Greek proverbs
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Proverbs from all Greek speaking parts of the world.
Δ
[edit]- Δώσε τόπο
σ τ η ν οργή.- Shove anger aside.
- "Two things a Man should never be angry at; what he can help, and what he cannot help."
- Thomas Fuler, Gnomologia (1732)
- Nea hestia. I. D. Kollaros \& Sa.. 1996.
- Don't hear one and judge two.
- Alexander Negris (1831). A Dictionary of Modern Greek Proverbs: With an English Translation, Explanatory Remarks, and Philological Illustrations. T. Clark. pp. 79–.
A
[edit]- "Αγάλι-αγάλι γίνεται
η αγουρίδα μέλι."- 'A green fruit gets ripe slowly.
- English equivalent: Patience is a virtue, and a little will not hurt you.
- Proverbium. 23. Ohio State University. 2006. p. 129.
Ε
[edit]- "Είπε
ο γάιδαροςτ ο ν πετεινό κεφάλα."- "The donkey called the rooster bigheaded."
- Similar to "The pot calling the kettle black" or "Look who's talking".
- Aravantinos, Panagiotis (1863). "294". Paroimiasterion. (Epirotische Sprüchwörter.) (neogr.). p. 38.
- Ἐ
ν ο ἴν ῳ ἀλήθεια- There is truth in wine.
- English equivalent: In wine there is truth.
- Latin equivalentː In vino veritas.
- "Alcohol consumed removes the inhibition against telling the truth that occasionally one would like to keep secret."
- European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. 1997. p. 272. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
H
[edit]Η καλύτερη άμυνα είναιη επίθεση.- English equivalent: The best defence is a good offense.
- Source for meaning: Maira Papathanasopoulou (1 January 1998). Ho Ioudas philouse hyperocha: mythistorēma. Ekdoseis Patakē. p. 23. ISBN 978-960-600-451-3. Retrieved on 21 June 2013.
Η φτήνια τρώειτ ο ν παρά.- English equivalent: If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
- Spoudōn (1998). Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής. Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης. p. 1027.
Η γλώσσα κόκαλαδ ε ν έχει, αλλά κόκαλα τσακίζει.- English equivalent: The pen is mightier than the sword.
- "The play's the thing,
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." - William Shakespeare, Hamlet (1600–1), Act II, scene ii
- Venizelos (1867). Paroimiai dēmōdeis. Ek tou typographeiou tēs Patridos. p. 95.
Κ
[edit]Κ α ι ο ι τοίχοι έχουν αυτιά.- English equivalent: The walls have ears.
- "What you say may be overheard; used as a warning."
- Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 27 September 2013.
- Κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε, παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε.
- English equivalent: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Βασιλειάδης. ΈγκλημαστοΚΕΛΥΦΩΣ Αστυνομικόμυθιστόρημα. Dimitri Vasileiadis. p. 105.
- Kάλλιο πέντε
κ α ι σ τ ο χέρι, παρά δέκακ α ι καρτέρι.- English equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- "Laugh and be fat."
- John Taylor, title of a tract (1615)
- Berettas (1863). Syllogēparoimiōn tōn neōterōn Hellēnōn meta parallēlismou pros tas tōn archaiōn. Ek tou typ. ho Hellēnopelasgos. p. 37. ISBN 1 Invalid ISBN.
- Κόρακας κοράκου μάτι
δ ε βγάζει.- English equivalent: Hawks will not pick out Hawk's eyes.
- "One belonging to a group having common interests is not likely to act against or find fault with another member of the same group. Solidarity may prevail over law, justice or truth."
- Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "X". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 96. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
- Shqiptaro-Greke (1999). Albanohellenica. Albanian-Greek Philological Association. p. 22.
- Καλή ζωή, κακή διαθήκη.
- English equivalent: Fools live poor to die rich.
- Chakkas (1978). Hapanta. Kedros.
Μ
[edit]- Μία
χ ε λ ι δ ὼν ἔα ρ ο ὐ ποιεῖ.- English equivalent: One swallow does not a summer make.
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, (1098a18)
Ο
[edit]Ο χρόνος είναι ακριβός- English equivalent: Time is precious.
- Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 428. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
- Όποιος γίνεται πρόβατο
τ ο ν τρώειο λύκος.- He who becomes a sheep is eaten by the wolf.
- English equivalent: He that makes himself a sheep shall be eaten by the wolf.
- Dostoyevsky, Koteliansky (2010). Dostoevsky: Letters and Reminiscences. Kessinger Publishing. pp. 304. ISBN 1163449024.
- Όφις
η ν μ η φάγη όφιν, δράκωνο υ γενήσεται.- Alternatively: Όφις
ε ι μ η φάγοι όφιν, δράκωνο υ γενήσεται. (see Robert Nares) - A serpent, unless it devours a serpent, will not become a dragon. (Erasmus, translated by Barker)
- Quoted by Erasmus, Michael Apostolius, and in Suda (according to Robert Nares)
- Translated into Latin by Apostolius, Erasmus, and Francis Bacon.
- Paraphrased in English by John Dryden (Oedipus III.1): "A serpent ne'er becomes a flying dragon, / Till he has eat a serpent." (see Robert Nares)
- Sources:
- Robert Nares, A Glossary, p. 781. (Nares's "φύγοι" emended to "φάγοι" based on Apostolius's text.)
- Erasmus III iii 61, translated in William Watson Barker, ed. The Adages of Erasmus, p. 271.
- Michael Apostolius, Paroemiae [Proverbs]. Ed. Daniel Heinsius. Leiden, 1619. p. 187.
- A search of the Suda does not return this proverb.
- Alternatively: Όφις
Ο πνιγμένος, απότ α μαλλιάτ ο υ πιάνεται.- English equivalent: A drowning man will clutch at a straw.
- Κριαρας (2007). Αλλελωγραφιαδυο:. ΕκδοσειςΠολυτυπο. p. 33.
Σ
[edit]Σ υ ν Αθηνάκ α ι χείρα κίνει.- Move your hand along with Athena (Minerva)
- English equivalent: Heaven help those who help themselves.
- "When in trouble first of all every one himself should do his best to improve his condition."
- Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 150. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
- Karagiōrgos, Panos (1999). Greek and English proverbs. P. Karagiorgos. p. 99.
Τ
[edit]Τ α ε ν οίκωμ η ε ν δήμω.- English equivalent: Don't wash your dirty linen in public; It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.
- "Why wantonly proclaim one's own disgrace, or expose the faults or weaknesses of one's kindred or people?"
- "It is considered contemptible to defy the rule of solidarity by revealing facts harmful to the group one belongs to."
- Proverbs of All Nations. W. Kent & Company (late D. Bogue). 1859. p. 109.
- Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "106". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 466. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
- Karagiōrgos, Panos (1999). Greek and English proverbs. P. Karagiorgos. p. 99.
Τ α μεγάλα πνεύματα συναντώνται- English equivalent: Great minds think alike.
- Karagiōrgos, Panos (1999). Greek and English proverbs. P. Karagiorgos. p. 138.
- Άγιος
π ο υ δ ε θαυματουργεί, μηδέ δοξολογιέται.- The saint who works no miracles isn't glorified.
- "I think that sex is necessary and bankers are not."
- Lancelot Hogben, in Twentieth Century Authors, A Biographical Dictionary of Modern Literature, Edited by Stanley J. Kunitz, and Howard Haycraft. New York, The H.W. Wilson Company, 1950, (pp. 658-59)
- Kyriakos Simopoulos. Pōs eidan hoi xenoi tēn Hellada tou 21: apomnēmoneumata, chronika, hēmerologia, hypomnēmata, allēlographia ethelontōn, diplōmatōn, eidikōn apestalmenōn, periēgētōn, praktorōn k.a. p. 167.
- Τυφλός...
ο "Έρως- English equivalentː Love is blind.
- "That is, it renders those blind who are under its influence by making that appear beautiful which is often the reverse."
- Negris, Alexander (1831). A Dictionary of Modern Greek Proverbs: With an English Translation, Explanatory Remarks, and Philological Illustrations. p. 137.
Disputed
[edit]- A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.
- Quoted in several English sources as a Greek proverb or aphorism, without citation. Compare the Latin of Caecilius Statius: Serit arbores, quae saeclo prosint alteri. ("He sows the seed of trees that they may be a profit to another age.")