wax, and do not thou trouble thyself. e. Let thy grandchild buy. בר ברך קירא ליזבן ואת לא תצטער: e. Pull off the skin in the. פשוט נבילתא בשוקא ושקיל אגרא : streets, and receive thy wages. That is, we were better submit to the meanest employment than want necessaries. טבא חדא פילפלתא חריפתא ממלא צנא רקארי: i.e. One grain of sharp pepper is better than a basket full of gourds. That is, one wise man, how mean soever, is more valuable than many that are unwise. כגון שבא הרוג ברגליו : i. e. As if a man that is killed should come home upon his feet. This is used proverbially of those things which we give for lost. These that follow are the Sentences of. BEN SYRA, a man of great fame and antiquity among the Jews. אוקיד לאסיא עד דלא תצטריך ליה : i. e. Honour a physician before thou hast need of him. That is, we must honour God in our health and prosperity, that He may be propitious to us in our adversity. בר דלא בר שבקיה על אפי מיא וישוט : i. e. Thy child that is no child leave upon the waters, and let him swim. That is, where our child is not reclaimable by fair means, we may not hinder him from condign punishmeut. גרמא דנפל בחולקך גרדיה : to thy lot. i. e. Gnaw the bone which is fallen That is, he that hath an ill wife must patiently bear with her. It may also be applied to other things. beaten, and a child scourged. i. e. Gold must be דהבא צריך לקמצאה ועולימא לאלקאה : i. e. Be good and refrain not הוי טב וידך מן טבתא לא תמנע: to be good. ,e. Woe be to the wicked . ווי ליה לבישא ווי להון לדבוקיהו: and woe be to them that cleave to them: or, to their neigh bours that live near them. If we would avoid a טב לבישא לא תעביד ובישא לא מטי לך : mischief, we must not be very kind and familiar with an evil man. i. e. Withhold not thine hand from ידך מן טיבותא לא תמנע : e. The bride goes ta . כלתא עלתה לגיננא ולא ידעה מה מטילה : showing mercy to the poor. her marriage-bed, but knows not what shall happen to her. The meaning is, that we ought not confidently to promise ourselves in anything any great success. Thus it is said, that a certain man said he would enjoy his bride on the morrow; and when he was admonished tc say he would if God will, he answered, that he would, whether God would or not. This man and his bride were both found dead the following night. Thus was the saying of Ben Syra verified, “The bride,” etc. man, and a rod for a fool. i. e. A nod for a wise לחכימא ברמיזא ולשטיא בכור מיזא : i. e. He that gives honour to his מוקיר מבסרוהי דאמי לחמרא: גור דליק מוקיד גדישין סגיאין : enemy, is like to an ass. deal of corn. i. e. A little fire burns up a great This saying is to be understood of the mischief which an evil and slandering tongue does; and is exemplified in Doeg, who by this means brought destruction upon the priests, 'Isov bayor up to any avaaret James iii. 5. tion will cease. -Spread the table, and conten פתורא פריש מחלקת נסתלקה : i. e. If thou עריך את למיסב ולמיתן יהא חול קך עם בר טביין : רחימא קדמאה לית את כפר ביה : old friend. Though thou שיתין מליבין יהון לך ומליכות נפשך לא תשבוק : must deal, be sure to deal with an honest man. Be not ungrateful to your hast never so many counsellors, yet do not forsake the counsel of thy own soul. work is much. Ars longa, vita brevis. . . The day is short, and the היום קצר והמלאכה מרובה : 1 A COMPLETE ALPHABET OF PROVERBS TAKEN FROM CAMDEN, HERBERT, HOWELL, FULLER, RAY, The numerals attached to many of the lines indicate the page where those proverbs occur in Ray's Collection, which forms the first portion of the present volume. A bad bush is better than the open field, 68. A bad day never hath a good night, 5. A bad padlock invites a picklock. A bad shift is better than no shift, 68, 91. A bad thing never dies. A bad workman quarrels with his tools, 144. A bairn maun creep ere it gang, 230. A bald head is soon shaven, 69. A barber learneth to shave by shaving fools, 131. A barley-corn is better than a diamond to a cock. A barren sow was never good to pigs. A basket-justice will do justice right or wrong, 54. A bawbee cat may look at a king, 227. A bean in liberty is better than a comfit in prison, 12. A beggar payeth a benefit with a louse, 70. A bellyful is a bellyful, whether it be meat or drink, 71. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. A bird is known by its note, and a man by his talk. A bird may be caught with a snare, that will not be shot. A bit in the morning is better than nothing all day, or than a thump on the back with a stone, 25. A black hen will lay a white egg, 73. A black man is a jewel in a fair woman's eye, 45. A black plum is as sweet as a white, 72. A black shoe makes a merry heart, 49, 227. A black woman hath turpentine in her, 48. A blate cat maks a proud mouse, 228. A blind man would be glad to see it. A blind man will not thank you for a looking-glass. A blot in his escutcheon, 49. A blot is not a blot, unless it be hit, 73. A blow from a frying pan, though it may not hurt, sullies. Span. A blow with a reed makes a noise, but hurts not. A blunt wedge will sometimes do what a sharp axe will not. A blythe heart makes a blooming visage, 228. A boaster and a liar are cousin-germans. A bold fellow is the jest of wise men, and the idol of fools. A book that remains shut, is but a block. A borrowed len shou'd gang laughing hame, 228. A bow long bent at last waxeth weak, 74. A brade house never skail'd, 226. A brave retreat is a brave exploit. A bribe I know is a juggling knave, 268. A bridle for the tongue is a necessary piece of furniture. A broken apothecary, a new doctor, 2. A broken friendship may be solder'd, but will never be sound. A broken sleeve holdeth the arm back, 75. A brown lass is gay and cleanly, 48. A burthen of one's own choice is not felt. A burnt child dreads the fire, 228. A Burston horse and a Cambridge master of arts will give way to nobody. A bushel of March dust, on the leaves, is worth a king's ransom, 33. A buxom widow must be either married, buried, or shut up in a convent. Span. A cake eaten in peace is worth two in trouble, 270. A calf's head will feast a hunter and his hounds, 76 A camel in Media dances in a little cab, 273. A candle lights others and consumes itself. A carper can cavil af any thing, 76. A cat has nine lives, and a woman has nine cats' lives. A charitable man is the true lover of God. A chaste eye exiles licentious looks. A cherry year, a merry year; a plum year, a dumb year, 38. A child's birds and a boy's wife are well used, 78. A child may have too much of his mother's blessing, 117. A chip of the old block, 153. A civil denial is better than a rude grant. A clean hand wants no washing. A clear conscience can bear any trouble. A clear conscience is a sure card, 81. A clear conscience laughs at false accusations. A cockatrice, 64. A cock is crouse on his ain midden, 228. A cold April the barn will fill. A cold May and a windy makes a barn full and a findy, 33. A collier's cow and an alewife's sow are always well fed, 82. A colt you may break, but an old horse you never can. A common blot is held no stain. A common jeerer may have wit but not wisdom. A conscience as large as a shipman's hose, 189. A constant guest is never welcome. A contented mind is a continual feast. A cough will stick longer by a horse than a peck of oats, 81. A countryman may be as warm in kersey as a king in velvet. A courageous foe is better than a cowardly friend. A courtesy much entreated is half recompensed. A covetous man does nothing that he should till he dies. A covetous man is a dog in a wheel, that roasteth meat for others, 4. A covetous man is good to none, but worst to himself. |