WISDOM AND FOLKLORE, OLD SAYINGS AND MYTHS

1) Amici e maccheroni, se non sono caldi, non sono buoni
Friends & Macaroni, if they are not warm, they are not good.
2) Nel bisogno, si conosce I'amico
In your need, you will know your friend
3) Dimmi con chi vai, e ti diro chi sei
Tell me with who you go with, and I'll tell you what you are
4) Chi rispetta, risepttato sara
If you respect, respected you'll be
5) Il padre "campa" dieci figli e dieci figli non possono "campare" il Padre
A father raises 10 children and 10 children cannot raise the father
6) Dopo i confetti, vengono i difetti
After the confetti, come the faults
7) L'educazione dei figli comincia nelle braccia della madre
The education of children begins in the arms of their mother
8) Chi patisce e non impara vuol dire che gli piace patire
He who suffers and doesn't learn, means he likes to suffer.
9) Chi non ha, no e
He who has nothing, is nothing
10) Il mondo e fatto a scale, chi le scende e chi sale
The world is made up of stairs, who comes down and who goes up
11) Chi lascia la vecchia per la nuova, sa quella che lascia, ma non sa quella che trova
Who leaves the old way for the new, knows what he left, and does not know what he'll find
12) Chi primo non pensa, in ultimo sospira
He who does not think first, in the end sighs
13) Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano
If you go slow, you'll go safe and far
14) Come si semina, cosi si raccoglie
The way you sow, that's the way you harvest
15) Chi paga, balla
Whoever pays, dances
16) Gallina vecchia fa buon brodo
Old chicken makes good soup
17) Quando il ciuccio non vuole bere, hai tempo di fischiare
When the mule doesn't want to drink, you have time to whistle
18) Non ce cuore sensa amore
There is no heart without love
19) Non ce rosa senza spina
There is no rose without thorns
20) Tutto il mondo e paese
The whole world is a village
21) L'uso come vai e paese como si trove
Your culture is how it is, other villages' culture is how you find it
22) Meglio solo che mal' accompagnato
Better to be alone then in bad company
23) Chi ti vuole bene, ti fa piangere
Whoever loves you, makes you cry
24) Chi ti vuole male, ti fa ridere
Whoever dislikes you, makes you laugh
25) Chi semina vento, racoglie tempesta
Who sows the wind, gathers tempests
26) Il diavolo non ha vigna e vende vino
The devil has no vineyard, but sells wine!
27) Fai bene e scordati, fai male e ricordati
Do good and forget it, do evil and remember it

Again, Francesca and Dominic Vitale, together with family members, wrote and translated these old sayings for the enjoyment of all Italians who cherish their heritage. The Italian pronunciations of these sayings are beautiful to hear.

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