The Proverbs of Scotland Part 61

It's gude to be in your time; ye kenna how lang it may last.

"It's gude to be merry and wise," quo' the miller when he mouter'd twice.

The miller must have been more rogue than fool when he thus took advantage of his customers, for to "mouter," as he did, is to take the fees twice over.

It's gude to be out o' harm's gate.

It's gude to be sib to siller.

To be "sib to siller," is to be related to rich persons.

It's gude to dread the warst, the best will be the welcomer.

"Expect the worst, hope for the best, and bear whatever happens."--_English._

It's gude to hae friends baith in heaven and in h.e.l.l.

It's gude to hae your cog out when it rains kail.

That is, it is good to take advantage of any opportunities of benefit or advancement which may come in our way: to "make hay while the sun s.h.i.+nes."

It's gude to nip the briar in the bud.

It's hard baith to hae and want.

It's hard for a greedy ee to hae a leal heart.

Or for a covetous person to be honest.

It's hard for an auld mare to leave aff flinging.

It's hard to be poor and leal.

It's hard to keep flax frae the lowe.

It's hard to sit in Rome and strive wi' the pope.

It's ill ale that's sour when it's new.

It's ill baith to pay and to pray.

It's ill bringing but what's no ben.

The meaning of this proverb is, that it is ill to produce what we are not possessed of.

"'Swith roast a hen, or fry some chickens, And send for ale to Maggy Pickens,'-- 'Hout I,' quoth she, 'ye may weel ken, 'Tis ill brought but that's no there ben; When but last owk, nae farder gane, The laird got a' to pay his kain.'"--_Allan Ramsay._

It's ill limping before cripples.

It's ill meddling between the bark and the rind.

"It is a troublesome and thankless office to concern ourselves in the jars and outfalls of near relations, as man and wife, parents and children, &c."--_Kelly._

It's ill praising green barley.

Because it is hard to tell how it will turn out.

It's ill speaking between a fu' man and a fasting.

"I have been waiting this hour for you, and I have had a snack myself; and, as they used to say in Scotland in my time--I do not ken if the word be used now--there is ill talking between a full body and a fasting."--_Heart of Midlothian._

It's ill taking corn frae geese.

It's ill to be ca'd a thief, an' aye found picking.

"It is ill to have a bad name, and to be often found in a suspicious place or posture."--_Kelly._

It's ill to mak an unlawful oath, but waur to keep it.

It's ill to put a blythe face on a black heart.

It's ill to quarrel wi' a misrid warld.

It's ill to say it's wrang when my lord says it's right.

It is ill or dangerous to speak against those who are in authority.

It's ill to tak the breeks aff a Hielandman.

Highlanders proper wear none, so it means it is difficult to take from a person that which he does not possess.

It's ill waur'd that wasters want.

It's kittle for the cheeks when the hurlbarrow gaes ower the brig o' the nose.

It's kittle shooting at corbies and clergy.

"As for your priesthood, I shall say but little, Corbies and clergy are a shot right kittle; But under favour o' your langer beard, Abuse o' magistrates might weel be spared."--_Burns._

It's kittle to wauken sleeping dogs.

It's lang ere ye saddle a foal.

It's lang or four bare legs gather heat in a bed.

Applied to young people who get married before they have all that is necessary for housekeeping.

"It's comfort to hae a frugal woman for a helpmate; but ye ken now-a-days it's no the fas.h.i.+on for bare legs to come thegether. The wife maun hae something to put in the pot as weel as the man."--_The Entail._