Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Scottish Proverbs

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"Burn a Candle at both ends, and it will not last long."

"Many Irons in the Fire, some must cool."

"They that live longest fetch wood farthest."

"Perfect love cannot be without equality."

"A Aiberdeen man never stands tae the wird that hurts him."

""Amaist" an "Very near" hae aye been great leears."

"A' [all] are gude [good] lasses, but where do the ill wives come frae?"

"A aer winter maks a sair winter."

""Because" is a wumman's raeson."

"A aetin horse never foundered."

"A auld pock is aye skailin."

"A auld tout on a new horn is little minded."

"A auld dug bites siccar."

"A auld mason maks a guid barrowman."

"A auld horse micht dee or the gress growe."

"A auld man's a bedfu banes."

"A' are no thieves that dogs bark at."

"A auld pock needs muckle cloutin."

"A auld knave's nae bairn."

"A bad workman always blames his tools."

"A bad wound may heal but a bad name will kill."

"A bairn [child] must creep ere he gang [walk]."

"A bairn maun creep afore it gangs."

"A bald head is soon shaved (An easy task is soon completed.)"

"A bald heid is suin shaved."

"A bawbee cat can leuk at a king."

"A bald heid is soon shaved."

"A bawbee [little] cat may look at a king."

"A bark frae a teethless dug is as guid as a bite."

"A bauld fae is better than a couardly freend."

"A beggar's wallet is a mile tae the bottom."

"A begun turn is hauf ended, qo the wife when she stack the graip in the midden."

"A begun turn is half ended."

"A beltless bairn canna lee."

"A bird in the hand is worth ten fleein'."

"A bird in the hand is worth twa in the bush."

"A bit is aften better gien than etten."

"A bird in the hand's worth twa fleein by."

"A black hen can lay a white egg."

"A bit but an a bit ben maks a mim maiden at the board end."

"A black hen lays a white egg."

"A Blainslie lawin-there's mair for maet than drink."

"A black shui maks a blythe hert."

"A blate cat makes a proud mouse."

"A blinnd man needs nae leukin-gless."

"A blinnd man's wife needs nae paintin."

"A blyth heart makes a blomand visage."

"A blythe heart makes a blooming look."

"A body can like a haggis weel eneuch that wadna like the bag bladded on his chafts."

"A blythe hert maks a bloomin leuk."