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Seanfhocail

Tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán.

Everything comes when it’s mentioned but a fox and a dead man; talk of the Devil.
Ní sheasann sac folamh.

An empty sack won't stand.
Bíonn cluasa ar na claíocha.

Fences have ears; walls have ears.
Bíonn súil le muir ach ní bhíonn súil le huaigh.

There is hope with the sea but there is no hope with the grave; people supposedly lost at sea sometimes return but once someone is dead and buried they are gone.
Nuair a bhíonn an bolg lán is maith leis na cnámha síneadh.

When the belly’s full the bones like to stretch; when you’ve had a good meal you like to relax.
An té a bhíonn thíos buailtear cos air.

People kick you when you're down.
Is fearr cara sa chúirt ná punt sa sparán.

Better a friend in the court than a pound in the purse.
Is folamh, fuar teach gan bhean.

A house without a woman is empty and cold.
Is doiligh corrán maith a fháil do dhrochbhuanaí.

It’s hard to get a good sickle for a bad reaper; the bad workman blames his tools.
Ní thagann ciall roimh aois.

Sense does not come before age; young people can be thoughtless.
Is cuma le fear na mbróg cá gcuireann sé a chos.

The man with shoes doesn’t care where he treads.
Galar an grá nach leigheasann luibheanna.

Love is a disease which herbs will not cure.
Is é an t-uisce fuar a scallann an falsóir.

Cold water scalds the lazy man.
Is i ndiaidh a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin.

Castles are built one after the other; do things one at a time.
Is beag an rud is buaine ná an duine.

Even small things are more long-lasting than a person.
Is mias é an díoltas is fearr a ithe fuar.

Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.
Is breá an ní an óige ach ní thagann sí faoi dhó.

Youth is a fine thing but it doesn’t come twice; gather ye rosebuds.
Is fearr bothán biamhar ná caisleán gortach.

Better a cabin with plenty of food than a hungry castle.
Fásann níos mó i ngort ná mar a chuirtear ann.

More grows in a field than is planted there; children are individuals.
Ní ólann na mná leann ach imíonn sé lena linn.

Women don’t drink beer but it disappears when they’re around.
An craiceann agus a luach (a iarraidh).

(To ask for ) the skin and its value; to want to have your cake and eat it.
Is socair a chodlaíonn duine ar chneá duine eile.

It’s easy for a person to sleep on another man’s wound; people only really feel what affects them directly.
Is fearr réal inniu ná scilling amárach.

A sixpence today is better than a shilling tomorrow.
An té nach gcuirfidh greim, cuirfidh sé dhá ghreim.

The person who won’t make a stitch will have to make two stitches; a stitch in time saves nine.
Ní féasta go rósta agus ní céasta go pósta.

There’s no feast like a roast and no torment like being married.
Ní buan cogadh na gcarad; má bhíonn sé crua, ní bhíonn sé fada.

A war between friends doesn’t last; however fierce it is, it tends not to be long.
Tiocfaidh an lá go fóill a mbeidh gnó ag an bhó dá heireaball.

The day will come some day when the cow will have a use for its tail; unlikely things sometimes come in handy.
Is fada an bóthar nach bhfuil aon chasadh ann.

It’s a long road that has no turning; your luck will change.
An rud a théann i bhfad téann sé i bhfuaire.

What goes on for a long time loses its interest.
Nuair a stopann an ceol, stopann an damhsa.

When the music stops, so does the dancing.
Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras.

Hunger is a good sauce.
Ní huaisle mac rí ná a chuid.

A prince is no nobler than what he does; nobility counts for nothing if the person does not have a noble nature.
Ní neart go cur le chéile.

There is no strength without co-operation; unity is strength.
Is minic a rinne béal na huaighe déirc ar bhéal na trua(ighe).

The mouth of the grave often gave alms to the mouth of sorrow; people in dire poverty have often benefited from an inheritance.
Ní chronaítear an t-uisce go dtriomaítear an tobar.

The water isn’t missed until the well dries up.
Dhá dtrian den damhsa an chosúlacht.

Two thirds of dancing is making it look right.
Éire ar phingin agus cá bhfuil an phingin?

Ireland for a penny and where’s the penny? So near and yet so far.
Is maith an t-ancaire an t-iarta.

The pot hook in the fireplace is a good anchor; it’s hard to move away from a good fire.
Más gar do dhuine a chóta, is gaire dó a léine féin.

If a person’s coat is close to him, his shirt is even closer; blood is thicker than water.
Ní thig leis an ghobadán an dá thrá a fhreastal.

The sandpiper cannot serve two strands, you can’t do two things at once.
Ní dhéanfadh an saol capall rása d’asal.

The whole world couldn’t make a racehorse out of a donkey.
Is fearr éan sa dorn ná beirt sa tom.

Better a bird in the hand than two in the bush.
Is trom an t-ualach an leisce.

Laziness is a heavy burden.
Mura gcuirfidh tú san earrach ní bhainfidh tú san fhómhar.

If you don't sow in spring you won't reap in autumn
Is treise gliceas ná neart.

Shrewdness is stronger than force.
Doras feasa fiafraí.

Asking is the door to knowledge.
Ó chaith mé an choinneal, caithfidh mé an t-orlach.

Since I’ve used up the candle, I may as well use up the remaining inch: I’ve come this far, I may as well carry on.
Ní chreidtear an fhírinne ó bhréagadóir.

The truth is not believed from a liar; don’t cry wolf.
Sceitheann fíon fírinne.

