Venetian proverbs

Venetian is an Italian dialect spoken mostly in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy.

A

 * A cosa fata no val consegio.
 * English equivalent: When a thing is done, advice comes too late.


 * Al busiaro no se ghe crede gnanca co l dise la verità.
 * English equivalent: A liar is not believed when he tells the truth.
 * "Just as the liar's punishment is, not in the least that he is not believed, but that he cannot believe any one else; so a guilty society can more easily be persuaded that any apparently innocent act is guilty than that any apparently guilty act is innocent."
 * George Bernard Shaw, Quintessence Of Ibsenism (1891; 1913)


 * Amor novo va e vien, amor veccio se mantien.
 * English equivalent: Of soup and love the first is the best.

B

 * Beati quei che ga so pare a l inferno.
 * English equivalent: Happy is the child whose father went to the devil.


 * Beato quelo che impara a spese dei altri.
 * It is easiest to learn from another man's damage.
 * English equivalent: Wise men learn by other men's mistakes, fools by their own.


 * Bisogna saver far per saver comandar.
 * English equivalent: Who has not served cannot command.

C

 * Chi comincia mal, finisse pezo.
 * English equivalent: A bad beginning makes a bad ending.


 * ''Chi roba el poco roba anca l assae,'
 * English equivalent: He that will steal a pin will steal a better thing.


 * Chi xe san, xe più del sultan.
 * English equivalent: Good health is above wealth.

D

 * Dal bo davanti; dal mulo dadrio, e da la dona da tute le bande.
 * English equivalent: Take heed of an ox before, an ass behind and a monk on all sides.
 * "We seldom find out that we are flattered."
 * Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia (1732)

E

 * El pero casca poco lontan de l'arboro.
 * English equivalent: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
 * “Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents.”


 * El più tristo sordo xe quel che non vol intender.
 * English equivalent: None so deaf as those who will not hear.


 * El se e'l ma xe l ' intrada dei mincioni.
 * English equivalent: How many ifs fill a bushel?

F

 * Far de nezessità virtù.
 * English equivalent: Make a virtue out of necessity.

L

 * L ' aseno xe sempre aseno, anca co una bela gualdrapa.
 * English equivalent: A golden bit does not make the horse any better.


 * La bona mare de la madregna, di siː ti vol?
 * English equivalentː The good mother saith notː will you? but gives.


 * La note xe la mare d ' i pensieri.
 * English equivalent: To take counsel of one's pillow.


 * La salute no savemo cossa che la val, altro che quando l'avemo persa.
 * English equivalent: Health is not valued till sickness comes

M

 * Megio soli che mal compagnadi.
 * It is better to be alone than to be in bad company.
 * English equivalent: Better be alone than in bad company.

N

 * No bisogna spuár nel piato che se ga de magnar.
 * English equivalent: Cast no dirt into the well that gives you water.


 * No se pol cavar sangue dal muro.
 * English equivalent: You cannot get blood from a stone.

O

 * Ogni scherzo curto xe belo, A longo andar el pol stufar.
 * English equivalent: Leave a jest when it pleases you best.

P

 * Per gnente l'orbo no canta.
 * English equivalent: You can't get something for nothing.
 * "Everything has to be paid for, directly or indirectly, in money or in kind."


 * Prima de vender la pele bisogna copar l'orso.
 * English equivalent: Don't sell the skin till you have caught the bear.

Q

 * Quel che se desidera no se stenta a creder.
 * English equivalent: The wish is father to the thought.

S

 * Saco sbuso no tien megio, Povar' omo no va a consegio: Se'l parla ben nol, vien inteso Se'l parla mal, el vien ripreso.
 * English equivalentː Losers are always in the wrong.


 * Semo tuti fidi de Adamo.
 * English equivalent: We are all descended from Adam.