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Veneto, Italy | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Folk Sayings or Proverbs on Women -- by Region -- Veneto
o in Italian: (Dialect) Le femene xe: sante in casa, anzoli in strada, diavoli in casa, al balcon civete e su la porta le xe gazete.
o in English: Women are: saints at home, angels on the road, devils at home, on the balcony: flirts and between the doorways: gossips.
o in Italian: (Dialect) Ch che zerca cavalo e femena senza difeto, no 'l gavara mai cavalo in stala e femena in leto.
o in English: He who looks for a horse or a woman without faults, has never had a horse in his barn or a woman in his bed.
o in Italian: (Dialect) E femene xe come e sardee, buta via ea testa tuto el resto ex bon.
o in English: (Literally) Women are like sardines -- throw out the heads, all the rest is good. (Meaning) A woman has a nice enough body to have sex with, but as she has no brains to speak of, she cannot have a head for business or for anything else for that matter.
o in Italian: (Dialect) Le tose lo desidera, le maridae lo prova, le vedove lo recorda.
o in English: The girl desires it [marriage], the wife tries it out, and the widow remembers it.
o in Italian: (Dialect) Amor de mare, amor de mato.
o in English: The love of a mother, the love of a mad woman.
o in Italian: Cuore di mamma, cuore che non inganna.
o in English: (Literally) The heart of a mother -- a heart that does not deceive. (Meaning) A mother's love has no strings attached.
o in Italian: (Dialect) I omini i ga i ani che i se senti, le done quil che le mostra.
o in English: (Literally) Men have the years they feel, women, what they show. Meaning: Men are as old as they feel; women are as old as they look.
o in Italian: (Dialect) Co ''eta avansa, l'omo fa el stomego, la dona pansa.
o in English: With the passing of the years, men get a big stomach and women, a big belly.
o in Italian:(Dialect) La galina vecia vole un galeto zovane.
o in English: An old hen wants a young cock. (Meaning) Older women prefer younger men as partners.
o in Italian: (Dialect) Xe pi le done che varda i omani che le stele che varda la tera.
o in English: There are more women who look at men than there are stars that look at the earth.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #818696
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Veneto, Italy | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Eating & Drinking -- Love & Marriage -- by Region -- Veneto*
o in Italian: (Dialect) E femene xe come e sardee, buta via ea testa tuto el resto ex bon.
o in English: (Literally) Women are like sardines -- throw out the heads, all the rest is good. (Meaning) A woman has a nice enough body to have sex with, but as she has no brains to speak of, she cannot have a head for business or for anything else for that matter.
*For Italian proverbs or folk sayings on eating and drinking that are not gender-specific see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Eating and Drinking." | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1117722
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Italy | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: The following list was taken from the book,"Polyglot Foreign Proverbs, comprising French, Italian, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, and Danish, with English Translations" by Henry G. Bohn (London: Bell & Daldy York Street Covent Garden, 1867) available for free at www.books.google.ca.
I. Agli uomini ogni peccato mortale e veniale, alle donne ogni veniale e mortale.
E. In men every mortal sin is venial, in women every venial sin is mortal.
I. Alle belle donne le pin volte toccano i brutti uomini.
E. Handsome women generally fall to the lot of ugly men.
I. Al lume di lucerna ogni rustica par bella.
E. By lamplight every country wench seems handsome.
I. Bellezza e follia sovente in compagnia.
E. Beauty and folly are often companions.
I. Buon cavallo e mal cavallo vuole sproni; buon a femmina e
malafemmina vuolbastoni.
E. A good horse and a bad horse need the spur;
a good woman and a bad woman need the stick.
I. Chi piglia l'anguilla per la coda, e la donna per la parola, puo
dir che non tiene niente.
E. Who takes an eel by the tail and a woman at her word, may say he holds nothing.
I. Chi pinge il fiore, non gli da l'odore.
E. He that paints a flower does not give it perfume.
I. Donna che dona di rado e buona; donna che piglia e nell' altrui artiglia.
E. The woman who gives is seldom good; the woman who accepts is in the power of the giver.
I. Donna di finestra, uva di strada.
E. A woman who loves to be at the window is like a bunch of grapes on the wayside.
I. Donna si lagna, donna si duole, donna s'ammala quando la Vuole.
E. A womman's in pain, a woman's in woe, a woman is ill, when she likes to be so.
I. Donne, asini, e noci voglion le mani atroci.
E. Women, asses, and nuts, require strong hands.
I. Donne, preti, e polli non son mai satolli.
E. Women, priests, and poultry, never have enough.
I. Feminine e galline per troppo andar si perdono.
E. Women and hens are lost by too much gadding.
I. Figlie e vetri sou sempre in pericolo.
E. Lasses and glasses are always in danger.
I. Gli uomini fanno la roba, e le donne la conservano.
E. Men make wealth, and women preserve it.
I. Gli uomini hanno gli anni ch' e' sentono, e le donne quelli
clie mostrano.
E. Men are as old as they feel, and women as they look.
I. La donna all' improwiso, e 1' uomo a caso pensato.
E. Woman (decides), impromptu; man, on reflection.
I. Lagrime di donna, fontana di malizia.
E. Women's tears are a fountain of craft.
I. Le donne dicono sempre il vero, ma non lo dicono tntto intero.
E. Women always speak the truth, but not the whole truth.
I. Le donne sanno un punto piu. del diavolo.
E. Women know a point more than the devil.
I. Le donue si fanno rosse per non arrossire.
E. Women rouge that they may not blush.
I. Le parole son feminine, e i fatti son niascbi.
E. Words are female, deeds are male.
I. L' hai tolta bella? Tuo dauno.
E. You have married a beauty? So much the worse for you.
I. Ne donna, ne tela a lume di candela.
E. Neither women nor linen by candlelight.
I. Un uomo di paglia vuole una donna d' oro.
E. A man of straw needs a woman of gold.
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Italy | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: The following list was taken from the book, "Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages" classified by subject, arranged alphabetically, compiled by Robert Christy (New York: Putnam's Sons, 1887). I
Ideas.
Woman
6. A beautiful woman smiling bespeaks a purse
weeping, Ital.
59. A woman complains, a woman in woe,
A woman is sick when she likes to be so. Ital.
90. A woman's tears are a fountain of craft. Ital,
118. Adam must have an Eve to blame for all his
faults. Ital,
163. In men every mortal sin is venial ; in women
every venial sin is mortal. Ital.
