The Proverbs of Scotland Part 78

Ne'er find faut wi' my shoon, unless you pay my souter.

Addressed to impertinent persons who find fault with the personal appearance or dress of others.

Ne'er gang to the deil wi' the dishclout on your head.

"If you will be a knave, be not in a trifle, but in something of value. A Presbyterian minister had a son who was made Archdeacon of Ossery; when this was told to his father, he said, 'If my son will be a knave, I am glad that he will be an archknave.' This has the same sense, 'As good be hanged for an old sheep as a young lamb.'"--_Kelly._

Ne'er gie me my death in a toom dish.

This means, jocularly, if you wish to kill me, do it not by starvation; in other words, give me something to eat.

Ne'er gude, egg nor bird.

Ne'er kiss a man's wife, or dight his knife, for he'll do baith after you.

Ne'er let on, but laugh in your sleeve.

Ne'er let the nose blush for the sins o' the mouth.

Ne'er let your feet rin faster than your shoon.

"'But you must recollect, that before taking such a step you ought to be pretty well provided with means.'

"'Ou', fegs! I hae nae trick o' letting my feet rin faster than my shoon. I'll no forget the means, ye may be sure; and as for Jean hersel, I hae nae skill o' women folk, if she's no just as willing as me.'"--_The Disruption._

Ne'er lippen ower muckle to a new friend or an auld enemy.

Ne'er marry a penniless maiden that's proud o' her pedigree.

Ne'er marry a widow unless her first man was hanged.

Ne'er misca' a Gordon in the raws o' Stra'bogie.

The Gordons were the ruling clan in Strathbogie; and the proverb means that we should never speak ill of a man on his own property.

Ne'er put your arm out farther than you can draw it easily back again.

"The deacon used to say to me, 'Nick--young Nick' (his name was Nicol as well as mine, sae folk ca'd us, in their daffin, young Nick and auld Nick)--'Nick,' said he, 'never put out your arm farther than ye can draw it easily back again.'"--_Rob Roy._

Ne'er ower auld to learn.

Ne'er put a sword in a wudman's hand.

Ne'er put the plough before the owsen.

Ne'er quit certainty for hope.

Ne'er rax abune your reach.

That is, do not exert yourself beyond your strength.

Ne'er say gae, but gang.

Ne'er say "Ill fallow" to him you deal wi'.

Ne'er shaw me the meat, but the man.

"If a man be fat, plump, and in good liking, I shall not ask what keeping he has had."--_Kelly._

Ne'er shaw your teeth unless ye can bite.

Ne'er speak ill o' the deil.

Ne'er speak ill o' them whase bread ye eat.

Ne'er spend gude siller looking for bad.

"John had never before taken any debtor to law, his motto being, 'Never spend gude siller looking for bad;' but in this case, he said, he was determined to roup them to the door, although it shouldna put a penny in his pouch."--_Roy's "Generals.h.i.+p."_

Ne'er strive against the stream.

Ne'er tak a forehammer to break an egg.

Ne'er tell your fae when your fit sleeps.

Ne'er throw the bridle o' your horse ower a fool's arm.

Ne'er use the taws when a gloom will do.

Of similar import to "Ne'er draw your dirk," _q. v._

Ne'er was a wife weel pleased coming frae the mill but ane, and she brak her neck bane.

Kelly says this is "commonly said to wives when they come from the mill, but the occasion, sense, or meaning I know not." Is it not because they are always dissatisfied with the "mouter" which the miller takes?

Ne'er waur happen you than your ain prayer.

Neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor gude red herring.

Used to signify that an article is good for nothing.

Neither sae sinfu' as to sink nor sae holy as to soom.

Never's a lang word.

New lairds mak new laws.

"They were decent, considerate men, that didna plague a puir herd callant muckle about a moorfowl or a mawkin, unless he turned common fowler--Sir Robert Ringhorse used to say, the herd lads shot as mony gleds and pyots as they did game. But new lords new laws--naething but fine and imprisonment, and the game no a feather the plentier."--_St Ronan's Well._