Wine gives away the truth; people tell the truth when they are drunk.
Ná glac duine choíche ar a thuairisc fhéin.

Never accept a person’s account of themselves; don’t take people at face value.
Obair ó chrích obair mná tí.

A housewife’s work is never done. (Native Irish speakers will also use other versions, such as “Obair ó chrích obair bean tí”)
Trí ghalar gan náire: grá, tochas agus tart.

Three diseases without shame: love, an itch and thirst.
Múineann gá seift.

Need teaches a plan, necessity is the mother of invention.
“Chonaic mé cheana thú,” mar a dúirt an cat leis an bhainne bhruite.

“I’ve seen you before,” as the cat said to the boiling milk; once bitten, twice shy.
Drochubh, drochéan.

A bad egg, a bad bird.
Mura mbeadh agat ach pocán gabhair bí i lár an aonaigh leis.

Even if you have only a male goat to sell be in the middle of the fair with it; whatever you have to sell, present it properly.
Bíonn ceann caol ar an óige.

Youth has a thin head; you can’t put an old head on young shoulders.
Is maith an t-iománaí an duine ar an chloí.

The man on the ditch is a great hurler; it’s easy to give advice but not so easy to do things.
Is fearr uaigneas fada ná droch-chuideachta.

Better to be lonely for a long time than in bad company.
Is minic a mhaolaigh béile maith brón.

A good meal often lessened sadness.
Bíonn cluasa fada ar mhuca beaga.

Little pigs have long ears; not in front of the children.
Gáire maith agus codladh fada, an dá leigheas is fearr i leabhar an dochtúra.

A good laugh and a long sleep, the two best cures in the doctor’s book.
Tús grá, síoramharc.

The beginning of love, continually looking.
Is olc an t-éan a shalaíonn a nead féin.

It’s a bad bird that soils its own nest.
Is breá an rud an óige ach í a cheansú.

Youth is a fine thing if it is tamed.
Ní mhilleann dea-ghlór fiacail.

A kind word doesn’t rot your teeth; it’s always best to be polite.
Is beag an splanc a lasann tine mhór.

It only takes a small spark to light a big fire.
Is geall le fleá bia go leor.

Enough food is as good as a feast.
Is fearr mac le himirt ná mac le hól.

Better a son a gambler than a son a drinker; drinking is more destructive than gambling.
Ní thig luas le léire.

Speed and accuracy don’t go together
Téann íseal agus uasal chuig tórramh

Both poor and rich attend funerals; everybody has to die, regardless of social status.
Ná mol fear go bás ná lá go tráthnóna.

Don’t praise a man until he’s dead or a day until evening.
Ní bhíonn saoi gan locht ná daoi gan tréith.

A wise person always has faults and a fool always has talents; even Homer nods.
Ceo ar chnoc ceo an donais.

Mist on a hill, mist of misfortune; hill mist is a sign of bad weather.
Is ait an mac an saol.

Life is strange.
Ní bheathaíonn na briathra na bráithre.

Words don’t make the monks fat; fine words butter no parsnips.
Is fearr cogar i gcluas Nóra ná scairt ón chnoc is airde.

Better a whisper in Nóra’s ear than a shout from the highest hill; don’t share your secrets with people.
Má chailleann tú uair ar maidin beidh tú á tóraíocht i rith an lae.

If you lose an hour in the morning you’ll be looking for it all day.
Molann an obair an fear.

The work praises the man.
Ní fhaigheann dorn dhruidte ach lámh iata.

A closed fist gets nothing but a closed hand; people who are mean are treated meanly by others.
Rud ar bith leis an ocras a mhaolú, mar a dúirt an damhán alla agus é ag ithe na míoltóige.

Anything to lessen the hunger, as the spider said while eating the gnat.
Bíonn gach tús lag.

Every beginning is weak.
Is fearr mall ná go brách.

Better late than never.
Is maith leis an chat iasc ach ní maith leis a chrúba a fhliuchadh.

The cat likes fish but he doesn’t like to get his paws wet.
Is fearr glas ná amhras.

A lock is better than doubt, better safe than sorry.
Is fearr lúbadh ná briseadh.

It’s better to bend than to break; flexibility is important.
Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir.

Time is a good storyteller.
Ding dá adhmad féin a scoilteann an leamhán.

The elm is split with a wedge of its own wood; it is best to defeat an enemy through internal divisions.
Ní dhíolann dearmad fiacha.

Just because you’ve forgotten a debt, it doesn’t mean you no longer owe it.
Bíonn an fhírinne searbh.

Truth is bitter.
Is fearr réchonn ná iarchonn.

Foresight is better than hindsight.
Is minic cuma aingil ar an diabhal féin.

The devil himself often looks like an angel.
Ní hé lá na gaoithe lá na scolb.

A windy day is not the day for thatching.
Ní lia tír ná nós.

Countries are not more numerous than customs; when in Rome.
Ná tabhair breith ar an chéad scéal.

Never judge on first opinions.
Filleann an feall ar an fheallaire.

The evil deed returns on the person who did it, what goes around comes around.
Cailín ag Mór agus Mór ag iarraidh déirce.

Big has a maid and yet Big is asking for charity; refers to people who live beyond their means.
Dhá éan a mharú le haon urchar amháin.

To kill two birds with one stone.
Is minic ciúin ciontach.

Silence often indicates guilt.
Ar mhaithe leis féin a bhíonn an cat ag crónán.

The cat purs for its own sake; people tend not to be entirely altruistic.