Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

James Wood, comp. Dictionary of Quotations. 1899.

Italian Proverb

A cader va chi troppo in alto sale—He who climbs too high is near a fall.

A causa perduta parole assai—Plenty of words when the cause is lost.

A nemico che fugge, fa un ponte d’oro—Make a bridge of gold for an enemy who is flying from you.

A tutti non si adatta una sola scarpa—One shoe does not fit every foot.

A veste logorata poco fede vien prestata—A shabby coat finds small credit.

A young man idle, an old man needy.

A’ sottili cascano le brache—The cloak sometimes falls off a cunning man.

Accasca in un punto quel che non accasca in cento anni—That may happen in a moment which may not occur again in a hundred years.

Acqua lontana non spegne fuoco vicino—Water afar won’t quench a fire at hand.

Ad ogni santo la sua torcia—To every saint his own torch, i.e., his place of honour.

Ad ogni uocello suo nido è bello—Every bird thinks its own nest beautiful.

Ad ognuno par più grave la croce sua—Every one thinks his own cross the hardest to bear.

Al molino, ed alla sposa / Sempre manca qualche cosa—A mill and a woman are always in want of something.

Ama l’amico tuo con il diffetto suo—Love your friend with all his faults.

Amico d’ognuno, amico di nessuno—Everybody’s friend is nobody’s friend.

Amor tutti eguaglia—Love makes all equal.

Amore è di sospetti fabro—Love is a forger of suspicions.

Anche il mar, che è si grande, si pacifica—Even the sea, great though it be, grows calm.

Anche la rana morderebbe se avesse denti—Even the frog would bite if it had teeth.

Argus at home, a mole abroad.

Aspettare e non venire, Stare in letto e non dormire, / Ben servire e non gradire, / Son tre cose da morire—To wait for what never comes, to lie abed and not sleep, to serve and not be advanced, are three things to die of.

Assai è ricco à chi non manca—He is rich enough who has no wants.

Assai acqua passa per il molino, che il molinaio non se n’accorge—A good deal of water passes by the mill which the miller takes no note of.

Assai basta, e troppo guasta—Enough is enough, and too much spoils.

Assai ben balla, à chi fortuna suona—He dances well to whom fortune pipes.

Assai guadagna chi vano sperar perde—He gains a great deal who loses a vain hope.

Assai sa, chi non sa, se tacer sa—He who knows not, knows a good deal if he knows how to hold his tongue.

Barba bagnata è mezza rasa—A beard well lathered is half shaved.

Bella femmina che ride, vuol dire borsa che piange—The smiles of a pretty woman are the tears of the purse.

Ben è cieco chi non vede il sole—He is very blind who does not see the sun.

Benchè la bugia sia veloce, la verità l’arriva—Though a lie may be swift, truth overtakes it.

Benedetto è quel male che vien solo—Blessed is the misfortune that comes alone.

Berretta in mano non fece mai danno—Cap in hand never harmed any one.

Beware of one who has nothing to lose.

Bisogna amar l’amico con i suoi difetti—We must love our friend with all his defects.

Broad thongs may be cut from other people’s leather.

Buon cavallo non ha bisogno di sproni—Don’t spur a willing horse.

Can ch’ abbaia non morde—A dog that barks does not bite.

Can che morde non abbaia in vano—A dog that bites does not bark in vain.

Cane vecchio non abbaia indarno—An old dog does not bark for nothing.

Capo grasso, cervello magro—Fat head, lean brains.

Cara al mio cuor tu sei, / Ciò ch’è il sole agli occhi miei—Thou art as dear to my heart as the sun to my eyes.

Carica volontario non carica—A willing burden is no burden.

Casa mia, casa mia, per piccina che tu sia, tu mi sembri una badia—Home, dear home, small though thou be, thou art to me a palace.

Cattiva è quella lana, che non si può tingere—Bad is the cloth that won’t dye.

