List of Dutch proverbs
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
(Redirected from Flemish proverb)
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
This page lists proverbs in the Dutch language taken from[1].
Contents |
[edit]
A
- Aan de vruchten kent men den boom.
- Translation: From the fruits one knows the tree.
- English equivalent: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
- Meaning: "Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents."
- Template:Cite book
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Aanval is de beste verdediging.
- Translation: Attack is the best form of defence.
- English equivalent: The best defence is a good offense.
- Meaning: "You are more likely to win if you take the initiative and make an attack rather than preparing to defend yourself."
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Acht is meer dan duizend.
- Translation: Attention is more than a thousand.
- Template:Cite book
- Al draagt een aap een gouden ring, het is en blijft een lelijk ding.
- Translation: Although a monkey wears a golden ring, it remains an ugly thing.
- English equivalent: A golden bit does not make the horse any better.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Afwisseling verheugt.
- Translate: Change enhances.
- English equivalent: Variety pleases.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Alle baat helpt.
- Translation: All benefit helps.
- English equivalent: Every little helps.
- Meaning: "All contributions, however small, are of use."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Source for proverbs: Template:Cite book
- Alle waar is naar zijn geld.
- Translation: All things are worth their price.
- English equivalent: Everything is worth its price.
- Template:Cite book
- Alle waarom heeft zijn daarom.
- Translation and English equivalent: Every why has a wherefore.
- Meaning: "Everything has an underlying reason."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Als de berg niet tot Mohammed wil komen dan moet Mohammed naar de berg gaan.
- Translation: If the mountain will not go to Mohammed, Mohammad must go to the Mountain.
- English equivalent: If the mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain.
- Meaning: If reality does not adapt itself to one's personal whims, one must adapt himself to reality.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Als je hem een vinger geeft, neemt hij de hele hand.
- Translation: If you give him a finger, he will take the whole hand.
- English equivalent: Give him an inch he will take a yard.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Als 't schip lek is gaan de ratten van boord.
- Translation and English equivalent: Rats desert a sinking ship.
- Meaning: A leader or organization in trouble will quickly be abandoned.
- Template:Cite book
- Alles komt op zijn tijd.
- English equivalent. He that can have patience can have what he will; Patience is a remedy for every sorrow.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
B
- Blaffende honden bijten niet.
- Translation: Barking dogs don't bite.
- English equivalent: Barking dogs seldom bite.
- Meaning: People who make the most or the loudest threats are the least likely to take action.
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Beter alleen, dan in kwaad gezelschap.
- Translation: It is better to be alone than to be in bad company.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Beter één vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht.
- Translation: Better is one bird in the hand than ten in the air.
- English equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- Meaning: "Something you have for certain now is of more value than something better you may get, especially if you risk losing what you have in order to get it."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Beter laat, dan nooit.
- Translation: Better late, than never.
- English equivalent: Better late than never.
- Meaning: "It is better that somebody arrives or something happens later than expected or desired, than not at all."
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Beter hard geblazen, dan de mond gebrand.
- Translation: Better to have blown hard, than to have a burned mouth.
- English equivalent: Better safe than sorry.
- Template:Cite book
- Beter voorkomen dan genezen.
- Translation: It is better to prevent than to cure.
- Meaning: It is better to prevent than to cure.
- English equivalent: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Bezint eer gij begint.
- Translation: Consider before beginning.
- English equivalent: Look before you leap.
- Meaning: Think before you act.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
D
- De appel valt niet ver van de boom.
- English equivalent: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
- Meaning: Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents.
- Source for proverbs and meaning: Template:Cite book
- De baard maakt geen wijsgeer; anders was er de bok goed aan.
- English equivalent: If the beard were all, the goat might preach.
- Meaning: Mere formal signs of being an authority does not make you one.
- Template:Cite book
- De baas wordt altijdt het slechtst bedient.
- Translation: The boss gets the worst served.
- Template:Cite book
- De draad breekt daar hij zwakst is.
- Translation: The chain is broken where it is the weakest.
- English equivalent: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
- Translation:The chain is broken where it is the weakest.
- Meaning: "A weak part or member will affect the success or effectiveness of the whole."
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- De duivel heeft het vragen uitgevonden.