166. It is better to irritate a dog than an old
woman. Ital.
168. It is vain to watch a really bad woman. Ital.
184. Men are as old as they feel and women as
they look. Ital.
246. The smiles of a pretty woman are the tears of
the purse. Ital
275. To a foolish woman, a violin is more pleasing
than a distaff. Ital.
306. When woman reigns the devil governs. Ital.
313. Who takes an eel by the tail, and a woman
at her word, may say he holds nothing. Ital.
319. Woman impromptu, man on reflection. Ital.
341. Women and wine intoxicate the young and
old. Ital
350. Women are wise impromptu, fools on reflection. Ital.
351. Women, asses, and nuts require strong hands.
Ital.
361. Women know a point more than the devil.
Ital.
367. Women rouge that they may not blush. Ital
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Italy | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: The following list comes from the book, "Select Proverbs, Italian, Spanish, French, English Scottish, British, etc. chiefly moral, the foreign languages done into English," edited by John Mapletoft (London: J.H. for P. Monckton, 1707).
E. A fair woman without virtue is like palled wine.
I. Bella senza bonta e come vino sventa.
E. Tell a woman she is wondrous fair, and she will soon turn fool.
I. Di gli che e bella, e pazza diverra ella.
E. Paint and patches give offence to the husband, hopes to her gallant.
I. Belletto e moschette ossesa al marito, speranza al amante.
E. A woman that loves to be at the window is like abunch of grapes in the highway.
I. Donna di fenestra uva di strada.
E. A woman and a glass are never out of danger.
I. La donna e il vetro sempre in pericolo.
E. a woman and a cherry are painted for their own harm.
I. La donna e la cerasa per suo mal s'imbelletta.
E. The best furniture in te house is a virtuous woman.
I. Non v'e miglior mobil in casa quanto la donna dabbene.
E. He has more, has more care, still desires more and enjoys less.
I. Chi piu ha, piu pensa, piu richiedi, e meno gode.
E. The good woman does not say, Will you have this? But gives it to you.
I. La buona madre non dice, Vuoi? Ma da.
E. A fair face or a fine head, and very little brains in it.
I. Bella testa e brutto cervello.
E. A beautiful face is a pleasing traitor.
I. Bella ciera bel tradimento.
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Italy | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: The following Italian proverbs were taken from the book, "CLASSICAL AND FOREIGN QUOTATIONS, LAW TERMS AND MAXIMS, PROVERBS, MOTTOES, PHRASES, AND EXPRESSIONS FRENCH, GERMAN, GREEK, ITALIAN, LATIN, SPANISH, AND PORTUGUESE" [selected] by WM. FRANCIS HENRY KING (LONDON: WHTTAKER and SONS, 1889)
495. Bella femmina che ride, vuol dir borsa che piange. (It.) Prov.
Eng. A beautiful woman smiling means a purse weeping.
The purse must shed its contents to ensure the continuance of the lady's smiles.
513. Berretta in mano non fece mai danno. (It.) Prov.
Eng. Cap in hand never yet did a man harm. Politeness is never thrown away.
1247. Donne, asini e noci Voglian le mani atroci. (It.)
Pro v. Eng. Women, asses, and nuts require strong hands.
2514. La donna e mobile. (It.) Opera of Rigoletto, Verdi.
Eng. Woman is an inconstant thing. Cf. Varium et mutabile semper Feinina. (L.) Virg. A. 4, 569.
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Italy | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: The following Italian proverbs and sayings were taken from "A BOOK OF QUOTATIONS PROVERBS AND HOUSEHOLD WORDS, a Collection of Quotations from British and American Authors, Ancient and Modem; with many Thousands of Proverbs, Familiar Phrases and Sayings, from all sources, including Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and other Languages" by W. GURNEY BENHAM (PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY & London: CASSELL & Company, 1907).
Ital. Figlie e vetri son sempre inpericolo.
Eng. Girls and glass are always in danger.
Ital. Bellezza e follia sovente in compagnia.
Eng. Beauty and folly are often companions.
Ital (Old Tuscan). L'Inghilterra il paradiso delle donne. il purgatorio degli uoniini, 1' inferno del cavalli.
Eng. England is the paradise of women,
the purgatory of men, and the hell of horses.
Ital. Alle belle donne le piiY volte toccano i brutti uomini.
Eng. Handsome women generally fall to the lot of ugly men.
Ital. Se la donna fosce piccola come d bnona,
La minima fogtia la larrebbe una veste e ma corona.
Eng. If a woman were little as she is good,
A peascod would make her a gown and a hood.
Ital. Trista h quella casa dove le galline cantanto
e'l gallotace.
Eng. It is it sad house where the hen crows loudest.
Ital. Gli uomini fanno la roba, e le donne la conservano.
Eng. Men make wealth and women preserve it.
Ital. Due donne e un' oca fanno un mercato.
Eng. Two women and a goose make a market.
Ital. Dove sono donne 6 ocche non vi sono
parole poche.
Eng. Where there are women and
geese there is no want of noise.
Ital. Women know a point more than the devil.
Eng. Le donne sanno un punto pid del diavolo.
Ital. Donne, preti, e poUi non son raal satolli.
Eng. Women, priests, and poultry are never satisfied.
Eng. A maid that giveth yieldeth.(Given
an Italian Froverb.)
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Italy | | Date: n.d. | Notes: The following list of Italian proverbs and sayings about women, marriage, love, in-law relationships etc., was taken from the book, "Proverbi Italiani, ordinati e illustrate," compiled by Francesco D'Ambra (Florence: Adeiano Balani, 1886). The translations were done by Mary Melfi with the help of Google's free translation services at www.translate.google.com. For Francesco D'Ambra's copyright-free text, "Proverbi Italiani," visit www.archive.org.