Cattivo è quel sacco che non si puo rappezzare—Bad is the sack that won’t patch.

Cavallo ingrassato tira calci—A horse that is grown fat kicks.

Cent ’ore di malinconia non pagano un quattrino di’ debito—A hundred hours of vexation will not pay one farthing of debt.

Cento carri di pensieri, non pagaranno un’ oncia di debito—A hundred cartloads of care will not pay an ounce of debt.

Chastise the good, and he will grow better; chastise the bad, and he will grow worse.

Che dorme coi cani, si leva colle pulci—Those who sleep with dogs will rise up with fleas.

Che ne può la gatta se la massaia è matta—How can the cat help it if the maid is fool (enough to leave things in her way)?

Chi é causa del suo mal, pianga se stesso—He who is the cause of his own misfortunes may bewail them himself.

Chi altri giudica, sè condanna—Whoso judges others condemns himself.

Chi ama, crede—He who loves, believes.

Chi ama, teme—He who loves, fears.

Chi asino è, e cervo esser si crede, al saltar del fosso se n’avvede—He who is an ass and thinks he is a stag, will find his error when he has to leap a ditch.

Chi compra ciò pagar non può, vende ciò che non vuole—He who buys what he cannot pay for, sells what he fain would not.

Chi compra ha bisogno di cent occhi—He who buys requires an hundred eyes.

Chi compra terra, compra guerra—Who buys land, buys war.

Chi con l’occhio vede, di cuor crede—Seeing is believing (lit. he who sees with the eye believes with the heart).

Chi da il suo inanzi morire s’apparecchia assai patire—He who gives of his wealth before dying, prepares himself to suffer much.

Chi dinanzi mi pinge, di dietro mi tinge—He who paints me before, blackens me behind.

Chi due padroni ha da servire, ad uno ha da mentire—Whoso serves two masters must lie to one of them.

Chi edifica, sua borsa purifica—He who builds clears his purse.

Chi erra nelle decine, erra nelle migliaja—He who errs in the tens, errs in the thousands.

Chi fa il conto senza l’oste, gli convien farlo due volte—He who reckons without his host must reckon again.

Chi fa quel ch’ e’ pu, non fa mai bene—He who does all he can do never does well.

Chi ha capo di cera non vada al sole—Let not him whose head is of wax walk in the sun.

Chi ha danari da buttar via, metta gli operaj, e non vi stia—He who has money to squander, let him employ workmen and not stand by them.

Chi ha denti, non ha pane; e chi ha pane, non ha denti—He who has teeth is without bread, and he who has bread is without teeth.

Chi ha l’amor nel petto, ha lo sprone a’ fianchi—He who has love in his heart has spurs in his sides.

Chi ha lingua in bocca, può andar per tutto—He who has a tongue in his head can travel all the world over.

Chi ha paura del diavolo, non fa roba—He who has a dread of the devil does not grow rich.

Chi ha sanità è ricco, e non lo sa—He who has good health is rich, and does not know it.

Chi ha sospetto, di rado è in difetto—He who suspects is seldom at fault.

Chi lingua ha, a Roma va—He who has a tongue may go to Rome, i.e., may go anywhere.

Chi nasce bella, nasce maritata—She who is born a beauty is born married.

Chi niente sa, di niente dubita—He who knows nothing, doubts nothing.

Chi non dà fine al pensare, non dà principio al fare—He who is never done with thinking never gets the length of doing.

Chi non ha cuore, abbia gambe—He who has no courage should have legs (to run).

Chi non ha piaghe, se ne fa—He who has no worries makes himself some.

Chi non ha testa, abbia gambe—He who has no brains should have legs.

Chi non ha, non è—He who has not, is not.

Chi non istima vien stimato—To disregard is to win regard.

Chi non puo fare come voglia, faccia come puo—He who cannot do as he would, must do as he can.

