• Cha d'fhag claidheamh Fhinn riamh fuigheall beuma.
  • Fingal's sword never had to cut twice.

• Is fhearr fheuchainn na bhith san duil.
  • It's better to try than to hope.

• Chan eil tuil air nach tig traoghadh.
  • Every flood will have an ebb.

• Is e 'n cadal fada ni 'n t-iomradh teth.
  • Long sleep makes hot rowing.

• Na abair do sheanfhacal gus an toir thu do long gu caladh.
  • Don't quote your proverb 'til you bring your ship to port.

• Aon bho a bhristeas an garradh, 's a dha dheug a leumas
  • One cow breaks the fence, and a dozen leap it.

• Is leor luathas na h-earba gun na coin a chur rithe.
  • The roe is swift enough without setting the dogs on her.

• Mhealladh e 'n t-ugh bhon chorra-ghlais, ged bhiodh a da shuil a' coimhead air.
  • He would cheat the heron of her egg, though her two eyes were fixed on him.

• Is duilich burn glan a thoirt a tobar salach.
  • It's difficult to draw pure water from a dirty well.

• Is fhearr an t-olc a chluinntinn na fhaicinn.
  • Better to hear the evil than see it.

• Dh'aithnichinn air do sheirc do thabhartas.
  • I would know your gift by your graciousness.

• Far an taine 'n abhainn, 's ann as mo a fuaim.
  • Where the stream is shallowest, greatest is its noise.

• An car a bhios san t-seana mhaide, 's duilich a thoirt as.
  • The crook in the old stick is ill to take out.

• Is bior gach srabh san oidhche.
  • Every straw is a thorn at night.

• Is iomadh urchair tha dol san fhraoch.
  • Many a shot goes into the heather.

• Is fad' an abhainn air nach fhaighear ceann.
  • It's a long river whose head can't be found.

• Gheibh righ feachd, 's gheibh domhan daoine.
  • Kings will find armies, and the world men.

• Ge cruaidh sgarachdainn, cha robh dithis gun dealachadh.
  • Though separation be hard, two never met but had to part.

• Ruigidh an ro-ghiullachd air an ro-ghalar.
  • The best of nursing may overcome the worst disease.

• Eisd ri gaoth nam beann gus an traoigh na h-uisgeachan.
  • Listen to the mountain wind, 'til the streams abate.

• Chan eil gach iuchair san tir an crochadh ri aon chrios.
  • All the keys in the land do not hang from one girdle.

• Mas olc am fitheach, chan fhearr a chomann.
  • If bad be the raven, his company is no better.

• Cuir do lamh sa chliabh, 's thoir do rogha leabaig as.
  • Put your hand into the creel, and take your choice of flounders.

• Cho corrach ri ugh air droll.
  • As unsteady as an egg on a stick.

• Is fhurasda caisteal gun seisdeadh a ghleidheach.
  • It's easy to keep a castle that's not besieged.

• Ge fagas clach don lar, is faisge na sin Choibhi.
  • Though near be the stone to the ground, closer is the help of Coivi.

• Mar lus an Domhnaich, gun mhath, gun dolaidh
  • Like the herb plucked on Sunday, it does neither good nor ill.

• Is i chuileag bhuidhe bhuachair as airde srann.
  • The yellow dung-fly makes the loudest hum.

• Is minig a bha claidheamh math an droch thruaill.
  • Good sword has often been in poor scabbard.

• Ma bheir thu Muile dhiom, cha toir thu muir is tir dhiom
  • You may take Mull from me, but you can't take sea and land from me.

• Is minig a thainig comhairle ghlic a ceann amadain.
  • Often has wise counsel comes from a fool's head.

• Is trom snighe air taigh gun tughadh.
  • Raindrops come heavy on a house unthatched.

• Na geill do ghis, cha gheill gis dhut.
  • Don't give in to spells, they won't give in to you.

• Gabh eolas Rubh' a' Bhaird air.
  • Take it like the Bard's Point.

• Is i an dias as truime as isle chromas a ceann.
  • The heaviest ear of corn bends its head lowest.

• Is tric as daoir' a' chomain na 'n dubh-cheannach.
  • A favour often costs more than what's hard-bought.

• Cha bhi suaimhneas aig eucoir, no seasamh aig droch-bheairt.
  • Wrong cannot rest, nor ill deed stand.

• Is ann a tha 'n cairdeas mar a chumar e.
  • Friendship is as it's kept.

