Some Welsh Proverbs

[Treffie]

A

"Adar o'r unlliw, ehedant i'r unlle."
Translation: "Birds of the same colour fly to the same place."

"A ddwg ŵy a ddwg fwy."
Translation: "He who steals an egg will steal more."

"A fo ben, bid bont."
Translation: "If you want to be a leader, be a bridge."

Possible Interpretation: To become a leader, you must help others achieve their aims.

"Allwedd arian a egyr pob clo."
Translation: "Money is the key that opens all locks."

"Am gwymp hen y chwardd ieuanc."
Translation: "The young laugh when the old fall."

"Angel pen ffordd, diawl pen tân."
Translation: "An Angel on the road, a Devil at the fireplace."

Possible Interpretations: Someone who appears virtuous in public may be a brute in his home. OR Someone, although shy, may still be a tiger in bed.

B

"Bai ar wrach dorri ei chlun."
Translation: "Breaking her hip is the old woman's fault."

"Bûm gall unwaith - hynny oedd, llefain pan ym ganed."
Translation: "I was wise once: when I was born I cried."

C

"Caiff dyn dysg o'i grud i'w fedd."
Translation: "Man learns from the cradle to the grave."

"Canu cyn borefwyd, crio cyn swper."
Translation: "To sing before breakfast is to weep before supper."

"Cartref yw cartref, er tloted y bo."
Translation: "Home is home, however poor it may be."

"Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon."
Translation: "A nation without a language is a nation without a heart."

^My favourite!

"Côf a lithr, llythyrau a geidw."
Translation: "Memory slips, letters remain."

Ch

"Chwarae troi'n chwerw, wrth chwarae gyda thân."
Translation: "Playing with fire will eventually turn bitter."

D

"Deuparth gwaith yw ei ddechrau."
Translation: "Starting the work is two thirds of it."

"Digrif gan bob aderyn ei lais ei hun."
Translation: "Every bird relishes his own voice."

"Diwedd y gân yw'r geiniog."
Translation: "At the end of the song comes payment."

"Dyfal donc a dyr y garreg."
Translation: "Tapping persistently breaks the stone."

"Dywed yn dda am dy gyfaill, am dy elyn dywed ddim."
Translation: "Speak well of your friend; of your enemy say nothing."

E

"Eang yw'r byd i bawb."
Translation: "The world is wide to everyone."

F
Fel Iar ar ben domen
Translation: 'Like a hen on a heap'

G

"Gall pechod mawr ddyfod trwy ddrws bychan."
Translation: "A great sin can enter by a small door."

"Gorau adnabod, d'adnabod dy hun."
Translation: "The best knowledge is to know yourself."

"Gorau prinder, prinder geiriau."
Translation: "The best shortage is a shortage of words."

"Gwell dysg na golud."
Translation: "Better educated than wealthy."

"Gwell fy mwthyn fy hun na phlas arall."
Translation: "Better my own cottage than the palace of another."

"Gwell swllt dda na sofren ddrwg."
Translation: "Better a good shilling than a dud sovereign."

"Gwna dda dros ddrwg, uffern ni'th ddwg."
Translation: "Repay evil with good, and hell will not claim you."

"Gŵr heb bwyll, llong heb angor."
Translation: "A man without prudence is a ship without an anchor."

H

"Haws twyllo maban na gwrachan."
Translation: "A boy is easier cheated than an old lady."

"Heb ei fai, heb ei eni."
Translation: "He who has no faults is not born."

"Hedyn pob drwg yw diogi."
Translation: "The seed of all evil is laziness."

"Henaint ni ddaw ei hunan."
Translation: "Old age comes not on its own."

"Hen y teimlir ergyndion a gaed yn ifanc."
Translation: "Old feel the blows suffered when young."

"Hir yw pob ymaros."
Translation: "All waiting is long."

Ll

"Llaeth i blentyn, cig i ŵr, cwrw i'r hen."
Translation: "Milk for a child, meat for a man, beer for the old."

M

"Meistr pob gwaith yw ymarfer."
Translation: "The achievement of all work is practice."

"Mwyaf y brys, mwyaf y rhwystr."
Translation: "More the hurry, more the obstacles."

N

"Na ad i'th dafod dorri'th wddf."
Translation: "Let not your tongue cut your throat."

"Nerth gwlad, ei gwybodaeth."
Translation: "The strength of a nation is its knowledge."

"Nerth hen, ei gyngor parad."
Translation: "The strength of the old is their ready counsel."

"Ni cheir da o hir gysgu."
Translation: "No good will come of over sleeping."

"Nid aur yw popeth melyn."
Translation: "Everything that is yellow is not gold."

"Ni edrych angau pwy decaf ei dalcen."
Translation: "Death considers not the fairest forehead."

O

"O bob trwm, trymaf henaint."
Translation: "Of all weights, old age is the heaviest."

P

"Pan fo llawer yn llywio fe sudda'r llong."
Translation: "When the steersmen are many the ship will sink."

"Po callaf y dyn, anamlaf ei eiriau."
Translation: "The wiser the man, the fewer his words."

"Po hynaf fo'r dyn, gadwaethaf fydd ei bwyll."
Translation: "The older the man, the weaker his mind."

Rh

"Rhaid cropian cyn cerdded."
Translation: "You must crawl before walking."

S

"Segurdod yw clod y cledd."
Translation: "A sword's honor (literally 'credit') is its idleness."

T
"Teg yw edrych tuag adref."
Translation: "It is good to look homewards."

"Tri chysir henaint: tân, te a thybaco."
Translation: "Three comforts of old age: fire, tea and tobacco."

"Troi'r dwr at ei felin ei hun."
Translation: "Turning the water to his own mill."

Possible Interpretation: Spoken of someone arranging something for his own benefit.

"Tyfid maban, ni thyf ei gadachan."
Translation: "The child will grow, his clothes will not."

W

"Wrth gicio a brathu, mae cariad yn magu."
Translation: "Whilst kicking and biting, love develops."

Y

"Y cyntaf i'r felin gaiff falu."
Translation: "The first to the mill grinds."

"Y mae dafad ddu ym mhob praidd."
Translation: "Every flock has its black sheep."

"Yr hen a ŵyr a'r ieuanc a dybia."
Translation: "The old know and the young suspect."

[Beorn]

An unashamed Medieval II: Total War moment here, but:

• It is easy to be brave behind a castle wall. - Welsh proverb
• In a fight, anger is as good as courage. - Welsh proverb