Manx Proverbs

B

* Boayl ta gioee ta keck, as boayl ta mraane ta pleat.

* Translation: Where there are geese there is dirt, and where there are women there is talking.

* Boght, boght dy bragh.

* Translation: Poor, poor for ever.

* Brishys accyrys trooid boallaghyn cloaie.

* Translation: Hunger will break through stone walls.

C

* Caghlaa obbyr aash.

* Translation: Change of work is rest.

* Cha dennee rieau yn soogh y shang.

* Translation: The well-fed never felt like the ill-fed.

* Cha jarg oo dty choayl y chreck.

* Translation: You cannot sell your loss.

* Cha nee yn wooa smoo eieys smoo vlieaunys.

* Translation: It's not the cow that calls most which gives most milk.

* Cha stamp rieau yn dow doo er e chass.

* Translation: The black ox never trod on his own foot.

* Cha vel eh laccal gerjagh ta soylley jeh aigney booiagh.

* Translation: He lacks not comfort who enjoys a contended mind.

* Cha vel fer erbee cha bouyr, as eshyn nagh jean clashtyn.

* Translation: None is so deaf as the one who will not hear.

* Commee obbyr commee bee.

* Translation: Partner in work, partner in food.

* Cur meer da'n feeagh as hig eh reesht.

* Translation: Give a piece to the raven and he will be back.

D

* Dy chooilley ghooinney er e hon hene, as Jee son ooilley.

* Translation: Every man for himself, and God for all.

E

* Eddyr daa stoyl ta toyn er laare.

* Translation: Between two stools, your arse is on the floor.

* Eshyn nagh gow rish briw erbee t'eh deyrey eh hene.

* Translation: He who acknowledges no judge condemns himself.

* Eshyn yiow skeilley, yiow eh craid.

* Translation: He who is harmed shall be mocked.

* Eshyn ta geddyn dooinney mie da e inneen t'eh cos ney mae. Agh eh ta geddyn drogh-chleuin t'eh coayl inneen.

* Translation: A man who gets a good man to marry his daughter gains a son, but a man who gets a bad son-in-law also loses a daughter.

F

* Faaid mooar moayney son oie'l fingan.

* Translation: A big sod of turf for St. Thomas's Eve.
* It is a Manx tradition on St Thomas's Day (21 December) to catch venison or mutton for the Christmas meal.

* Foddee yn moddee s'jerree tayrtyn y mwaagh.

* Translation: Perhaps the last dog is catching the hare.

K

* Keeayl chionnit yn cheeayl share, mannagh vel ee kionnit ro gheyr.

* Translation: Bought wit is the best wit, if it is not too expensive.

* Kione mooar er y beggan cheilley, as kione beg gyn veg edyr. Towse cheilley rish.

* Translation: A big head on the smallest wits, and a little head with none at all. Use it to measure sense.

L

* Laa er-meshtey as laa er ushtey.

* Translation: A day drunk, and a day drinking water.

M

* Mannagh vow cliaghtey cliaghtey, nee cliaghtey coe.

* Translation: If customs are not customary, custom will mourn.

* Myr sloo yn cheshaght share yn ayrn,
Myr smoo yn cheshaght s'reaie yn chloie.

* Translation: The smaller the company, the better the share; the bigger the company, the merrier the play.

* Myr sniessey da'n chraue s'miljey yn eill.

* Translation: The nearer the bone, the sweeter the flesh.

N

* Ny jean balk jeh thalloo mie.

* Translation: Plough the patches you missed to make the earth good.

S

* S'mooar ta eddyr y chair as yn aggair.

* Translation: There is a great difference between the just and the unjust.

* Soddag chamm bolg jeeragh.

* Translation: Crooked bannock, straight belly.
* Bannock is a type of pan-made bread distinctive to the Isle of Man and parts of Scotland.

T

* Ta airh er cushagyn ayns shen.

* Translation: There is gold on those ragworts.

* T'ad beaghey bwoailley er keyt as bwoailley er moddey.

* Translation: They are living hitting a cat and hitting a dog.

* T'ad craa nyn moyrn er y chielley.

* Translation: They are shaking their pride on each other.

* Ta craplag smoo ayns dty hoyn nish na va roie.

* Translation: There is a bigger wrinkle in your arse than before.

* Ta cree dooie ny share na kione croutagh.

* Translation: A kind heart is better than a crafty head.

* Ta fooillagh naareydagh ny smelley na ee scammyltagh.

* Translation: Shameful leftovers are worse than disgraceful eating.

* Ta lane chyndaaghyn ayns carr y phoosee.

* Translation: There are many turns in the marriage tune.

* Ta'n aghaue veg shuyr da'n aghaue vooar.

* Translation: The little hemlock is a sister to the big hemlock.
* Meaning: A small sin is a sister to a big one.

* Ta ynsagh coamrey stoamey yn dooinney berchagh, as t'eh berchys y dooinney boght.

* Translation: Learning is the stately clothing of the rich man, and the riches of the poor man.

Y

* Yn chiuney smoo erbey geay jiass sniessey j'ee.

* Translation: The greater the calm, the nearer to the South wind.