• Am fear nach gleidh na h-airm san t-sith, cha bhi iad aige 'n am a' chogaidh.
  • He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.
  • (IE: If you want peace, prepare for war. Cf. Latin and French proverbs.)

• Cha tig muir mhor tron chaolas chumhann.
  • A great sea comes not through a narrow strait.

• Tha fios fithich agad.
  • You have a raven's knowledge.

• Cha tuig an t-og aimbeart, 's cha tuig amadan aimhleas.
  • Youth foresees not poverty, nor the fool his mischief.

• Chan e ciad sgeul an t-sagairt bu choir a chreidsinn.
  • It is not the priest's first story that should be believed.

• An uair as laine 'n cupan, 's ann as dorr' a ghiulan.
  • When the cup is fullest it is most difficult to carry.

• Is mios' an t-eagal na 'n cogadh.
  • Fear is worse than fighting.

• Bidh gach fear a' tarraing uisge gu mhuileann fhein.
  • Each draws water to his own mill.

• Bheir duine beath' air eiginn, ach cha toir e rath air eiginn.
  • A man may force a livelihood, but cannot force fortune.

• Dean maorach fhad 's a bhios an traigh ann.
  • Get bait while the tide is out.

• Is uaine feur na faiche as fasaiche.
  • Green is the grass of the least trodden field.

• Ma tha Dia ann, 's chan eil fhios a bheil, fag eadar sinn fhein 's na biodagan!
  • If there be a God, and no one knows whether there be, leave it between ourselves and the dirks!

• Is minig a bha an fhirinn searbh ri h-innse.
  • Truth is often harsh to tell.

• Is buaine bladh na saoghal.
  • Renown is more lasting than life.

• Na tarraing mi gun adhbhar, 's na pill mi gun chliu.
  • Neither draw me without cause, nor return me without honour.
  • (A sword inscription.)

• Is cruaidh a leonar an leanabh nach innis a ghearan.
  • The child is sadly hurt that doesn't tell his illness.

• Caidlidh duine air gach cneadh ach a chneadh fhein.
  • A man can sleep on every hurt but his own.

• Is fhearr na 'n t-or sgeul innse air choir.
  • Better than gold is a tale rightly told.

• Chan or a h-uile rud buidhe, 's chan uighean a h-uile rud ban.
  • All that's yellow is not gold, and all white things are not eggs.

• Tha chomhachag ri bron, thig tuiltean oirinn.
  • The owl is mourning, rain is coming.

• Fialachd don fhogarrach, 's cnaimhean briste don eucorach!
  • Hospitality to the exile, and broken bones to the oppressor!

• Ruithidh an taigeis fhein le bruthaich.
  • Even a haggis will run downhill.

• Is ioma doigh a th' air cu a mharbhadh gun a thachdadh le ìm.
  • There are many ways of killing a dog without choking him with butter.

• Is mor toirm cuilce gun dol troimhpe.
  • The storm of reeds is loud till you go through them.

• Is lugha na fride mathair a' chonnsachaidh.
  • The mother of dissension is smaller than a mite.'

• Mar a theid an t-eun o dhuilleag gu duilleag, theid am meanan o dhuine gu duine.
  • As the bird goes from leaf to leaf, the yawn goes from man to man.

• Moran sgalan, 's beagan ollainn, mun dubhairt Muisean 's e lomairt na muice.
  • Great cry and little wool, as the Devil said when he sheared the sow.

• Na innis do run do d'charaide gorach, no do d'namhaid glic.
  • Tell not thy mind to thy foolish friend, nor to thy wise enemy.

• Ithear cruach 'na breacagan.
  • A stack can be eaten in cakes.

• Chan e gogadh nan ceann a ni an t-iomradh.
  • It is not the nodding of heads that does the rowing.

• Is math an sgathan suil caraide.
  • A friend's eye is a good looking-glass.

• Is fhearr deagh chainnt na h-asail na droch fhacal faidh.
  • The good speech of an ass is better than the bad word of a prophet.

• Shaoil leis gum bu leis fhein an cuan fo gheasaibh.
  • He thought the ocean his own under his spells.

• Is binn gach eun 'na dhoire fhein.
  • Sweet sings each bird in his own grove.

• An rud a nitear sa chuil, thig e dh'ionnsaigh an teine.
  • What's done in the corner will come to the hearth.

Source: Gaelic Proverbs, by Alexander Nicolson. October 2003; Birlinn, Limited.