Chi non sa fingere, non sa vivere—He that knows not how to dissemble knows not how to live.

Chi non vede il fondo, non passi l’acqua—Who sees not the bottom, let him not attempt to wade the water.

Chi non vuol servir ad un sol signor, a molto ha da servir—He who will not serve one master will have to serve many.

Chi offende scrive nella rena, chi è offeso nel marmo—He who offends writes on sand; he who is offended, on marble.

Chi offende, non perdona mai—He who offends you never forgives you.

Chi parla semina, chi tace raccoglie—Who speaks, sows; who keeps silence, reaps.

Chi più sa, meno parla—Who knows most, says least.

Chi piglia leone in assenza suol temer del topi in presenza—He who takes a lion far off will shudder at a mole close by.

Chi piu sa, meno crede—Who knows most, believes least.

Chi sa la strada, puo andar di trotto—He who knows the road can go at a trot.

Chi sa poco presto lo dice—He who knows little quickly tells it.

Chi serve al commune serve nessuno—He who serves the public serves no one.

Chi si fa fango, il porco lo calpestra—He who makes himself dirt, the swine will tread on him.

Chi si trova senz’ amici, è come un corpo senz’ anima—He who is without friends is like a body without a soul.

Chi sta bene, non si muova—Let him who is well off remain where he is.

Chi t’ha offeso non ti perdonera mai—He who has offended you will never forgive you.

Chi tace confessa—Silence is confession.

Chi troppo abbraccia nulla stringe—He who grasps at too much holds fast nothing.

Chi tutto vuole, tutto perde—Covet all, lose all.

Chi va piano, va sano, chi va sano va lontano—He who goes softly goes safely, and he who goes safely goes far.

Chi va, vuole; chi manda, non se ha cura—He who goes himself, means it; he who sends another does not care.

Chi vuol dell’ acqua chiara, vada alla fonte—He who wants the water pure must go to the spring-head.

Chi vuol esser mal servito tenga assai famiglia—Let him who would be ill served keep plenty servants.

Chi vuol il lavoro mal fatto, paghi innanzi tratto—If you wish your work ill done, pay beforehand.

Chi vuol presto e ben, faccia da se—He who wishes a thing done quickly and well, must do it himself.

Ciò che si usa, non ha bisogno di scusa—That which is customary needs no excuse.

Cieco è l’occhio, se l’animo è distratto—The eye sees nothing if the mind is distracted.

Con arte e con inganno si vive mezzo l’anno; con inganno si vive l’altra parte—People live with art and deception one half the year, and with deception and art the other half.

Con poco cervello si governa il mondo—The world is governed with small wit.

Constant occupation prevents temptation.

Contesa vecchia tosto si fa nuova—An old feud is easily renewed.

Corpo satollo non crede all’ affamato—A satisfied appetite does not believe in hunger.

Corre lontano chi non torna mai—He runs a long way who never turns.

Cosa ben fatta è fatta due volte—A thing well done is twice done.

Cosa fatta, capo ha—A thing which is done has a head, i.e., it is never done till completed.

Cui serpe mozzica, lucenta teme—Whom a serpent has bitten fears a lizard.

Dà tempo al tempo—Give time to time.

Da chi mi fido, / Guardi mi Dio. / Da chi non mi fido, / Mi guarderò io—From him I trust may God keep me; from him I do not trust I will keep myself.

Dal detto al fatto v’è un gran tratto—From saying to doing is a long stride.

Danari fanno danari—Money breeds money.

Dannosa è il dono che toglie la libertà—Injurious is the gift that takes away our liberty.

De’ peccati de’ signori fanno penitenza i poveri—The poor do penance for the sins of the rich.

Del giudizio, ognun ne vende—Of judgment every one has some to sell.

Del vero s’adira l’uomo—It is the truth that irritates a man.

Dell’ albero non si giudica dalla scorza—You can’t judge of a tree by its bark.