- Translation: The devil invented questioning.
- English equivalents: Curiosity killed the cat; A fool may ask a question which 100 wise men cannot answer.
- Meaning: "Inquisitiveness – or a desire to find about something – can lead you into trouble."
- Second meaning: Beware of a curious question about a subject.
- Source for the meaning of the first English equivalent: Template:Cite book** Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- De eersten zullen de laatsten zijn.
- English equivalent: The last will be first, and the first last.
- Meaning: Those who humbly serve the Lord will be rewarded, and those who are arrogant will be humbled; Humbleness is a virtue, pride is a sin.
- Template:Cite book
- De geschiedenis herhaalt zich.
- English equivalent: History repeats itself.
- Template:Cite book
- De gestadige drup holt de steen.
- English equivalent: A constant drip wears the stone.
- Meaning: Many small changes will soon make a big difference.
- Template:Cite book
- De grote vissen eten de kleine.
- Translation: The big fish eat the little fish.
- English equivalent: People are like fish; the big ones devour the small.
- Meaning: "Small organizations or insignificant people tend to be swallowed up or destroyed by those that are greater and more powerful."
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- De mens wikt, maar God beschikt.
- Translation: Man proposes but God disposes.
- Meaning: Things often don't turn out as you have planned.
- Template:Cite book
- Die mij bemint, bemint ook mijn hond.
- English equivalent: Love me, love my dog.
- Meaning: If you love someone, you will like virtually everything about him.
- Template:Cite book
- De muren hebben oren.
- Translation and English equivalent: The walls have ears.
- Meaning: "What you say may be overheard; used as a warning."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Source: Template:Cite book
- De ouderdom zal men eeren, al zou men ook ze met stokken slaan.
- English equivalent: Grey hairs are honorable.
- Template:Cite book
- De rook van het vaderland is aangenamer dan een vreemd vuur.
- English equivalent: Dry bread at home is better than roast meat abroad.
- Template:Cite book
- De toekomst is een boek met zeven sloten.
- Translation: The future is a book with seven locks.
- Meaning: Nobody can predict the future.
- Template:Cite book
- De uitkomst zal het leren.
- English equivalent: The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
- Meaning: The worth of a thing is however it comes to use.
- Template:Cite book
- De uitzondering bevestigt de regel.
- Translation: The exception confirms the rule.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Des volks stem is Gods stem.
- English equivalent: The voice of the people is the voice of God.
- Template:Cite book
- De waarheid wil niet altijd gezegd zijn.
- English equivalent: All truths are not to be told.
- Template:Cite book
- De weg naar de hel is geplaveid met goede voornemens.
- Translation: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Die den honing wil uithalen, moet het stijken der bijen ondergaan.
- English equivalent: Honey is sweet, but the bees sting.
- Meaning: Suffering is the acceptable in the quest for something great.
- Template:Cite book
- Die eens steelt is altijd een dief.
- English equivalent: Once a drunkard always a drunkard; Once a thief always a thief.
- Meaning: If nothing better is available, anything flawed is also useful; Instead of being frustrated by a bad situation, try to find ways to improve it.
- Template:Cite book
- Die goed doet, goed ontmoet.
- English equivalent: If you do good, good will be done to you.
- Meaning: Good acts quiet often reward themselves.
- Template:Cite book
- Doet naar mijn woorden en niet naar mijn werken.
- English equivalent: Preachers say: do as I say, not as i do.
- Possible interpretation: One should not reprimand those who are younger than yourself, when they are merely doing what you do or has done.
- Template:Cite book
- Door de bomen het bos niet meer zien.
- Translation: Missing the forest because of the trees.
- Meaning: While overlooking every detail you might miss out the big picture.
- Theissen, S. and P. Hiligsmann (1999). Uitdrukkingen en spreekwoorden van A tot Z: Dictionnaire néerlandais-français d'expressions et de proverbes Explication, traduction et exercices, De Boeck Université.
[edit]
E
- Een bloode hond word zelden velt.
- Translation: Blood is archaic for scared; velt means struck down; translation therefor:
a scared dog is seldom struck down (killed) Blood is also used in another (archaic) saying 'Liever bloode Jan dan doode Jan' which translates to: you're better off scared than dead
- English equivalent: Discretion is the better part of valor.