E. At the mirror, not ugly or old.
I. Allo specchio ne brutta n vecchia.
E. Beautiful woman, evil bearing.
I. Bella donna cattiva testa.
E. A white woman is not lacking in beauty.
I. Donna bianca bellezza non le manca.
E. Beautiful in sight, sad inside.
I. Bella in vista, dentro trista.
E. Beautiful wife, sweet poison.
I. Bella moglie, dolce veleno.
E. Beautiful head is often without brains.
I. Bella testa spesso senza cervello.
E. A beautiful head is often an evil beast.
I. Bella testa talvolta una malvagia bestia.
E. A beautiful body is not inheritance.
I. Bellezza di corpo non eredit.
E. Beauty is like a flower that is born and soon dies.
I. Bellezza come un fiore che nasce e presto muore.
E. Beauty and madness often go together.
I. Belt e foll a vanno spesso in compagnia.
E. The beautiful woman who wants to believe it, thinks her beautiful face causes her pain.
I. Chi bella donna vuol parere, la pelle del viso gli convien dolere.
E. Women to make themselves beautiful, make themselves ugly.
I. Le donne per parer belle si fanno brutte.
E. Who is beautiful is beautiful and graceful, and who is ugly is ugly and spiteful.
I. Chi bello bello e grazioso, chi brutto e brutto e
dispettoso.
E. Who has a beautiful woman in his castle when he's afar, never has peace in his homestead.
I. Chi ha bella donna e castello in frontiera, non ha mai
pace in lettiera.
E. Who has a beautiful wife, is not only his.
I. Chi ha bella moglie la non tutta sua.
I. Chi ha buon cavallo e bella moglie, non ist mai senza doglie.
E. Who has a beautiful horse and a beautiful wife, is never without pain.
E. Who is born beautiful is born married.
I. Chi nasce bella, nasce maritata
E. Beauties easily find husbands
I. Le belle facilmente trovan marito.
E. Who is born beautiful, is not really born poor.
I. Chi nasce bella, non in tutto povera.
E. The best spices are in small bags (Meaning short women make good partners).
I. Le spezierie migliori stanno ne' sacchetti piccoli
E. In small bottles you get good wine.
I. Nella botte piccola ci sta il vin buono (Meaning shrot women make good partners).
E. Smoke goes behind the beautiful.
I. Il fumo va dietro ai belli.
E. A beautiful woman is a beautiful cypress,
That is without fruit, but it is not always true.
I. La bella donna un bel cipresso,
cio senza frutto; ma non sempre vero.
E. Beauty has beautiful leaves, but the fruit is bitter.
I. La bellezza ha belle foglie, ma il frutto amaro.
E. You can't eat beauty (or put it on the table).
I. La bellezza non si mangia (o non si mette in tavola).
E. The eye wants its part (or its right).
I. L'occhio vuol la sua parte (o la sua diritta).
E. Small hand, fine head.
I. Mano piccolina, testina fina.
E. Honesty and kindness surpass beauty.
I. Onest e gentilezza sopravanza ogni bellezza.
E. Beauty and nobleness give wealth.
I. Bellezza e nobilt danno ricchezza.
E. Three things are bad lean -- geese, goats and females.
I. Tre cose son cattive magre, oche, femmine e capre.
E. Get a woman who is less than you, if you want to be the master.
I. Abbi donna di te minore se vuoi essere signore.
E. At the mill or at the vineyard the bride is always missing something.
I. Al molino (o alla vigna) e alla sposa manca sempre
qualche cosa.
E. If a woman wants it, it can be done.
I. Se la donna voi, tutto la poi.
E. Room nicely decorated, wise woman.
I. Camera adorna, donna savia.
E. Who go around with women, lose their judgement.
I. Chi donne pratica, giudizio perde.
E. Sheep and women home at a good hour.
I. Pecore e donne a casa a buon' ora.
E. A good woman is worth a crown.
I. Donna buona vale una corona.
E. Woman of the mountain, a knight of the court (referring to the strength of women living in the mountain countryside.)
I. Donna di monte, cavalier di corte.
E. Woman, fifteen and a man of thirty,
Women and fire don't touch them.
I. Donna di quindici e uomo di trenta.
Donna e fuoco toccali poco.
E. Women and moon, today serene, tomorrow enraged.
I. Donna e luna, oggi serena domani bruna.
E. Women and wine embrace big or small.
I. Donna e vino imbriaca il grande e il piccolino.
E. An idle woman cannot be virtuous.
I. Donna oziosa non pu? essere virtuosa.
E. A prudent woman is a great joy.
I. Donna prudente una gioja eccellente.
E. Old woman, wise woman.
I. Donna vecchia, donna proverbiosa.
E. Woman and melon blessed is he who finds one (meaning who knows how to find melonds, finds a good wife).
I. Donna e popone beato chi se n' appone (chi sa ben trovar meloni, trova buona moglie).
E. A woman gets sick when she wants to be sick.
I. Donna ai ammala quando la vuole.
E. Women are sick thirteen months of the year.
I. Le donne eon malate tredici mesi dell' anno.
E. Women have four sicknesses through the year, and poor me I have to bear them all through the year.
I. Le donne hanno quattro malattie all' anno, e tre bei
me dura ogni malanno.
E. Women, donkeys and nuts need heavy hands.
I. Donne, asini e noci voglion le mani atroci.
E. Women and oxen [better taken] from your own town.
I. Donne e buoi de' paesi tuoi.
E. Better to get wives from near by areas because those from afar may want to get married but they also want to deceive.
I. Moglie e ronzino pigliali dal vicino perch
chi di lontano si va a maritare sar ingannato o
vuol ingannare.
E. Women give, they make men, and then unmake them.
I. Donne danno, fanno gli uomini e gli disfanno.
E. Women and sardines are good tiny.
I. Donne e sardine son buone piccoline.
E. Where a woman dominates everything is contaminated.
I. Dove donna domina tutto si contamina.
E. Where the woman dominates and governs, often there is no peace.
I. Dove la donna domina e governa, ivi sovente la pace non sverna.
E. Who is governed by the counsel of women cannot advise.
I. Chi ai governa per consiglio di donne non pu donrare.
E. Where there are women and geese there are few words.
I. Dove son femmine e oche non vi son parole poche.
E. Women and geese have little.
I. Donne e oche tienne poche.
E. A woman cries from one ey and laughs from the other.
I. Femmina piange da un occhio e dall'altro ride.
E. Women, wine and horse: foul merchandise.
I. Femmine, vino e cavallo, mercanzia di fallo.
E. River, gutter and a quarrelsome woman, should be put her outside the house (even Solomon suggests that quarrelsome women belong in the gutter).
I. Fiume, grondaia e donna parlatora, mandan mi di casa fuora (Anche Solomone ne" Proverbi rassomiglia la donna ciarliera e litigiosa a una grondaia).
