 |
|
English speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Folk Sayings, Famous Quotes or Proverbs on Death and Dying
A
o All things grow with time, except grief.
o As soon as a man is born, he begins to die.
B
o The best go first.
o Better a glorious death than a shameful life.
o Better die with honor than live with shame.
o Better ten times ill than one time dead.
o Better the trouble that follows death than the trouble that follows shame.
o Better to heaven in rags than to hell in embroidery.
o Blow not on dead embers.
o Both your friend and your enemy think you will never die.
C
o A coward dies a thousand times before his death. The valiant tastes of death but once (Shakespeare).
o Cowards die many times before their death.
D
o Dead men don't bite.
o Dead men have no friends.
o Dead men tell no lies.
o Dead men tell no tales.
o Dead men tell no tales but there's many a thing learned in the wake-house.
o Death always comes too early or too late.
o Death closes all doors.
o Death keeps no calendar.
o Death is the great leveler.
o Death is the poor man's best physician.
o Death pays all debts.
o Death takes no bribes.
o Death when it comes will have no denial.
o Die with your boots on. (Meaning) Die while you are still very much involved with your work.
o Don't take life too seriously; you'll never get out of it alive.
E
o Earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.
o Eat, drink and be merry (for tomorrow we die).
o Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die.
H
o He begins to die that quits his desires.
o He goes long barefoot that waits for dead man's shoes.
o He that lives on hope will die fasting.
o He who has never been sick dies of the first fit.
o He who pleased everybody died before he was born.
F
o Fear of death is worse than death itself.
o Friendless in life, friendless in death.
G
o God rest his soul.
o Gray hairs are death's blossoms.
I
o "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." [Mark Twain]
o If you come up in this world be sure not to go down in the next.
o If you dig a grave for others you may fall into it yourself.
o If you trust before you try, you may repent before you die.
o If you want praise, die. If you want blame, marry.
o It's better to die on one's feet than live on one's knees.
o It's drowning you're after, don't torment yourself with shallow water.
K
o Keep may out, keep death out.
L
o Let the dead bury the dead.
o Live your own life, for you will die your own death.
o Living worry invites death in a hurry.
M
o A man can only die once. Or, A man can die but once.
o A man may live after losing his life but not after losing his honor.
o Many a day shall we rest in the clay.
N
o Never say die (Meaning: Never give up).
o Never speak ill of the dead.
O
o Old soldiers never die, they simply fade away.
o One has only to die to be praised.
o Only the good die young.
P
o Plan your life like you will live forever, and live your life like you will die the next day.
T
o There's no trailer hitch on a hearse. Meaning: You can't take your wealth with you when you die.
o There are two things certain in life -- death and taxes. Or, Nothing is certain but death and taxes.
o There are two things that cannot be cured: death and the want of sense.
o Time is a great healer (Meaning: Often said to comfort someone who is in morning, and/or who has been rejected by a lover).
o Time and thinking tame the strongest grief.
W
o The wages of sin is death.
o We must live by the living, not by the dead.
o Whom the gods love die young.
Y
o You can't take it with you when you die.
o Young men may die, old men must.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #06645r
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Death and Dying
A
o All things of this world are nothing unless they have reference to the next.
B
o Better a quiet death than a public misfortune.
o Better it be said, "There he ran away," than "There he died."
o Blessed are the dead that the rain falls on.
C
o Call me fortunate until you see me buried.
o in English translation: Character and presence from the cradle to the tomb.
- Spanish original: Genio y figura hasta la spepultura.
o English equivalent: Cowards die many times.
- Spanish original: Quien teme la muerte no goza la vida.
D
o English equivalent: Dead men have no friends.
- Spanish original: El muerto al hoyo y le vivo al bollo.
o The dearest child of all is the dead one.
E
o Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
- Spanish original: Dentro de cien anos todos calvos.
o Even a sick man shuns death.
