The Proverbs of Scotland Part 13

A' that's said shouldna be sealed.

A' that ye'll tak wi' ye will be but a kist and a sheet, after a'.

In allusion to the death of persons who may be proud of their possessions.

A' the claes on your back was ance in clues.

A' the corn's no shorn by kempers.

To kemp, to strive. All do not strive alike. All cannot equally excel in work. This proverb supports the claims of those who do not excel, by suggesting that even the "kempers" cannot overtake all the work that is to do.

A' the keys of the country hang na in ae belt.

All the influence or power is not in one man's possession.

A' the men i' the Mearns can do nae mair than they may.

No man can do more than he has strength to do. There is an Aberdeens.h.i.+re saying of similar import, "I can dee fat I dow: the men in the Mearns can dee nae mair."

A' the speed's no in the spurs.

A' the winning's in the first buying.

A' the wit o' the world's no in ae pow.

A'thing angers ye, and the cat breaks your heart.

A' things thrive at thrice.

A'thing wytes that no weel fares.

A thoughtless body's aye thrang.

A thrawn question should hae a thrawart answer.

A thread will tie an honest man better than a rope will do a rogue.

At my leisure, as lairds dee.

"Fair and softly, as lawyers go to heaven."--_English._

A tocherless dame sits lang at hame.

A tocher's nae word in a true lover's parle.

"Oh wae on the siller, it is sae prevailing!

And wae on the love that is fixed on a mailen!

A tocher's nae word in a true lover's parle, But gie me love, and a fig for the warl!"--_Burns._

A toolying tike comes limping hame.

"Toolying tike," quarrelsome dog.

A toom hand is nae lure for a hawk.

A toom pantry maks a thriftless gudewife.

A toom purse maks a thrawn face.

At open doors dogs gae ben.

A travelled man has leave to lee.

A tree's no a mast till its hewn.

"I like the la.s.sie, Mundy, wi' my heart, An' as she's bonny, dootna but she's smart; The creature's young, she'll shape to ony cast-- Nae tree till it be hewn becomes a mast."--_Ross's Helenore._

A tricky man's easiest tricket.

A turn weel done is sune done.

A twalpenny cat may look at a king.

Auld chimes and auld rhymes gar us think on auld times.

Auld folk are twice bairns.

Auld moon mist ne'er died o' thrist.

"Foggy weather in the last quarter of the moon is supposed to betoken moisture."--_Robert Chambers._

Auld sins breed new sairs.

Auld sparrows are ill to tame.

Auld springs gie nae price.

Things out of fas.h.i.+on are valueless.

Auld stots hae stiff horns.

Auld use and wont hings about the fire.

Old manners and customs are difficult to be got rid of.

Auld wives and bairns mak fools o' physicians.

Auld wives were aye gude maidens.