Maltese Proverbs: Min jobżoq lejn is-sema jiġi f’wiċċu !
Posted: November 16, 2011 Filed under: English, Maltese Comments Off on Maltese Proverbs: Min jobżoq lejn is-sema jiġi f’wiċċu !
Old Maltese Proverbs:
La ddardarx l-għajn li trid tixrob minnha.
Don’t foul the spring from which you may want to drink.
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Wieħed imut fis-sakra, u l-ieħor imut għal qatra.
One man dies of drunkenness, another dies for want of a drop.
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Min jobżoq lejn is-sema jiġi f ‘wiċċu.
Whoever spits toward the sky, it comes down on his own face.
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Aħjar ħarba minn karba.
Better to run away than to groan.
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L-ilma fil-bir ma jaqtax għatx.
Water still in the well doesn’t quench a thirst.
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Min igħid li jrid, ikollu jisma’ milli ma jridx.
Whoever says whatever he likes will have to hear what he doesn’t like.
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Għajn ma tara(x) qalb ma tuġa'(x).
What the eye doesn’t see the heart doesn’t grieve over.
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Min jiekol il-laħma jeħtieġ iġerrem l-għadma.
He who eats the meat must also gnaw the bone.
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Il-flus jagħmlu l-flus, u d-dud jagħmel id-dud.
Money breeds money, and worms breed worms.
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Agħtini xortija u itfagħni ‘l-baħar.
Give me my luck – and throw me in the sea.
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Maltese Riddles:
Il-Halq
Sala b’ħafna siġġijiet,
Pulċinell jiżfen fin-nofs.
The Mouth
A drawing-room with many chairs,
In the middle a clown dancing.
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In-Nifs
Ħaga moħġaġa:
Ma tistax iżżommha iktar minn minuta
Għalkemm ħafifa iktar minn rixa.
The Breath
Riddle-dee-dee:
You cannot hold it more than a minute
Though it is lighter than a feather.
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Il-Qalb
Ħaġa moħġaġa:
Imsakkra ġo fik
U jistgħu jisirquhielek.
The Heart
Riddle-dee-dee:
Locked up inside you
And yet they can steal it from you.
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Proverbs and riddles compiled by Arthur John Arberry
Zócalo Poets 