The Proverbs of Scotland Part 36

Hard fare maks hungry bellies.

Hards.h.i.+ps seldom come single.

Haste and anger hinder gude counsel.

Haste maks waste, and waste maks want, and want maks strife between the gudeman and the gudewife.

Hasty meet, hasty part.

"An observation upon marriage suddenly contracted, as if it were ominous, and portended a sudden separation."--_Kelly._

Hasty was hanged, but Speed-o'-foot wan awa.

Haud the hank in your ain hand.

Do the difficult part of your work yourself, or retain every advantage you can.

Haud your feet, Lucky Dad, auld folk's no fiery.

Literally, look to your feet, as you are not nimble: applied when people stumble.

Haud you hand, your father slew a whaup.

Haud your hands aff ither folk's bairns till ye get some o' your ain.

Hawks winna pike out hawks' een.

"It was an unco thing to see hawks pike out hawks' een, or ae kindly Scot cheat anither."--_Rob Roy._

Hearken to the hinder-end, after comes not yet.

Hearts may 'gree though heads may differ.

He begs frae them that borrowed frae him.

He bides as fast as a cat does to a saucer.

Meaning that a person will "bide" or stay only so long as he can get anything, or serve his own purpose.

He blaws in his lug fu' brawly.

"Blaw his lug," to praise a person in an extravagant or fulsome manner.

He blushes at it like a beggar at a bawbee.

He breeds o' the gowk that casts a' down at e'en.

He brings a staff to break his ain head.

He can do ill, and he may do gude.

He can haud the cat and play wi' the kitten.

He can ill rin that canna gang.

He can lee like a dog licking a dish.

He canna see an inch before his nose.

He can say "My Jo," and think it no.

That is, he can be complimentary in his speech, but not in his intentions.

He can suck the laverock's frae the lift.

"In relation to one who possesses great power of wheedling. It evidently alludes to the idea of the fascinating power of serpents by means of their breath."--_Jamieson._

He can wile the flounders out o' the sea.

"'Heard ye ever the like o' that, laird?' said Saddletree to Dumbiedikes, when the counsel had ended his speech. 'There's a chiel can spin a muckle pirn out o' a wee tait o' tow!... And he's cleckit this great muckle bird out o' this wee egg! He could wile the very flounders out o' the Firth.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

He caresna wha's bairns greet if his ain laugh.

He ca's me scabbed because I winna ca' him sca'd.

Meaning that a man has endeavoured to make his opponent in a particular transaction lose his temper, but failing to do so, he loses his own.

"Hech!" quo' Howie, when he swallowed his wife's clue.

"Hech!" is here used as an expression of surprise and relief that a disagreeable operation has been performed. A "clue" is a ball of worsted.

He comes oftener wi' the rake than the shool.

"Spoken of a poor friend whose business is not to give us, but to get from us."--_Kelly._

He comes o' gude, he canna be ill.

A satirical expression applied to persons who are vain enough to suppose that they can do no wrong.

He complains early that complains o' his parritch.

He counts his ha'penny gude siller.

Meaning that a person may confer a very small favour, and have a greatly exaggerated idea of his own generosity.

He cuts near the wood.

To "cut near the wood" is to be very keen in driving a bargain.