Di picciol uomo spesso grand’ ombra—A little man often casts a long shadow.

Di tutte le arti maestro è amore—Love is master of all arts.

Different times different manners.

Domandar chi nacque prima, l’uovo o la gallina—Ask which was first produced, the egg or the hen.

Donna di finestra, uva di strada—A woman at the window is a bunch of grapes by the wayside.

Dove è grand’ amore, quivi è gran dolore—Where the love is great the pain is great.

Dove è il Papa, ivi è Roma—Where the Pope is, Rome is.

Dove è l’amore, là è l’occhio—Where love is, there the eye is.

Dove bisognan rimedj, il sospirar non vale—Where remedies are needed, sighing is of no use.

Dove entra il vino, esce la vergogna—When wine enters modesty goes.

Dove la voglia è pronta, le gambe son leggiere—When the will is prompt, the legs are light.

Dura più incudine che il martello—The anvil lasts longer than the hammer.

E bello predicare il digiuno a corpo pieno—It is easy to preach fasting with a full belly.

E buon comprare quando un altro vuol vendere—It is well to buy when another wishes to sell.

E mala cosa esser cattivo, ma è peggiore esser conosciuto—It is a bad thing to be a knave, but worse to be found out.

E meglio aver oggi un uovo, che dimani una gallina—Better an egg to-day than a hen to-morrow.

E meglio cader dalla finestra che dal tetto—It is better to fall from the window than the roof.

E meglio dare che non aver a dare—Better give than not have to give.

E meglio domandar che errare—Better ask than lose your way.

E meglio esse fortunato che savio—’Tis better to be born fortunate than wise.

E meglio esser uccel di bosco che di gabbia—Better to be a bird in the wood than one in the cage.

E meglio il cuor felice che la borsa—Better the heart happy than the purse (full).

E meglio lasciare che mancare—Better leave than lack.

E meglio perder la sella che il cavallo—Better lose the saddle than the horse.

E meglio sdrucciolare col piè che con la lingua—Better slip with the foot than the tongue.

E meglio senza cibo restar che senz’ onore—Better be without food than without honour.

E meglio un buon amico che cento parente—One true friend is better than a hundred relations.

E meglio una volta che mai—Better once than never.

E’ va più d’un asino al mercato—There is more than one ass goes to the market.

Eggs of an hour, bread of a day, wine of a year, but a friend of thirty years is best.

Egli ha fatto il male, ed io mi porto la pena—He has done the mischief, and I pay the penalty.

Egli vende l’uccello in su la frasca—He sells the bird on the branch.

Egli venderebbe sino alla sua parte del sole—He would sell even his share in the sun.

Even a fly has its spleen.

Even a frog would bite if it had teeth.

Even among the apostles there was a Judas.

Even foxes are outwitted and caught.

Even the just man has need of help.

Fa bene, e non guardare a chi—Do good, no matter to whom.

Fammi indovino, e ti farò ricco—Make me a prophet, and I will make you rich.

Fatta la legge, trovata la malizia—As soon as a law is made its evasion is found out.

Fear guards the vineyard.

Fidarsi è bene, ma non fidarsi è meglio—To trust one’s self is good, but not to trust one’s self is better.

Fidati era un buon uomo, Nontifidare era meglio—Trust was a good man, Trust Not was a better.

Follow the wise few rather than the vulgar many.

For an honest man half his wits are enough; for a knave, the whole are too little.

For the buyer a hundred eyes are too few, for the seller one is enough.

Forte è l’aceto di vin dolce—Strong is vinegar from sweet wine.

Freno indorato non megliora il cavallo—A golden bit, no better a horse.

Friar Modest never was prior.

From the same flower the bee extracts honey and the wasp gall.

Gifts are often losses.

Giovine santo, diavolo vecchio—A young saint, an old devil.

Gli alberi grandi fanno più ombra che frutto—Large trees yield more shade than fruit.