- Meaning: Act valiant cautiously.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Een dichter wordt geboren, een redenaar word gemaakt.
- English equivalent: Poets are born, but orators are trained.
- Meaning: Some things can be improved by training, others require innate talent.
- Template:Cite book
- Een drenkeling klemt zich aan een strohalm vast.
- English equivalent: A drowning man plucks at a straw.
- Template:Cite book
- Een gek zegt wel eens een wijs woord.
- Translation: A fool sometimes says a wise word.
- English equivalent: A fool may give a wise man counsel.
- Template:Cite book
- Een gewaarschuwd mens telt voor twee.
- Translation: A warned man counts as two.
- English equivalent: Warned is forearmed.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Een gierigaard is nooit rijk.
- Translation: Covetousness is its own stepmother.
- English equivalent: The covetous man is good to none and worst to himself.
- Template:Cite book
- Een goede naam is beter dan olie.
- English equivalent: A good name is the best of all treasures.
- Template:Cite book
- Een kat in de zak kopen.
- English equivalent: Never buy a pig in a poke.
- Meaning: At least do some research before buying a product.
- Template:Cite book
- Een kroum hout brandt zowel als een recht.
- English equivalent: Crooked logs make straight fires.
- Meaning: If nothing better is available, anything flawed is also useful; Instead of being frustrated by a bad situation, try to find ways to improve it.
- Template:Cite book
- Een mens zijn zin is een mens zijn leven.
- English equivalent: His own desire leads every man.
- Template:Cite book
- Een slecht werksman beschuldigt altijd zijn tuig.
- Translation: A bad craftsman blames his tools.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Een spiering uitwerpen, om een kabeljaauw te vangen.
- Translation: To throw a smelt, to catch a codfish.
- English equivalent: Set a herring to catch a whale.
- Template:Cite book
- Er is niets nieuw onder de zon.
- English equivalent: Nothing is new.
- Meaning: Absolutely everything has been done before.
- Template:Cite book
- Er schuilt een adder in 't gras.
- Translation: A serpent hides in the grass.
- English equivalent: Look before you leap, for snakes among sweet flowers do creep.
- Template:Cite book
- Er zijn geen ergere blinden dan die niet zien willen.
- English equivalent: There are none so blind as they who will not see.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Er zijn geen ergere doven dan die niet horen willen.
- English equivalent: None so deaf as those who will not hear.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
G
- Ga niet op het uiterlijk af.
- Translation: Do not judge based on things outwardly.
- English equivalent: Never judge by appearances; Judge not a man and things at first sight.
- Meaning: Things are not always as they seem, and you can not necessarily trust the evidence of your eyes.
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Geeft men hem den duim, dan wil hij er de vingers nog bij hebben.
- English equivalent: Give him an inch and he will take a yard.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Geen geld, geen Zwitsers.
- Translation: No money, no swiss.
- Meaning: You can't get something for nothing.
- English equivalent: The only free cheese is in the mouse trap.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Geduld gaat boven geleerdheid.
- Translation: Patience goes beyond knowledge.
- English equivalent: An ounce of patience is worth a pound of brains.
- Meaning: Patience can often do more than your wits.
- Template:Cite book
- Geld mot rollen.
- Translation: Money must roll.
- English equivalent: Money is there to be spent.
- Template:Cite book
- Gen haar zoo klein of het heeft ook zijn schaduw.
- English equivalent: A bad bush is better than no shelter; Every hair casts its shadow; There is no little enemy.
- Template:Cite book
- Geen regel zonder uitzondering.
- Translation: There exists no rule without exceptions.
- English equivalent: There is no rule without an exception.
- Template:Cite book
- Geen rook zonder vuur.
- Translation: No smoke without fire.
- Meaning: Rumors are always, partially, based on facts.
- Other meaning: There is a reason behind everything that happens.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Gemeen gerucht is zelden gelogen.
- Translation: Common rumor seldom lies.
- English equivalent: Common fame is often to blame.
- Meaning: A general disrepute is often true.
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Gemeene plaag rust wel.
- English equivalent: A problem shared is a problem halved.
- Template:Cite book
- Geneesheer, genees u zelven!
- English equivalent: Physician, heal yourself!