E. A shy woman, a woman desired.
I. Giovane ritirata, giovane desiderata.
E. Large dowry, such gallantry.
I. Grand dote gran baldezza.
E. Where dowry comes into it, out goes liberty.
I. Dov' entra dote esce libert.
E. A dowry of a woman never enriched any house.
I. Dote di donna non arricch mai casa.
E. The bell chamber is the worst sound that one can have in one's ears (meaning the reproaches of one's wife are the most intrusive).
I. Il campanello di camera il peggio suono che si possa
avere negli orecchi (Cio i rimbrotti della moglie importuna).
E. A beautiful happy wife gives little and takes a lot.
I. Il contento di bella moglie poco ti d e molto ti toglie.
E. The heart of a woman can be cut into wedges like a melon.
I. Il cuor delle donne fatto a spicchi come il popone.
E. A woman is like a chestnut beautiful outside, and inside, good enough to eat.
I. La donna come la castagna; bella di fuori e dentro la magagna.
E. A woman is like one's appetite, it comes with the time.
I. La donna come l'appetito, va contentata a tempo.
I. A woman and vegetable garden takes to one master.
E. La donna e 1'orto vuole un sol padrone.
I. A woman has more quirks than curls.
E. La donna ha pi capricci che ricci.
E. Women, fire and the sea are dangerous.
I. La donna, il fuoco e il mare fanno tuom pericolare.
E. The woman however small that she may be, conquers the devil in mischief.
I. La donna, per piccola che la sia, la vince il diavolo in furberia.
E. A woman is born in one place, but does not necessarily die in the same place.
I. La donna sa dove nasce e non sa dove muore.
E. The hen that stays in the henhouse is not there because she loves the cock.
I. La gallina che sta nel pollaio e se no che vuol bene al gallo .
E. Tears of women, fountain of malice.
I. Lagrime di donne, fontana di malizia.
E. The frying pan and the oil lamp consume a lot of [expensive] oil, but a woman who is wicked, is worse than [money spent on] oil.
I. La padella e la lucerna consumano molto olio; la donna se ? cattiva, altro che olio!
E. The wise woman fixes up the house, the crazy one, messes it up.
I. La savia femmina rifa la casa, e la matta la disf.
E. The good woman has neither eyes nor ears.
I. Le buone donne non hanno ne occhi n orecchi.
E. The women arrive, fools and wise.
I. Le donne arrivano i pazzi e i savi.
E. Women tell the truth, but not the whole truth.
I. Le donne dicono sempre il vero; ma non lo dicono
tutto intero.
E. Women and cherries are colored by what's inside.
I. Le donne e le ciliege son colorite per lor proprio danno.
E. Women have long hair, but short brains.
I. Le donne hanno lunghi i capelli e corto il cervello.
E. Women have seven spirits in the body.
I. Le donne hanno sette spiriti in corpo.
E. Women are like cats, they don't fly until their nose dies.
I. Le donne son come i gatti; finch non battono il
naso non muoiono.
E. Women have their souls attached to their bodies with glue.
I. Le donne hanno l'anima attaccata al corpo con la colla cerviona.
E. The cat has nines and a woman seven more.
I. La gatta ha sette vite e la donna sette pi.
E. Women know how to get rid of lice.
I. Le donne piglian bene le pulci.
E. Women when they are young girls have seven hands and only one tongue, when they get married they have seven tongues and one hand only. (Girls are studying to work, but they only manage to learn how to speak or complain.)
I. Le donne quando son ragazze han sette mani e una
lingua sola; e quando son maritate han sette lingue
e una mano sola. (Le ragazze si studiano di lavorare per farsi il corredo e poco si arrischiano a parlare.)
E. Almost all women look beautiful and then they become ugly.
I. Le donne quasi tutte per parer belle le si fanno brutte.
E. Women always expect the worse.
I. Le donne s' attaccano sempre al peggio.
E. Women are daughters of delay.
I. Le donne son figliuole dell' indugio.
E. Women are saints in the church, angels in the stret, devils in the house, owels in the window, and magpies at the door.
I. Le donne son sante in chiesa, angeli in istrada, diavole in casa, civette alla finestra, e gazze alla porta.
E. Girls cry with one eye, a married women with two, and nuns, with four.
I. Le ragazze piangono con un occhio, le maritate con
due, e le monache con quattro.
E. Crazy is the woman who doesn't believe a man, who doesn't think a pair of pants warrants faith.
I. Matta la donna che noli' uomo crede, che ne' calzoni
si porta la fede.
E. Fat wife, merry husand; thin wife, sorry husband.
I. Moglie grassa, marito allegro; moglie magra, marito
addolorato.
E. Do not give the pants [power] to the wife.
I. Non dare i calzoni alla moglie.
E. It is said of women, beautiful or ugly, all want the same adornments.
I. Si dice delle donne, quando, o belle o brutte che sieno,
vogliono gli adornamenti che hanno tutte le altre.
E. If women were made of gold they would not be worth a penny.
I. Se le donne fossero d' oro non varrebbero un quattrino.
E. A woman needs the guidance of a man.
I. La donna ha bisogno della guida dell'uomo.
E. Three things one cannot keep hidden:
a woman in the house, something melting in the bag and straw in one's shoes.
I. Tre cose non si possono tener nascoste: donne in casa, fusi in sacco e paglia nelle scarpe.
E. Three women make a market, four make a fair.
I. Tre donne fanno un mercato, e quattro fanno una fiera.
E. It is easier to find a sweet swormwood
Than to find silence among a few women.
I. Pi facile trovar dolce l'assenzio
che in mezzo a poche donne un gran silenzio.
E. All mortal sins are female.
I. Tutti i peccati mortali son femmine.
E. A man of straw wants a woman of gold.
I. Un uomo di paglia vuole un donna d'oro.
E. Daughters and pancakes, the more you make, the more beautiful.
I. Figliuole e frittelle; quante pi se ne fa, pi vengon
belle.
E. A girl is like a pearl, the more you see, the more beautiful she is.
I. La ragazza come la perla, men che si vede o pi e
bella.
E. Beauty lasts up to the door.
Goodness until one's death
I. Le bellezze duran fino alla porta.
Le bont fino alla morte.
E. The chicken that stays in the house always gets it (said of the girls who are slow to marry and become spiteful, but they should console themselves that God will provide for them).
I. La gallina che resta in casa sempre becca (Detto delle ragazze che tardano a maritarsi e divengono dispettose, ma dovrebbero consolarsi pensando che chi aspetta, Dio assetta).