Gli amici legano la borsa con un filo di ragnatelo—Friends tie their purses with a spider’s thread.

Gli uomini alla moderna, e gli asini all’ antica—After the modern stamp men, and after the ancient, asses.

Gli uomini fanno la roba, e le donne la conservano—Men make the wealth and women husband it.

Gli uomini hanno gli anni che sentono, e le donne quelli che mostrano—Men are as old as they feel, and women as they look.

God keep me from my friends; from my enemies I will keep myself.

God sends meat and the devil sends cooks.

God sends nothing but what can be borne.

Gold’s worth is gold.

Guardalo ben, guardalo tutto / L’uom senza danar quanto è brutto—Watch him well, watch him closely; the man without money, how worthless he is!

Guardati da aceto di vin dolce—Beware of the vinegar of sweet wine.

Guardati da chi non ha che perdere—Beware of him who has nothing to lose.

Guardati dall’ occasione, e ti guarderà / Dio da peccati—Keep yourself from opportunities, and God will keep you from sins.

Guerra cominciata, inferno scatinato—War begun, hell let loose.

He cries out before he is hurt.

He is the world’s master who despises it, its slave who prizes it.

He runs far who never turns.

He that at twenty is not, at thirty knows not, and at forty has not, will never either be, or know, or have.

He that has a head will not want a hat.

He that seeks to have many friends never has any.

He who speaks sows; he who keeps silence reaps.

I danari del comune sono come l’ acqua benedetta, ognun ne piglia—Public money is like holy water; everybody helps himself to it.

I fatti sono maschii, le parole femine—Deeds are masculine, words feminine.

I favoriti dei grandi oltre all’ oro di regali, e l’incenso delle lodi, tocca loro anche la mirra della maldicenza—The favourites of the great, besides the gold of gifts and the incense of flattery, must also partake of the myrrh of calumny.

I gran dolori sono muti—Great griefs are dumb.

I guadagni mediocri empiono la borsa—Moderate profits fill the purse.

I picciol cani trovano, ma i grandi hanno la lepre—The little dogs hunt out the hare, but the big ones catch it.

If you would succeed, you must not be too good.

Il buon mercato vuota la borsa—Great bargains empty the purse.

Il buono è buono, ma il meglio vince—Good is good, but better surpasses it.

Il can battuto dal bastone ha paura dell ombra—The dog that has been beaten with a stick is afraid of its shadow.

Il castigo puo differirsi ma non si toglie—Punishment may be tardy, but it is sure to overtake the guilty.

Il diavolo tenta tutti, ma l’ozioso tenta il diavolo—The devil tempts all, but the idle man tempts the devil.

Il fuoco non s’estingue con fuoco—Fire is not extinguished by fire.

Il meglio è l’inimico del bene—Better is an enemy to well.

Il mondo è di chi ha pazienza—The world is his who has patience.

Il mondo è fatto a scale; / Chi le scende, e chi le sale—The world is like a staircase; some are going up and some going down.

Il mondo sta con tre cose: fare, disfare, e dare ad intendere—The world gets along with three things: doing, undoing, and pretending.

Il riso fa buon sangue—Laughter makes good blood; puts one in good humour.

Il tacer non fu mai scritto—Silence was never written down.

Il tempo è una lima sorda—Time is a file that emits no noise.

Il tempo buono viene una volta sola—The good time comes but once.

Il vero punge, e la bugia unge—Truth stings and falsehood salves over.

Il volto sciolto, i pensieri stretti—The countenance open, the thoughts reserved.

Ill luck comes by pounds and goes away by ounces.

In bocca chiusa non c’ entran mosche—Flies can’t enter into a mouth that is shut.

In buying horses and taking a wife, shut your eyes and commend yourself to God.

In prosperity no altars smoke.

It is a poor art that the artisan can’t live by.

It is not enough to aim; you must hit.

It is not enough to know how to steal; one must know also how to conceal.

