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???

Hi everyone! It's Morgan and I just started a new project selling modern and contemporary custom ketubahs designed by amazing Jewish artists from Argentina! I'd love to hear what you think about my new site: This is not a Ketubah - Yes it is! PS: You might also like our sister sites, Orthodox Ketubot and lgbt ketubahs :)

Read some more: My Favorites · New additions · Alphabetical order · Original Yiddish
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Some of my favorite ones!

When you're too smart, you ruin yourself (Az m'is tsu klug, light men in drerd.)

The truth can walk around naked--the lie has to be clothed. (Der emes ken arumgeyn a naketer--dem lign darf men bakleydn.)

To look like a rooster after the hens have been trod (Oyszen vi a hon nokj tashmish)

Better not to live than to become dependent on children (Beser oyf der velt nit tsu lebn, eyder onkumen tsu kinder.)

It won't hurt in arranging a marriage (Es ver nit shaten tsum shidekh)

Where are you climbing with your crooked feet? (Vu krikhst du mit dayn krume fis?)

Don't eat the challah before you've made the blessing (Es nisht di khale far a-moytse) New!
Don't have sex before marriage

Ask advice from everyone, but act your own mind.

Many complain of their looks, but none of their brains.

If you don't eat garlic, you won't smell bad (Az men est nisht kayn knobl, shtinkt men nit)

The best baker among the cobblers is Yankele the tailor New!

One should not send a cat to deliver cream

You don't mean the hagode, but the dumplings (Me meynt nit di hagode, nor di kneydlekh)

The nearer to the synagogue, the farther from God.

Better to be a wise person in Hell than a fool in paradise (Beser mit a klugn in gehenem eyder mit a nar in ganeydn)

Don't hit me and don't lick me (Shlog mikh nit, un lek mikh nit)

If you and all your neighbors lay all of your problems on your respective front lawns, you'd look them all over, and end up taking back your own. New!

A rich man has no need of character

The whole word is one town (Die ganzer veld is ein stat)

God created a world full of little worlds



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Read some more:
My Favorites | New additions
Alphabetical order | Original Yiddish

Read some more:
· My Favorites
· New additions
· Alphabetical order
· Original Yiddish


My Grandfather's Yiddish Sayings | About | Ketubahs | morgan's web page | E-mail me if you know some more!


This is not a Ketubah: modern and contemporary custom ketubot