- Meaning: Don't correct other people's faults; correct your own faults instead.
- Template:Cite book
- Gezondheid is een grote schat.
- English equivalent: Good health is above wealth.
- Template:Cite book
- Geweld is geen recht.
- English equivalent: Might is not always right.
- Template:Cite book
- God behoede mij voor mijn vrienden, mijn vijenden neem ik zelf voor mijn rekening.
- Translation: God save me from my friends; my enemies I can handle myself.
- English equivalent: A mans worst enemies are often those of his own house.
- Template:Cite book
- God schept geen mond, of hij schept er ook brood.
- English equivalent: Each day brings it own bread.
- Meaning: Try not to worry so much about the future.
- Template:Cite book
- Goed verloren, niet verloren; moed verloren, veel verloren; eer verloren, meer verloren; ziel verloren, al verloren.
- English equivalent: Courage lost, all lost.
- Template:Cite book
- Goede wijn behoeft geen krans.
- Translation: Good wine needs no wreath.
- Note: It was customary since early times to hang a grapevine, ivy or other greenery over the door of a tavern or way stop to advertise the availability of drink within.
- English equivalent: Good wine needs no bush.
- Meaning: "A good product does not need advertising."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Goedkoop is duurkoop.
- Translation: Cheaply bought is expensively bought.
- English equivalent: If you buy cheaply you pay dearly.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Goed is goed, maar beter is beter.
- English equivalent: Better is the enemy of good.
- Meaning: The aim for perfection or mastery might slow down progress.
- Template:Cite book
- Goed voorgaan doet goed volgen.
- Translation: A good example will gain much following.
- English equivalent: Lead by example.
- Source: Template:Cite book
[edit]
H
- Haast je langzaam.
- Translation: Hurry slowly.
- Meaning: Do your work slowly to make sure it gets thoroughly done.
- English equivalent: More haste, less speed.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Herrenhulde is geen erve.
- English equivalent: A king's favour is no inheritance.
- Template:Cite book
- Heden ik, morgen gij.
- Translation: Today for me, and tomorrow for you.
- English equivalent: Today me, tomorrow thee.
- Template:Cite book
- Het gebed opent's hemels deur.
- English equivalent: Short prayers reach heaven.
- Template:Cite book
- Het geluk helpt de dapperen.
- English equivalent: Fortune favours the bold.
- Template:Cite book
- Het middel is vaak erger dan de kwaal.
- English equivalent: The remedy is often worse than the disease; Burn not your house to rid it off the mouse.
- Template:Cite book
- Het gelijke word door het gelijke genezen.
- Translation: Like cures like.
- English equivalent: Fight fire with fire.
- Meaning: "The best way to deal with an opponent is to fight back with similar weapons or tactics."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Het getij wacht op niemand.
- English equivalent: Time and tide waits for no man.
- Meaning: The Future will forsake those who forsake him; Focus on the major worries you have today, because you will have even more major worries tomorrow.
- Template:Cite book
- Het is goed, twee pijlen op zijn boog te hebben.
- English equivalent: Good riding at two anchors, men have told, for if the one fails, the other may hold.
- Template:Cite book
- Het is niet alles goud wat er blinkt.
- Translation: All that glistsers is not gold.
- Meaning: Outward appearance can be deceiving.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Het verstand komt met de jaren.
- Translation: Sense comes with age.
- English equivalent: Reason does not come before age.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Het zijn allemaal geen dieven daar de honden tegen blaffen.
- English equivalent: All are not thieves that dogs bark at.
- Meaning: Not all people are as bad as they seem.
- Template:Cite book
- Het zijn slechte honden die hun eigen volk bijten.
- Translation: Those are bad dogs who bite their own people.
- English equivalent: Don't wash your dirty linen in public; It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.
- Meaning: Don't speak in public of unpleasant private affairs; Don't speak ill of yourself and the groups you belong to.
- Template:Cite book
- Het zijn sterke benen die de weelde kunnen dragen.
- Translation: Legs that can carry wealth are strong.
- English equivalent: Put a beggar on horseback and he'll ride it to death.
- Meaning: Newly rich people will waste their money.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Hij is wel edel, die edele werken doet.
- English equivalent: Handsome is that handsome does.