E. The girl who waits (to get married) can still get lucky.
I. Ragazza che dura non perde ventura.
E. The egg doesn't want to know more of the chicken (said of mothers and daughters).
I. L'uovo ne vuol saper pi della gallina (Lo dicono le mamme alle figliuole).
E. There is no peace in the house when the chicken sings, and the hen stays silent (There is no peace in the house when the wife dominates).
I. In casa non c' pace, quando gallina canta e gallo tace (o, quando la moglie comanda al marito)
E. Men are the age they feel, women the age they look.
I. Gli uomiai hanno gli anni eh' e' sentono e le donne quelli che mostrano.
| Contributed by: English translations, Mary Melfi; Italian text, courtesy of www.archive.org
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Italy | | Date: n.d. | Notes: This entry contains Italian proverbs and sayings about women. The proverbs were originally published in Italian in the book, "L'Igiene Della Tavola, dalla bocca del popolo ossia Proverbi che hanno riguardo all'alimentazione Raccolti in varie parti d'Italian ed ordinate par Domenico Giuseppe Bernoni (Venezia: Di Giuseppe Ceccini ec., 1872). The translations were done by Mary Melfi with help from Google's free translation service, www.translate.google.com. For Giuseppe Bernoni's "Ligiene Della Tavola" visit www.archive.org.
E. Three things are bad that are skinny: geese, goats and women.
I. Tre cose sono cattive magre: oche, femmine e capre.
E. All mouths are sisters.
I. Tutte le bocche son sorelle.
E. Women, dogs and cod,
They're not good unless they are beaten.
I. Donne, cani e baccalà ,
Non son buoni se non son ben pesta, [battuti)
E. Women and geese, have only a few.
I. Donne e oche, tienne poche.
E. Uncooked greens, a naked woman and a room on the ground floor, will lead a man to his tomb.
I. Erba cruda, donna ignuda e camera terrena, al sepolcro l'uomo mena.
E. My house, my lady, bread and garlic, my life.
I. Casa mia, donna mia, pane e aglio, vita mia.
E. The pumpkins born between the two Madonnas are always the best.
I. Le zucche nate fra le due Madonne son sempre le
più buone.
E. Women and melon, blessed are those who don't approach them.
I. Donna e popone, beato chi se ne appone.
E. Melons and women, either are all good or all bad.
I. Mellone e donna, o tutto buono o trist' affatto.
E. Gooseberry are desired by pregnant women.
I. L'uva spina è una voglia da donna gravida.
E. Daughters and pancakes, the more you can make, the more beautiful they become.
I. Figliuole e frittelle, quante più se ne fa più vengon belle.
E. Women and pancakes are not good if they're not beautiful.
I. Donne e frittelle non son buone se non son belle.
E. As to wives, water and salt, if you don't ask you don't get.
I. Ne moglie, né acqua, né sale, a chi te ne chiede non gliene dare.
E. Water, fire and bad women, put to flight the company.
I. Acqua, fuoco e donna cattiva, mettono in fuga la compagnia.
E. A woman young, wine, old.
I. Donna giovane e vin vecchio.
E. A table without wine is like an organ without bellows and a woman without hair.
I. Tavola senza vino è come organo senza mantice e donna senza chioma.
E. Drinking and walking you get to know women.
I. Al bere e al camminare si conoscon le donne.
| Contributed by: English translations, Mary Melfi; Italian text, courtesy of www.archive.org
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Italy | | Date: n.d. | Notes: This entry contains Italian proverbs and Italian sayings about women and their concerns. The proverbs were originally published in Italian in the book, "Proverbi e Modi Proverbiali Italiani raccoliti da Giulio Franceschi" (Milano: Ulrico Hoepli, 1908). The English translations were done by Mary Melfi with help from Google's free translation service at www.translate.google.com. Giulio Franceschi's "Proverbi e Modi Proverbiali Italiani" is available for free at www.archive.org.
ENGLISH. Who does not believe the mother, believes the mother-in-law.
ITALIAN. Chi non crede alla madre, crederà alla matrigna.
ENGLISH: A mother who is a busybody, makes the family miserable. (The proverb implies that mother is trying to assert her superiority.)
ITALIAN: La madre faccendiera, fa la famiglia misera. (Per faccendiera intondesi nel proverbio quella che si dedica a imprese superiori alla sua capacità .)
ENGLISH: A mother means a martyre.
ITALIAN: Madre vuol dir martire.
ENGLISH: The good mother will produce a good daughter.
ITALIAN: La buona madre fa la buona figliuola.
ENGLISH: The plant that bears a lot of fruit, not all mature.
ITALIAN: La pianta che fa molti frutti, non li matura tutti.
ENGLISH: Anyone can give you bread, but not like a mother can.
ITALIAN: Ognun da pane, ma non come mamma.
ENGLISH: Who does more for you than your mother, is out to deceive you. Or who loves you more than a mother, is out to deceive you.
ITALIAN: Chi fa più di mamma, certo m'inganna. Ovvero: Chi t'ama più di mamma, t'inganna. (Restando sottinteso: chi ti dice di fare, o di amarti, piti della mamma, t'inganna).
ENGLISH: Your father and mother won't always accompany you (or won't always be around).
ITALIAN: Babbo e mamma non campan sempre.
ENGLISH: Woe to that family where the father does not command.
ITALIAN: Guai a quella famiglia dove non comanda il padre.
ENGLISH: A dead mother, a blind father.
ITALIAN: Madre morta - padre cieco.
ENGLISH: Children live off the mother when they are small, the father, when they are grown up.
ITALIAN: I figliuoli succhiano la madre quando son piccoli, e il padre quando son grandi.
ENGLISH: Chldren of one womb, but not all the same.
ITALIAN: Figli di un ventre, non tutti di una mente.
ENGLISH: Wolves don't give birth to lambs.
ITALIAN: Dal lupo non provengono agnelli.
ENGLISH: Who has a mole on her neck, her son is a daredevil.
ITALIAN: Chi ha il neo sul collo - è figliuol d'un rompicollo.
ENGLISH: Old husband, young wife -- many children.
ITALIAN: Marito vecchio e moglie giovane, assai figliuoli.
ENGLISH: When a father marries his daughter she has a house and a vineyard, when she is married, the house and vineyard are gone.
ITALIAN: Quando il padre marita la figlia egli ha casa e vigna - quando l'ha maritata, casa e vigna se n'è andata.
ENGLISH: Who wants to have a nice family starts off with daughters.
