WISDOM AND FOLKLORE, OLD SAYINGS AND MYTHS

Fai amici con tutti, ma tieni la fede in dio
Make friends with everone but put your faith in the Lord.

Quello che non vuoii per te, non farlo a altri.
What you do not want for yourself do not do unto others.

La vista e preziosa. Si vuoi tocare gli occhi. usa il gomito.
Eyesight is precious. If you want to tamper with your eyes, use your elbow.

Tu devi esseri sempro onesto.
You must always be honest.

Moneta disonesta, entra dalla portas e esce della finestra.
Money you obtain dishonestly comes in through the door and goes out the window.

Chi si sbagli, causa le sue lacrime.
Who causes wrongs for himself, causes his own tears.

Che va piano, va sano e va lontano
Walk slowly and arrive healthy.

Che lascia la vecchia strada per una nuova sa' quello che lascia, ma non sa' quello che trova .
He who leaves the old road and takes a new one knows what he is leaving dut does not know what he will find.

La donna pui modesta e' pui desiderata.
The woman who is more modest is more desired.

L'a persona che non a' niente, va' a letto e dorme bene. Quello che a' tanto va a letto in una mare di problemi.
A person who has nothing goes to bed and sleeps will. He who has too much goes to be in a sea of trouble.

Dio aiuta chi si aiuta;
God will help those who help themselves.

Si non fai del male, non devi aver paura.
Do no wrong and have no fear.

Il buono vinci , il cattivo perde.
The good will win and the bad will lose.

La carita' la fai prima tuoi e si puoi le fai ad altri.
When it comes to charity, help your own first and then others if you can.

Mastica e inghiotta le parole amare e sole sputa le parole dolce.
Masticate and swallow the bitter words and only spit out the sweet sayings

Il letto e' buono per due cosi. Se non dormi, ti riposa.
The bed is good for two things. If you can't sleep at least you will rest.

Generously submitted by Andy Lioi who notes:

     You wanted some sayings or proverbs and here are some that are written in my book, Rosaria's Family. My mother used to tell me these proverbs and when said in Italian they would rhyme. As you can see some of these saying are universal but it was customery for the people of my mothers's generation in Italy to learn and to pass on to one another these proverbs. They took great pride in reciting these sayings to the young members of their families and to their contemporaries.

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