My Grandfather's Yiddish Sayings

Some of my favorite ones!

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The best horse needs a whipe, the wisest man advice, and the chastest woman a man. (Der bester ferd darf hoben a baytsh, der klugster man an eytse, un di frumste mekeyve a man.)

The wagon rests in winter, the sleigh in summer, the horse never.

Better to lose with a wise man than to win with a fool. (Beser mit a klugn tsu farlirn, eyder mit a nar tsu gevinen)

You're climbing on the straight wall (Ikh zol azoy visn fun tsores)

He who is aware of his foolishness is a wise person (Der vos farshteyt zayn narishkayt iz a kluger mensch.)

Trying to outsmart everybody is the greatest folly.

Beware of your friends, not your enemies (Hit zikh far di fraynd, nit far di faynt.)

Charm is better than beauty (Kheyn geyt iber sheyn)

If you want to know what God thinks of money, look at the people he gives it to.

If God wants people to suffer, he sends them too much understanding

A half truth is a whole lie.

One even gets tired of eating only dumplings (Kreplakh esn vert oykh nimes)

A homely girl hates the mirror (A meeseh moyd hot faynt dem shpigl)

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar (Me ken khapn mer flign mit honik vi mit esik)

From an old maid, you get a faithful wife (Fun an alte moid vert a getraye vayb)

Show a dog a finger, and he wants the whole hand

Look down, and you'll know how high up you are (Kuk arop, vest du visn vi hoykh du shteyst.)

Better a good enemy than a bad friend (Beser a guter soyne eyder a shlekhter fraynd.)

He should grow like an onion with its head in the ground (Er zol vaksn vi a tsibele mit dem kop in drerd)

Troubles with soup is easier than troubles without soup (Tsores mit yoykh iz gringer vi tsores on yoykh)



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