ITALIAN: Chi vuol far bella famiglia incominci dalla figlia.
ENGLISH: It's a lucky man whose first child is a daughter.
ITALIAN: All'uomo fortunato nasce prima la figlia.
ENGLISH: In a lucky house, is born first the daughters, then the sons.
ITALIAN: In casa de'galantuomini nasce prima la figlia e dopo gli uomini.
ENGLISH: Marry off the sons when you want, the daughters when you can.
ITALIAN: Accasa il figlio quando vuoi, e la figlia quando puoi.
ENGLISH: Dirty hankies can't be sold (Women of easy virtue won't be able to be married off.).
ITALIAN: Fazzoletti che si tengono in mostra non si vendono.
ENGLISH: Daughters to be married, hard to control.
ITALIAN: Figlie da maritare, fastidiose a governare.
ENGLISH: Daughters, vineyards and gardens, watch them closely.
ITALIAN: Figlie, vigne e giardini - guardale dai vicini.
ENGLISH: Daughters and pancakes, the more you make, the more beautiful they are.
ITALIAN: Figliuole e frittelle - più se ne fa più vengon belle.
ENGLISH: The daughter how she is brought up, the yarn how it is spun.
ITALIAN: La figlia com'è allevata - la stoppa com' è filata.
ENGLISH: A poor mother makes for a talented daughter.
ITALIAN: La madre misera fa la figlia valente.
ENGLISH: A pius mother makes for a virtuous daughter.
ITALIAN: La madre pietosa fa la figlia viziosa.
ENGLISH: Three daughters and a mother, four devils for the father.
ITALIAN: Tre figlie e una madre - quattro diavoli per un padre.
ENGLISH: The heart of a woman is divided into wedges (A woman has the ability to divide her love equally among her children.)
ITALIAN: Il cuor della donna è fatto a spicchi. (Può darne uno spicchio per ciascuno : se però lo si vuole intendere por quello della madre capace di adorare tanti figli benediciamo la sua capacità a dividersi.)
ENGLISH: The male increases; the female decreases. (The male brings money into the marriage, the woman, takes it out).
ITALIAN: Il maschio aumenta - la femmina diminuisce. (Di uso, specialmente nelle famiglie patrizie, perchè i maschi maritandosi aumentano il patrimonio con la dote che pigliano, mentre le femmine lo diminuiscono portandosela via.)
ENGLISH: The beautiful get married, and so do the ugly.
ITALIAN: Le belle si maritano e le brutte.
ENGLISH: The most beautiful marry before the others.
ITALIAN: Le belle bellezze son le prime spedite (cioè si maritano prima delle altre.).
ENGLISH: He who takes a wife needs two brains.
ITALIAN: A chi prende moglie ci voglion due cervelli.
ENGLISH: The first wife takes care of her own needs, the second, expects capital, the third, she gains.
ITALIAN: Alla prima moglie ci si rimette del suo - alla seconda si sta in capitale - alla terza si guadagna.
ENGLISH: Who wants to chastise the madman, give him a wife.
ITALIAN: Chi vuol gastigare un matto gli dia moglie.
ENGLISH: She who has a pain in his finger is always looking at it, she who has a husband is always sighing.
ITALIAN: Chi ha male al dito - sempre lo mira - chi ha marito sempre sospira.
ENGLISH: He who has a wife, has pain.
ITALIAN: Chi ha moglie, ha doglie.
ENGLISH: Who doesn't know illness and pain, should take a wife and then he'll know what they mean.
ITALIAN: Chi non sa quel che sia malanno e doglie - se non
è maritato prenda moglie.
ENGLISH: Who allows his wife to go to every feast, and allows his horse to drink from every fountain, by the first day of the year, his wife and his horse will be bad.
ITALIAN: Chi mena la moglie a ogni festa - e fa bere il cavallo a ogni fontana - in capo all'anno il cavallo e la moglie.... cattiva donna.
ENGLISH: The man who stays home and allows his wife to go out, will be dishonored.
ITALIAN: Chi resta in casa e manda faor la moglie - semina rola e disonor raccoglie.
ENGLISH: Who gets married does well, who doesn't get married, does even better.
ITALIAN: Chi si marita fa bene - chi no, fa meglio.
ENGLISH: If there is a good wife in a village, everyone believes it is his own.
ITALIAN: Se v'e in paese una buona moglie, ciascuno crede che sia la sua.
ENGLISH: From a good land, take the vineyard, from a good mother, take her daughter.
ITALIIAN: Di buona terra prendi la vigna - di buona madre prendi la figlia.
ENGLISH: Woman of 15, man of thirty (15 years difference is too much).
ITALIAN: Donna di quindici - uomo di trenta. (Quindici anni di differenza son forse troppi.)
ENGLISH: Twice a man enjoys his wife -- when he takes her, and when she leaves.
ITALIAN: Due dì gode il marito la sua metà - quando la
piglia e quando se ne va.
ENGLISH: Better a criticism from a husband, than a kind word from a brother.
ITALIAN È meglio una cattiva parola del marito che una buona del fratello.
ENGLISH: The beautiful wife -- little she gives, a lot she takes.
ITALIAN: Il contento di bella moglie - poco ti dà e molto
ti toglie.
ENGLISH: The wife is the key of the house.
ITALIAN: La moglie è la chiave di casa.
ENGLISH: A fat wife, a happy husband; a thin wife, an unhappy husband.
ITALIAN: Moglie grassa, marito allegro - moglie magra marito addolorato.
ENGLISH: Don't give the pants to the woman.
ITALIAN. Non dare i calzoni alla moglie.
ENGLISH: Where a woman dominates, everything gets contaminated.
ITALIAN: Dove donna domina tutto si contamina.
ENGLISH: Sad is the house where the hen sings and the cock is silent.
ITALIAN: Trist' è quella casa dove gallina canta e il gallo tace.
ENGLISH: Beautiful wife, sweet poison.
ITALIAN: Bella moglie, dolce veleno.
ENGLISH: Who has a beautiful wife does not belong to him alone.
ITALIAN: Chi ha bella moglie non è tutta sua.
ENGLISH: Who gives a young bride to an old man, gets a cradle as drowry.
ITALIAN: Chi dà una giovane per moglie a un vecchio, gli
dà la culla per dote.
ENGLISH: In the vineyard and the bride -- there is always something missing.
ITALIAN: Alla vigna e alla sposa - manca sempre qualche cosa.
