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
RSS


In the original Yiddish!

From a fool one has grief. (Fun a nar hot men tsar.)

For a little love, you pay all your life (Far a bisel libe batsolt men miten gantsen leben)

If you're going to eat pork, eat the best kind (Ez men est khazer zol rinen ariber der bord.) New! One of our favorites!
Also translated as, if you're going to eat pork, get it all over your beard.

One fool can ask more than ten smart men can answer. (Eyn nar ken mer fregn eyder tsen kluge kenen entfern.)

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

It's as appropriate as a slap in response to a greeting of "good shabbas" (Es past zikh vi a patsh tsu gut shabes.)

It's as appropriate as a big (Es past vi a khazer.)

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

It never rose and it never flew (Es iz nit geshtoygen un nit gefloygen) New! One of our favorites!
Figurative translation: It is bullshit!

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

He owes him the hole in the bagel (Er iz im shuldik di lokh fun beygl)

Three things can't be hidden: love, coughing, and poverty. (Dray zakhen ken men nit bahalten: libe, hisen un dales)

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

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.)

Love is sweet, but it's good with bread (Di libe iz zis nor zi iz gut mit broyt.)

The greatest folly of the fool is that he thinks he is smart (Di greste narishkayt fun a nar iz az er meynt az er is klug.)

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

He is smart whose good luck accompanies him (Der iz klug vemes mazl geyt im nokh)

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

Truth is the safest lie. (Der emes iz der bester lign)



NEXT


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