Tuscan proverbs

Tuscan is a Milanese dialect spoken in the region of Tuscany which approximately lies in north-western Italy.

A

 * Al bugiardo non è creduto il vero.
 * English equivalent: A liar is not believed when he tells the truth.
 * "Do you remember the fable of the little boy who cried 'wolf'? In the story a young prankster called out for townspeople to save him from an imaginary wolf. One day, the lad encountered a real wolf and called for help. The people, remembering his earlier tricks, didn't come to his aid and the boy was eaten."
 * Paoli E. Massaglia, The Little Boy Who Cried Mayday (1988)
 * "By telling a single lie to oneself or to another, by denying a single fact of the world as it has been created, one adds to the World’s Pain."
 * Michael Moorcock, The War Hound and the World’s Pain (1981), Chapter 16


 * A padre avaro (cupido) figliuol prodigo.
 * English equivalent: A miserly father makes a prodigal son.

C

 * Chi è diffamato, È mezzo impiccato.
 * English equivalent: Give a dog a bad name and hang him.


 * Chi è imbarcato col diavolo, ha a passare in sua compagnia.
 * English equivalent: Better never begun than never ended; He that takes the devil into the boat must carry him over the sound.


 * Chi molto pratica, molto impara.
 * English equivalent: Practice makes perfect.


 * Chi per l altrui man s imbocca rade volte si satolla.
 * English equivalent: He that waits on another man's trencher, makes many a late dinner.


 * Chi rubba una spilla rubba una libbra .
 * English equivalent: He that will steal a pin will steal a better thing.


 *  Chi sa disprezzare di essere onorato, Merita di non esser disprezzato..
 * English equivalent: Follow glory and it will flee, flee glory and it will follow thee.


 * Chi troppo intraprende, poco finisce.
 * English equivalent: He that has many irons in the fire, some of them will let burn (will cool).

D

 * Dimmi con chi (chi tu) pratichi e ti dirò chi (tu) sei.
 * English equivalent: If you lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas.

E

 * 'È mal sordo chi non vuol sentire .
 * English equivalent: None so deaf as those who will not hear.

I

 * 'Il diavolo quand è vecchi, si fa cappuccino.
 * Approximate translation: "When the devil is old, he makes himself a cappuccino."


 * Il medico pietoso fa la piaga puzzolente.
 * English equivalent: Mild physician – putrid wounds.

L

 * La natura può più dell'arte.
 * English equivalent: Nature is beyond all teaching.
 * "There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind."
 * Confucius, Analects (~ 300 BC), Book XVII, Chapter VIII.


 * La sanità e libertà Vaglion più d'una città.
 * English equivalent: Good health is above wealth.


 * La scimmia è sempre scimmia, anco vestita di seta.
 * English equivalent: A golden bit does not make the horse any better.

M

 * Meglio un ovo oggi, che una gallina domani.
 * English equivalent: Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.

N

 * Ne' fiori cova la serpe.
 * English equivalent: Look before you leap, for snakes among sweet flowers do creep.


 * Non istuzzicare il can che dorme.
 * English equivalent: Let sleeping dogs lie.


 * Non nominare la fune in casa dell impiccato starden.
 * English equivalent: In the house of the hanged man, mention not the rope.

P

 * Parola detta e sasso tirato non fù più suo .
 * English equivalent: A word spoken is past recalling.

Q

 * Quando brucia nel vicinato, porta l' acqua casa tua.
 * ̽English equivalentː When thy neighbour s house doth burn (is on fire) be careful (beware) of thine own.


 * Quattrino risparmiato du volte guadagnato.
 * English equivalent: A penny saved is a penny earned.

S

 * Scherzo lungo non fu mai buono.
 * English equivalent: Leave a jest when it pleases you best.

T

 * Tien la ventura mentre l'hai, se la perdi, mai più l ' avrai.
 * English equivalent: When fortune knocks, be sure to open the door.

V

 *  Vivere e lasciar vivere .
 * English equivalent: Live and let live.