My Grandfather's Yiddish Sayings
Here are some great Yiddish saying that both of my grandfathers used to
tell me, and others ones I've collected, too!
Do you know any others? E-mail me at (morgan@westegg.com) and let me know!!!
What did your grandparents used to tell you???
If a man is destined to drown, he will drown even in a spoonful of water. If you spit upwards, you're bound to get it back in the face. If rich people could hire other people to die for them, the poor could make a wonderful living He owes him the hole in the bagel (Er iz im shuldik di lokh fun beygl) So the Messiah will be born a day later (Vet moshiakh geboyrn vern mit a tog shpeter) A sick man you ask, a well man you give (A kranken fregtman, a gezunten gitman) Petty thieves are hanged, major ones go free Youth is a mistake, middle age a battle, and old age a regret (Di yugnt iz a feler, di menlekhe yorn a kamf, un der elter a kharote.) If you have money, you are wise and good-looking and can sing well, too. A saintly man who knows he is a saintly man is not a saintly man (A tsadik vos veyst az er iz a tsadik is keyn tsadik nit.) If you don't want to do something, one excuse is as good as another. Don't spit in the well, you might drink from it later All brides are beautiful--all the dead are pious (Ale kales zenen sheyn--ale meysim zenen frum) He who marries for money earns it. Lying in the ground, baking bagels (Lign in drerd un bakn beygl) New! Sisyphus-like hell, spending eternity making bagels you can't eat When a thief kisses you, count your teeth. You can't chew with someone else's teeth Go threaten geese (Gey strashe di gens) Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven The soldiers fight, and the kings are heroes My Favorites | New additions Alphabetical order | Original Yiddish · My Favorites · New additions · Alphabetical order · Original Yiddish |