Old Irish Proverbs.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 13, 27 March 1902, Page 29

Old Irish Proverbs.

It is no new assertion that the ancient kings, Brehons and Fileas, of the Milesian Irish, were men of great intelligence and wisdom, and that the sayings of Fethil the Wise, Moran, and Cormac Mac Art were so many terse lessons of human wisdom ;• but it may be information to the majority of the Irish public of the present day (says the Freeman's Journal') to state that many of our proverbs in present use are nearly paraphrases of the old Milesian sayings. Annexed we give a list of genuine Irish proverbs, principally translated, and literally from Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy, which will show the similarity between them and modern English proverbs :> — The rare jewel is the most beautiful., A blind man is •no judge of colors . When the cat is out the mice dance. When the old hag is in danger she must run. Even a" fool has luck. A mouth of ivy, a heart of holly. The historian's food is truth. Fierceness is often hidden under beauty. There is often anger in a laugh. A good dress often hides a deceiver. Fame is more lasting than life. A foolish word is folly. The Church that has no music is poor indeed. Lay up in time. Mild to the meek. Cat after kind. Force overcomes justice. Hope consoles the persecuted. The satiated forget the hungry. Long sleep renders a child inert. Hurry without haste. Drunkenness is the brother of robbery. Hope is the physician of each misery. , It is difficult to tame the proud. Idleness is the desire of a fool. Look before you leap. Gold is light with a fool. The end of a feast is better than the beginning of a quarrel. A wren in the hand is better than a crane out of it. He who is out, his supper cools. The memory of an old child is long. Everything is revealed by time. A cat can look at a king. Patience is the cure of an inveterate disease. Learning is the desire of the wise. Character is better than wealth. Without treasure, without friends. A hungry man is angry. No man is wise at all times. Every dear article is woman's desirG Wisdom exceeds strength. Wine is sweet ; to pay for it bitter . ____————