- Meaning: "People should be valued for their good deeds, not their good looks, also occasionally used of things, or as a warning not to be misled by an attractive appearance."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Hoe meer zielen, hoe meer vreugd.
- English equivalent: The more the merrier.
- Template:Cite book
- Hoe ouder, hoe zotter.
- Translation: The older, the more foolish.
- English equivalent: Wisdom goes not always by years.
- Meaning: Age will not refrain some people from acting foolish and imprudent.
- Template:Cite book
- Hoogmoed komt voor de val
- Translation: Pride comes before fall.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
I
- In twijfel, onthoud u.
- Translation: When in doubt, restrain yourself.
- English equivalent: When in doubt, leave it out.
- Meaning: "If you are unsure what to do, it is best to do nothing at all."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- In de wijn is de waarheid.
- Translation: There is truth in vine.
- English equivalent: In wine there is truth.
- Meaning: Alcohol consumed removes the inhibition against telling the truth that occasionally one would like to keep secret.
- Source for meaning and proverbs: Template:Cite book
- Indien gij iets doet, doe het dan goed.
- English equivalent: If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
J
- Je moet een gegeven paard niet in de mond kijken.
- Translation: Don't look a given horse in the mouth.
- English equivalent: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
- Meaning: Don't criticize gifts.
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Source: Template:Cite book
[edit]
K
- Kennis is macht.
- Translation: Knowledge is power.
- English equivalent: Learning is the eye of the mind.
- Meaning: Learning about a subject such as psychology will increase your overall competence.
- Template:Cite book
- Klein vischje zoet vischje.
- Translation: Little fish, tasty fish.
- English equivalent: All are fish that comes to the net.
- Meaning: Anything that comes along is accepted and turned to advantage.
- Source for meaning: Template:Citation
- {{cite book | last1 = Mawr | first = E.B. | year = 1885 | titl
[edit]
L
- Niet te veel hooi op de vork nemen.
- Translation: Don't lay too much hay on the fork.
- English equivalent: Don't have too many irons in the fire.
- Meaning: Don't undertake too much work.
- Template:Cite book
- Let op het ende.
- Translation: In your every endeavor reflect the end.
- English equivalent: Whatever you do, act wisely, and consider the end.
- Template:Cite book
- Leugens hebben korte benen.
- Translation: A lie has short legs.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
M
- Man vangt meer vliegen met een' lepel stroop, dan met een vat azijn.
- English equivalent: You can catch more flies with a drop of honey than with a barrel of vinegar.
- Template:Cite book
- Men melkt de koe door den hals.
- English equivalent: It is by the head that the cow gives the milk.
- Meaning: Whatever input you give, whatever outpot you get.
- Template:Cite book
- Men krijgt niets voor niets.
- Translation: Men get nothing for nothing.
- English equivalent: Nothing for nothing.
- Meaning: He who works for nothing shall recieve nothing from others except complaint.
- Template:Cite book
- Men moet de dag niet prijzen voor het avond is.
- Translation: Don't praise the day until it is evening.
- Meaning: Don't celebrate until you are 100 % sure there is a reason to do so.
- English equivalent: Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Men moet niet de eiren onder een hen (kip) leggen.
- English equivalent: Don't put all your eggs in the same basket.
- Template:Cite book
- Men moet de huid niet verkopen voordat de beer geschoten is.
- Translation: Don't sell the fur until the bear has been shot.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Men moet het ijzer smeden als het heet is.
- Translation: You have to forge while the iron is hot.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Men moet niet het huis door de glazen gooien.
- English equivalent: Don't burn the candles at both ends.
- Meaning: Don't wake up early in the morning and stay up late into the evening as well.
- Template:Cite book
- Met de maat, warmee gij meet, zal u werder gemeten worden.
- English equivalent: Whatever measure you deal out to others will be dealt back to you.
- Template:Cite book
- Met dieven vangt men dieven.
- English equivalent: Set a thief to catch a thief.
- Template:Cite book
- Met veel slagen valt de boom.
- English equivalent: Little strokes fell great oaks.
- Meaning: A difficult task, e. g. removing a person/group from a strong position, or changing established ideas cannot be done quickly. It can be achieved gradually, by small steps, a little at a time.