It is petty expenses that empty the purse.

Kin or no kin, evil to him who has nothing.

L’animal delle lunghe orecchie, dopo aver beveto dà calci al secchio—The ass (lit. long-eared animal), after having drunk, gives a kick to the bucket.

L’arco si rompe se sta troppo teso—The bow when overstrained will break.

L’asino che ha fame mangia d’ogni strame—The ass that is hungry will eat any kind of litter.

L’ozio é il padre di tutti i vizi—Idleness is the parent of all the vices.

L’ultima che si perde è la speranza—Hope is the last thing we lose.

La biblioteca è l’nutrimento dell’ anima—Books are nourishment to the mind.

La diffidenza è la madre della sicurtà—Diffidence (caution) is the mother of safety.

La lingua batte dove la dente duole—The tongue strikes where the tooth aches.

La moltiplicità delle leggi e dei medici in un paese sono egualmente segni di malore di quello—A multiplicity of laws and a multiplicity of physicians in any country are proofs alike of its bad state.

La speranza è l’ultima ch’abbandona l’infelice—Hope is the last to abandon the unhappy.

La volontà è tutto—The will is everything.

Laughter makes good blood.

Laws were made for rogues.

Lawyers’ robes are lined with the obstinacy of litigants.

Le bestemmie fanno come le processioni; ritornano donde partirono—Curses are like processions, they come back to whence they set out.

Le cose non sono come sono, ma come si vedono—Things are not as they are, but as they are regarded.

Le vesciche galleggiano sopre aqua, mentre le cose di peso vanno al fondo—Bladders swim on the surface of the water, while things of weight sink to the bottom.

Let him who is reduced to beggary first try every one and then his friend.

Love knows nothing of labour.

Love rules without law.

Meglio amici da lontano che nemici d’appresso—Better be friends at a distance than enemies near each other.

Meglio solo che mal accompagnato—Better alone than in bad company.

Meglio tardi che mai—Better late than never.

Mille verisimili non fanno un vero—A thousand probabilities do not make one truth.

Nessuno nasce maestro—No one is born a master.

Never do that by proxy which you can do yourself.

Never let any one see the bottom of your purse or your mind.

Never neglect small matters and expenses.

No good doctor ever takes physic.

No good lawyer ever goes to law himself.

No one ever impoverished himself by almsgiving.

No si puo volar senza ale—He would fain fly, but he wants wings.

Non è in alcun luogo chi è per tutto—He is nowhere who is everywhere.

Non è si tristo cane che non meni la coda—No dog is so bad but he will wag his tail.

Non è uomo chi non sa dir di nò—He’s no man who can’t say “No.”

Non c’ è il peggior frutto di quello che non matura mai—There is no crop worse than fruit that never ripens.

Non ci è fumo senza fuoco—There is no smoke without fire.

Non destare il can che dorme—Do not wake a sleeping dog.

Non fa buon mangiar cireggie con signori—It is not good to eat cherries with great persons.

Non giudicar la nave stando in terra—Don’t judge of the ship from the shore.

Non v’è peggior ladro d’un cattivo libro—There is no robber worse than a bad book.

Nothing can come out of a sack that is not in it.

Odi, vedi, e taci, se vuoi viver in pace—Listen, see, and say nothing, if you wish to live in peace.

Of the wealth of the world each has as much as he takes.

Of what does not concern you say nothing, good or bad.

Offerir molto è spezie di negare—Offering extravagantly is a kind of denial.

Ogni cosa è d’ogni anno—Everything is of every year.

Ogni debole ha sempre il suo tiranno—Every weak man has always his tyrant.

Ogni medaglio ha il suo riverso—Every medal has its reverse.

Ogni monte ha la sua valle—Every mountain has its valley.

Ogni vero non è buono a dire—Every truth is not good to be told.

Oil, wine, and friends improve with age.

