premier coup ne chet pas l’arbre. The tree does not fall at the first stroke.

Au prêter ange, au rendre diable. In borrowing an angel, in repaying a devil.

Au prêter cousin germain, au rendre fils de putain. At borrowing cousin german, at repaying son of a whore.

Aussi tôt meurt veau que vache. As soon dies the calf as the cow.

Autant chemine un homme en un jour qu’un limaçon en cent ans. A man travels as far in a day as a snail in a hundred years.

Autant dépend chiche que large, et à la fin plus davantage. The niggard spends as much as he who is liberal, and in the end more.

Autant de têtes, autant d’avis. So many men, so many minds.

Autant de trous, autant de chevilles. A peg for every hole.

Autant pèche celui qui tient le sac que celui qui met dedans. He sins as much who holds the bag as he who puts into it.

Autant vaut bien battre que mal battre. You may as well give a good beating as a bad one.

Autant vaut bien battu que mal battu. One may as well be well beaten as badly beaten.

Autant vaut être mordu d’un chien que d’une chienne. It is all one whether you are bit by a dog or a bitch.