ENGLISH: The beauty without a dowry will find more lovers than husbands.
ITALIAN: Le belle senza dote trovano più amanti che mariti.
ENGLISH: Neighors get the girl a husband, the father, her drowry.
ITALIAN: I vicini le maritano (le ragazze) e il padre dà la dote.
ENGLISH: Jealous woman -- dangerous woman.
ITALIAN: Donna gelosa - donna pericolosa.
Women
E. The relatives of the husband -- are bitter like vinegar; the relatives of the wife -- are sweet like honey. (Sicilian proverb, also a Tuscan one).
I. I parenti del marito - sono agri come l'aceto
i parenti della moglie - sono dolci come il miele.
(È un proverbio siciliano - ed in dialetto è anche rimato, ed in parte trova confronto anche nel toscano).
E. Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, storm and hail.
I. Suocera e nuora, tempesta e gragnuola.
E. Death of mother-in-law -- elbow pain.
I. Morte di suocera dolor di gomito.
E. A man without a wife is a man without a boss.
I. Uomo senza moglie è uomo senza capo.
E. Who says, woman, says, damage.
I. Chi disse donna disse danno.
E. Who says woman, says trouble, and who says, man, is worse than ever.
I. Chi disse donna disse guai - E chi disse uomo
peggio che mai.
E. There is no woman without love (based on, "There is no Sunday without sun.")
I. Non vi è donna senza amore.
(Vedi Sole: « Non vi è sabato senza sole ».)
E. The hair of a woman pulls more than one hundred oxen (Meaning, with cunning and good manners you get more than by force.).
I. Tira più un capei di donna che cento paia di
buoi. (Con l'astuzia e le buone maniere si ottiene più che con la forza.)
E. Women have a point more than the devil.
I. Le donne hanno un punto più del diavolo.
E. A woman however small -- wins over the devil in mischief.
I. La donna per piccola che sia - vince il diavolo
in furberia.
E. A woman at 15, a child; at 20, shines; at 25, loves, at 30 lusts, at 35 feels, at 40 wants, and at 50, pays.
I. La donna a 15 anni scherza - a 20 brilla - a
25 ama - a 30 brama - a 35 sente - a 40 vuole
e a 50 paga.
E. A beautiful woman don't give a lot of space (Will meet with a lot of temptation or danger).
I. A donna di gran bellezza dagli poca larghezza
(cioè non lasciarla troppo libera perchè corre molti perìcoli).
E. Beautiful woman, nasty head.
I. Bella donna cattiva testa.
E. Women trying to look good make themselves ugly.
I. Le donne per parer belle si fanno brutte.
E. Watch out for dogs, cats and women with moustaches.
I. Guardati dai cani, dai gatti e dalle donne coi
mustacchi.
E. Tell to a woman that she is beautiful and to a devil, ten times.
I. Di' a una donna che è bella e il diavolo glielo
ripete dieci volte.
E. Those women who don't have children -- don't go to them for pleasure or advice.
I. Dalle donne che non fanno figli - non ci andare
né per piaceri né per consigli.
E. Prudent woman -- excellent joy.
I. Donna prudente - gioia eccellente.
E. Old woman, wise woman.
I. Donna vecchia, donna proverbiosa.
E. Adorned woman -- leaves late and comes home late.
I. Donna adorna - tardi esce e tardi torna.
E. Women and sardines are good small.
I. Donne e sardine, son buone piccoline.
E. Women and geese -- keep only a few.
I. Donne e oche - tienne poche.
E. A young woman, reserved -- a woman desired.
I. Giovane ritirata - giovane desiderata.
E. A woman is like a chestnut -- beautiful outside but inside flawed.
I. La donna è come la castagna - bella di fuori ha
dentro la magagna.
E. A woman and a garden want one owner.
I. La donna e l'orto vogliono un sol padrone.
E. A woman is more capricious than curly-haired (meaning curls in a woman would be desirable, but instead of curls one gets bad character traits).
I. La donna ha piti capricci che ricci
(e la pettinatura con molti ricci è preferita dalle capricciose).
E. All the mortal sins are feminine.
I. Tutti i peccati mortali son femmine.
E. From the sea, salt, and from woman, evil.
I. Dal mare sale - e dalla donna male.
E. A wise woman makes the house, and a crazy one, breaks it.
I. La savia femmina fa la casa, e la matta la disfà .
E. A good woman has no eyes or ears because she does not gossip.
I. Le buone donne non hanno né occhi, né orecchi
perchè non fanno pettegolezzi.
E. Women even when they say the truth, don't say the whole truth.
I. Le donne anche se dicono il vero, non lo dicon
tutt' intero.
E. Women when they are engaged have 7 hands and 1 tongue; when they get married, they have 7 tongues, and 1 hand (Meaning before they marry women do a lot and say little, after they are married the reverse is true.).
I. Le donne quando son fidanzate hanno sette mani
e una lingua sola : quando son maritate hanno
sette lingue e una sola mano.
E. Women are silent only when they don't know.
I. Le donne tacciono soltanto quello che non sanno.
E. Women are saints in church, angels in the street, devils in the house, owls at the window and magpies at the door.
I. Le donne son sante in chiesa, angeli in strada,
diavole in casa, civette alla finestra e gazze
alla porta.
E. Shame on the woman who repents for having been good.
I. Povera la donna che si pente d'essere stata buona.
E. The advice of a woman is good if it is spontaneous.
I. Consiglio di donna è buono se spontaneo.
E. If she is big, she is idle, if she is small, she is vicious, if she is beautiful, she is vain, and if she is ugly, she is annoying (How she is, she has to be).
I. Se è grande, è oziosa - se è piccola, è viziosa - se è bella, è vanitosa - se è brutta, è fastidiosa. (O come ha dunque da essere!).
I. If a woman is a great beauty -- don't let her out on the street.
E. Se la donna di gran beltade - non ha angelica
onestade - non le far veder le strade.
E. If women were made of gold they would not be worth any money (Because they could not be shaped with a hammer).
I. Se le donne fossero d'oro non varrebbero un
soldo. (Perchè Voto non regge al martello.)
E. Three woman make a market, four, a fair.
I. Tre donne fanno un mercato e quattro fanno una
fiera.
E. It is easier to find a sweet wormwood than silence when there are a few women around.
I. Più facile è il trovar dolce l'assenzio - che in mezzo a poche donne un gran silenzio.
E. When drinking and walking you get to know women.
I. Al bere e al camminare si conoscon le donne.
E. Three things are bad lean: geese, females and goats.
I. Tre cose son cattive magre: oche, femmine e
capre.