- Source for proverbs and meaning: Template:Cite book
- Met vuur spelen.
- Translation: Playing with fire.
- English equivalent: Do not play with edged tools.
- Template:Cite book
- Meet driemaal eer gij eens snijd.
- English equivalent: Measure thrice, cut once.
- Meaning: One should always act only after due consideration. A hasty action may involve an improper consideration of important aspects.
- Template:Cite book
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
[edit]
N
- Niemand kan regterzun in zijne eigen zaken.
- Translation: No one can judge his own cases.
- English equivalent: No one can be the judge in his own case.
- Template:Cite book
- Niemand is onmisbaar.
- English equivalent: No man is indispensable.
- Template:Cite book
- Niemand weet waar een ander de Schoen wringt.
- English equivalent: No one knows where the shoe pinches, but he who wears it.
- Meaning: "Nobody can fully understand another person's hardship or suffering."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Nieuwe bezems vegen schoon.
- Translation: New brooms sweep clean.
- Meaning: Newcomers are the most ambitious.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Niet geschoten is altijd mis.
- Translation: To never have shot is always a miss.
- Template:Cite book
- Nood breekt wet.
- Translation: Distress breaks law.
- English equivalent: Necessity has no law.
- Meaning: It is acceptable to break rules in times of need.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
O
- Ondank is 's werelds loon.
- Translation: Ingratitude is the reward of the world.
- Template:Cite book
- Ongeluk komt te paard, en keert te voet.
- English equivalent: Misfortune comes on horseback and goes away on foot.
- Template:Cite book
- Ongeluk komt zelden alleen.
- Translation: An accident seldom comes alone.
- English equivalent: Misery loves company.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Over honderd jaar zijn wij toch dood.
- Translation: In a hundred years we will be dead anyway.
- English equivalent: It will all be the same a hundred years hence.
- Meaning: So what if you embarrass yourself?
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
S
- Schande over hem, die er kwaad van denkt.
- English equivalent: Shame take him that shame thinketh.
- Meaning: Don't think evil of others since they most likely act the way they do because of situational factors: Never attribute a thing to malice which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
- Template:Cite book
- Schijn bedriegt.
- Translation: Appearances deceive.
- Meaning: Things are not as they seem to be.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Schoenmaker, blijf bij je leest.
- Translation: Cobbler, stick to your last.
- Meaning: Don't talk about things you don't know anything about.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Stilstand is achteruitgang.
- English equivalent: He who does not advance goes backwards.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
T
- Twee vliegen in één klap.
- Translation: Two flies in one hit.
- English equivalent: Kill two birds with one stone.
- Meaning: To achieve two goals with a single action.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
V
- Van een vlieg een olifant maken.
- Translation: To make a fly out of an elephant.
- English equivalent: Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
- Meaning: Don't make something momentous out of a trifle.
- Template:Cite book
- Van niets komt niets.
- Translation: From nothing nothing can come.
- Meaning: If you do absolutely nothing, nothing will come to you.
- Template:Cite book
- Van twee kwalen moet men de ergste mijden.
- Translation: From two deseases one should avoid the worst.
- English equivalent: Of two evils choose the least.
- Meaning: "If you are forced to choose between two options, both of which are undesirable, all you can do is choose the one that is less undesirable than the other."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: {Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Verdeel en heers.
- Translation: Divide and rule.
- English equivalent: Divide and conquer.
- Meaning: "The best way to conquer or control a group of people is by encouraging them to fight among themselves rather than allowing them to unite in opposition to the ruling authority."
- Source for meaning of English equivalent: Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Vertrouwen komt te voet en vertrekt te paard.
- Translation: Trust arrives on foot and departs on horseback.
- Meaning: To trust someone takes time, but losing someone's trust happens quickly.
- Template:Cite book
- Vier dingen laten zich niet verbergen: Vuur, schurft, hoest en liefde.
- Translation: Four things does not let themselves hide: love, fire and love.
- English equivalent: Love, smoke and cough are hard to hide.
- Template:Cite book
- Vroeg rijp, vroeg rot.
- Translation: Premature mature, premature putrefied.
- English equivalent: Early ripe, early rotten.
- Meaning: Precocious children will mean much trouble later on.
- Template:Cite book
[edit]
W
- Wat alleman zegt is waar.