F
o English equivalent: Friendless in life, friendless in death.
- Vida sin amigos, muerte sin testigos.
G
o Good men must die, but death cannot kill their names.
L
o in English translation: Life is a dream that one wakes from upon death.
- Spanish original: La vida es un sueno del que se despierta al morir.
M
o in English translation : Marriage and shroud come from heaven.
- Spanish original: Matrimonio y mortaja del cielo bajan.
N
o in English translation: No one ever died of almost.
- Meaning: One is alive or dead (can't be a bit of both).
- Spanish original: De casi no se muere nadie.
O
o Of the malady a man fears, he dies.
o In English translation: Out of sight, out of mind, and when dead, buried.
- Meaning: If you're not around, you'll be forgotten.
- Spanish original: Al que se aleja lo olvidan y al que se muere lo entierran.
S
o She is good and honored who is dead and buried.
T
o in English translation: To a dead king, a king crowned.
- Equivalent: The King is dead. Long live the King!
- Spanish original: A rey meurto, rey puesto.
W
o The wages of sin is death.
o English equivalent: We must live by the living, not by the dead.
- Spanish original: Al viov la hogaza y al muerto, la mortaja.
o When an old man cannot drink, prepare his grave.
o When the child cuts its teeth, death is on the watch.
o in English translation: When touched -- touched.
- Equivalent: When your time is up, it's up.
- Spanish original: Cuando toca, toca.
o When you die, your trumpeter will be buried.
o Whom God loves, die young.
o A widow with big breasts must be either married, buried or sent to a nunnery.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1261509
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Folk Sayings or Proverbs on Death and Dying from French speaking countries
D
o The dead are soon forgotten.
o in English translation (literally): Dead is the beast, dead is the venom.
- Equivalent: Dead dogs don't bite.
- French original: Morte la bete, mort le venin.
o in English translation (literally): A dead man cannot make war.
- Meaning: A dead man deals no blows.
- French original: Homme mort ne fait guerre.
o A dead man has neither relations nor friends.
o Death never takes a wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go.
G
o Glutton: one who digs his grave with his teeth.
o in English translation (literally): Going to bed with the hen and waking with the crow keeps the man from the grave.
- English equivalent: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
- French original: Morte la bete, mort le venin.
o Greedy eaters dig their graves with their teeth.
K
o in English translation: The King is dead, long live the King.
- French original: Le roi est mort, vive le roi!
S
o Sorrow for a widow is like pain in the elbow, sharp and short.
T
o There is no dying by proxy.
o To leave a place is to die a little.
o Too late to grieve when the chance is past.
W
o Even the wealthiest of men end up with nothing but a shroud.
o When one is dead, it is for a long while. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #826480
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
German speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Folk Sayings or Proverbs on Death and Dying from German speaking countries
C
o The coffin is the brother of the cradle.
B
o in English translation (literally): Better to lick the knife than to give up the spoon.
- Meaning: It is preferable to face adversity than to die.
- German original: Lieber das messer ablecken als den loffel abgeben.
D
o in English translation (literally): Declared dead live longer.
- English equivalent: There's life in the old dog yet.
- German original: Totgesagte leben langer.
F
o in English translation: The final shirt has no pockets.
- Equivalent: You can't take it with you (when you die).
- German original: Das letzte hemd hat keine taschen.
L
o Life without a friend is death without a witness.
O
o in English translation: Only dead fish swim with the stream.
- Meaning: You have to be really stupid to be happy about dying. Or, Only idiots await their doom happily.
- German original: Nur tote fische schwimmen mit dem strom.
P
o A person has learned much who has learned how to die.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #826401
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Eastern Proverb or Folk Saying on Death and Dying
o "At the narrow passage there is no brother and no friend."
Image ID: NYPL #1524795. Cigarette Cards: ABCs (published ca. 1922-1939). | Contributed by: Courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery
| | View full size image |
|
Page: 1 / Next >> |