Once resolved, the trouble is over.

One misfortune is the vigil of another.

Oro è che oro vale—What is worth gold is gold.

Paga lo que debes, sabrás lo que tienes—Pay what you owe, and what you have you’ll know.

Passato il pericolo gabbato il santo—When the danger is passed the saint is cheated.

Pazza è chi non sa da che parte vien il vento—He is a senseless fellow who does not know from what quarter the wind blows.

Più ombra che frutto fanno gli arberi grandi—Large trees yield more shade than fruit.

Più sa il matto in casa sua che il savio in casa d’altri—The fool knows more in his own house than a wise man does in another’s.

Più vale il fumo di casa mia, che il fuoco dell’altrui—The smoke of my own house is better than the fire of another’s.

Poor men do penance for rich men’s sins.

Povertà non ha parenti—Poor people have no relations.

Quando i furbi vanno in processione, il diabolo porta la croce—When rogues go in procession the devil carries the cross.

Quando non c’è, perde la chiesa—When there is nothing, the church is a loser.

Quel che fa il pazzo all’ ultimo, lo fa il savio alla prima—The wise man does that at first which the fool must do at last.

Raggio d’asino non arriva al cielo—The braying of an ass does not reach heaven.

Reason lies between bridle and spur.

Sacco pieno rizza l’orecchio—A full sack pricks up (lit. erects) its ear.

Sanno più un savio ed un matto che un savio solo—A wise man and a fool know more than a wise man alone.

Se il giovane sapesse, se il vecchio potesse, e’ non c’ è cosa che non si facesse—If the young knew, and the old could, there is nothing which would not be done.

Se la moglie pecca, non è il marito innocente—If the wife sins, the husband is not innocent.

Se non è vero, è ben trovato—If it is not true, it is cleverly invented.

Se’l sol mi splende, non curo la luna—If the sun shines on me, I care not for the moon.

See Naples, and then die.

Sempre il mal non vien per nuocere—Misfortune does not always result in harm.

Senza Cerere e Bacco, Venere e di ghiaccio—Without bread and wine love is cold (lit. without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus is of ice).

Si trovano più ladri que forche—There are more thieves than gibbets.

Spesso chi troppo fa, poco fa—Often he who does too much does little.

Spesso d’un gran male nasce un gran bene—Out of a great evil there springs a great good.

Spesso i doni sono danni—Gifts are oftentimes losses.

Superbo è quel cavallo che non si vuol portar la biada—Proud is the horse that won’t carry its own oats.

Tanto buon, che val niente—So good as to be good for nothing.

Tanto vale la Messa detta quanto la cantata—A mass is as good said as sung.

Terra innanzi, e terra poi—Earth originally, and earth finally.

The man who lives by hope will die by despair.

The world is for him who has patience.

There is no worse fruit than that which never ripens.

To forget a wrong is the best revenge.

Traduttori, traditori—Translators, traitors.

Tre lo sanno, tutti lo sanno—If three know it, all know it.

Tre taceranno, se due vi non sono—Three may keep counsel if two be away.

Tua camicia non sappia il secreto—Let not your shirt know your secret.

Val meglio piegarsi che rompersi—Better submit than be ruined.

Val più un asino vivo che un dottore morto—A living ass is better than a dead doctor.

Val più un’ oncia di discrezione che una libra di sapere—An ounce of discretion is worth more than a pound of knowledge.

Vedi Napoli, e pot muori—See Naples and then die.

Vendetta boccon di Dio—Revenge is a sweet morsel for a god.

Vino dentro, senno fuora—When wine is in, wit is out.

Voce d’uno, voce di niuno—Voice of one, voice of none.

What the fool does in the end, the wise man does at the beginning.

When yon grind your corn, give not the flour to the devil, and the bran to God.

Who has a head will not want a hat.

Whoso hath love in his heart hath spurs in his sides.

With the Gospels one becomes a heretic.