E. Neither woman, or canvas, don't look at her with the light of a candle.
I. Né donna, né tela - non dei guardare a lume di
candela.
E. Who goes after women, loses his judgment.
I. Chi donna pratica, giudizio perde.
E. Sheep and women should go home early.
I. Pecore e donne a casa di buon'ora.
E. A good woman is worth a crown.
I. Donna buona, vale una corona.
E. Women and fire -- don't touch a lot.
I. Donna e fuoco - toccali poco.
E. Women and moon -- today serene, tomorrow dark.
100. Donna e luna - oggi serena - domani bruna.
E. An idle woman cannot be virtuous.
I. Donna oziosa non può esser virtuosa.
E. Woman complains, woman is in pain, a woman gets sick when she wants to.
I. Donna si lagna - donna si duole - donna s'ammala quando lo vuole.
E. All beautiful shoes eventually get scrapped, all beautiful women end up being grandmothers.
I. Ogni bella scarpa divien ciabatta - ogni bella
donna diventa nonna.
E. A woman cries in one eye and laughs in the other.
I. La femmina piange da un occhio e dall'altro ride.
E. Tears of a woman, fountain of malice.
I. Lacrime di donna, fontana di malizia.
E. A girl cries with one eye, the married woman with two and the nun with four.
I. Le ragazze piangono con un occhio, le maritate
con due, e le monache con quattro.
E. It is not beautiful what is beautiful, but what is beautiful is what pleases you. (Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…)
I. Non è bello quel che è bello, ma è bello quel
che piace. (Perchè dopo tutto anche la bellezza è relativa e una bella chinese sarebbe una brutta europea. In ogni modo faranno sempre eccezione le beUezze della donna del Berni: Chiome d'argento fine, irte e attorte Senz'arte attorno a un bel viso d'oro....
E. Beautiful on the outside, sad in the inside.
I. Bella in vista - dentro è trista.
E. A beautiful head is often one without a brain.
I. Bella testa è spesso senza cervello.
E. Beauty is like a flower -- it's born, it blooms and then dies.
I. La bellezza è come un fiore - nasce, fiorisce e
muore.
E. Beauty and foolishness often go together.
I. Beltà e follia vanno spesso in compagnia.
E. A beautiful face attracts the heart.
I. Bella faccia il cuore allaccia.
E. A white woman, beauty is not missing.
I. A donna bianca, bellezza non manca. (Ma anche per le scure v' è: Nigra sunti , sedfoimosa (Catico dei Cantici), e l'altro proverbio:))
E. A brown skin does not detract from beauty -- increases desire.
I. Il bruno il bel non toglie - anzi accresce le voglie.
E. Beauty without goodness is like wine that vanished.
I. Bellezza senza bontà è come vino svanito.
E. Beauty brings its own purse.
I. Beltà porta seco la sua borsa.
E. Who is born beautifully is not totally poor.
I. Chi nasce bella non è in tutto povera.
E. When a woman is beautiful she is never a poor woman.
I. Quando la donna è bella - non è mai poverella;
E. Who is born beautiful will not die of hunger.
I. Chi nasce bella non muore di fame.
E. Who is born beautiful is born married.
I. Chi nasce bella nasce maritata.
E. Who is beautiful is beautiful and graceful -- who is ugly is ugly and spiteful (Proverb said to flatter someone or annoy, not always truthful.)
I. Chi è bello è bello e grazioso - chi è brutto è brutto e dispettoso. (Proverbio detto o per adulare o per far dispetto, ma
non sempre rispondente al vero.)
E. A mole grows beauty (Both physical and moral).
I. Un neo cresce bellezza. (E si dice
tanto in senso fisico che morale, ma )
E. Little stains this beauty.
I. Poca macchia guasta bellezza.
E. Have the seven beauties (eyes, hair, color, personality, voice, feet and little hands).
I. Aver le sette bellezze
(occhi, capelli, colore, personale, voce, piedi e mani piccoli.)
E. Beauty in appearance -- ugly in the piazza.
Ugly in appearance -- beauitufl in the piazza.
I. Bello in fascia - brutto in piazza.
Brutto in fascia - bello in piazza.
E. She's beautiful but she doesn't dance.
I. È bella, ma non balla.
E. Illness and women without reason are found everywhere and in every season.
I. Malanno e donna senza ragione - si trovano in
ogni luogo e in ogni stagione.
E. Dress up and log and it will look like a bow.
I. Vesti un ciocco - pare un fiocco.
E. Dress up a column and it will look like a beautiful woman.
I. Vesti una colonna - pare una bella donna.
E. Dress up a bundle of cloth and it will look like a queen.
I. Vesti una fascina - la pare una regina.
E. May water makes women beautiful.
I. Acqua di maggio fa diventar le donne belle.
E. Eat in your own way, but dress as others do (meaning Eat as you like, but when it comes to dress, follow the fashion.).
I. Mangia a modo tuo e vesti a mo' degli altri.
E. Who can't look fantastic, should at least look good (Meaning if you can't afford designer clothes, you should at least have clothes that fit well).
I. Chi non può far pompa, faccia foggia.
(Se il vestito non è ricco sia almeno ben fatto).
E. God's image is damaged when someone adorns himself too much.
I. Guasta la figura di Dio chi troppo s'orna.
E. In the first year the clothes are put on out of love, and the second year, out of force.
12. I vestiti il prim'anno si portano per amore e
il secondo per forza.
E. A monkey is always a monkey even if it's dressed in silk.
I. La scimia è sempre scimia anche vestita di seta.
E. Three things are beautiful in this world: a priest, saved, an armed knight and a woman all decked up.
I. Tre cose son belle in questo mondo: prete parato, cavaliere armato, donna ornata.
E. A cloak covers those who are ugly and those who are beautiful.
I. Il mantello copre il brutto e il bello.
E. A flower costs money, but it doesn't look good on everyone.
I. Un fiore costa un soldo, ma non sta bene in
petto a tutti.
E. Beauty has beautiful leaves, but its fruit is bitter.
I. La bellezza ha belle foglie, ma il frutto amaro.
E. Honesty and kindness surpass all beauty.
I. Onestà e gentilezza, sopravanza ogni bellezza.
| Contributed by: English translations, Mary Melfi; Italian text, courtesy of www.archive.org
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