- English equivalent: What everybody says must be true.
- Template:Cite book
- Wat baten kaars en bril, als den uil niet zienen wil.
- Translation: What difference do light and glasses make, if the owl does not want to see.
- Meaning: There is no point in trying to cooperate with someone who doesn't want to.
- English equivalent: It takes two to tango.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Wat in't gebeente gegroeid is, wil uit het vlees niet.
- English equivalent: What is bred in the bone will not go out of the flesh.
- Meaning: What is innate is not to be eradicated by force of education or self discipline: these may modify the outward manifestations of a man's nature, but not transmute the nature itself.
- Template:Cite book
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Wat men schrijft, dat blijft.
- Translation: What one writes, stays.
- English equivalent: Paper is forbearing.
- Template:Cite book
- Wie boter op zijn hoofd heeft, moet uit de zon blijven.
- Translation: He who has butter on his head, should stay out of the sun.
- English equivalent: He that hath a head of wax must not walk in the sun.
- Meaning: Know your limitations and weaknesses; Don't do something that is sure to damage you.
- Template:Cite book
- Wie dan leeft, wie dan zorgt.
- Translation: Who lives then, worries then.
- English equivalent: Don't cross your bridges until you reach them.
- Meaning: Focus on a problem the moment you are facing it, and not earlier.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Wie een hond wil slaan, kan gemakkelijk een stok vinden.
- Translation: The one who wants to hit a dog can easily find a stick.
- Meaning: Someone who wants to be mean will find things to be mean about no matter what.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Wie draagt er ergens slimmer schoenen dan een schoenmakersvrouw.
- Translation: Who carries ever worst shoes than a shoemaker's wife?
- English equivalent: The cobbler's wife is the worst shod.
- Meaning: "Working hard for others one may neglect one's own needs or the needs of those closest to him."
- Source for proverbs and meaning: Template:Cite book
- Wie een kuil graaft voor een ander, valt er zelf in.
- Translation: The one who digs a hole for another, will fall in it himself.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Wie niet met mij is, die is tegen mij.
- English equivalent: He who is not with me is against me.
- Originally from the Bible, Luke 11:23 and Matthew 12:30. Specificed as a proverb in (Strauss, 1994 p. 974)
- Wie op twee hazen te gelijk jaagt, vangt geen van beide.
- Translation: Who goes after two hares at the same time, will catch neither.
- English equivalent: You must not run after two hares at the same time.
- Template:Cite book
- Wie rijk wil worden, komt in verzoeking.
- English equivalent: No one gets rich quickly if he is honest.
- Template:Cite book
- Wie zijn eigen tuintje wiedt, ziet het onkruid van een ander niet.
- Translation: He who tends to his own garden, does not see the weeds of his neighbors.
- English equivalent: Mind your own business.
- Source: Template:Cite book
[edit]
Z
- Zachte heelmeesters maken stinkende wonden.
- Translation: Lenient healers create stinking wounds.
- Meaning: Half measures will worsen the ailment and not eradicate it.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Zeker is zeker.
- English equivalent: Distrust is the mother of safety.
- Meaning: Trust no one except yourself, and don't trust yourself entirely either; Trust, but verify.
- Template:Cite book
- Zelfs lief, niemands lief.
- English equivalent: Don't blow your own horn.
- Meaning: Don't praise yourself.
- Template:Cite book
- Zolang er leven is, is er hoop.
- Translation: As long as there is life, there is hope.
- Meaning: There is always a chance that everything will work out no matter how seemingly desperate the situation is.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Zoals de ouden zongen, piepen de jongen.
- Translation: As the old ones sing, so do the young ones chirp.
- Meaning: Children will become like older generations.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Zo vader, zo zoon.
- Translation: Such father, such son.
- English equivalent: Like father, like son.
- Meaning: Sons may look and behave like their fathers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily.
- Source: Template:Cite book
- Source for meaning: Template:Cite book
- Zulke moeder, zulke dochter.
- Translation: Such mother, such daughter.
- English equivalent: Like mother, like daughter.
- Meaning: Daughters may look and behave like their mothers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and rarely.
- Source for meaning and proverb: Template:Cite book
[edit]
See also
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "List of Dutch proverbs" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
