Greek proverbs

Proverbs from all Greek speaking parts of the world.

Δ

• Δώσε τόπο στην οργή.
  • Translation: Shove anger aside.
  • Meaning: Don't make a harsh decision while angry; Don't make a decision/choice out of anger.
  • English equivalent: Whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad.
  • Nea hestia. I. D. Kollaros \& Sa.. 1996. 

Σ

• Συν Αθηνά και χείρα κίνει.
  • Translation: Aided by Athena (ancient Greek goddess) and move your hand.
  • English equivalent: Heaven help those who help themselves.
  • Meaning: When in trouble first of all every one himself should do his best to improve his condition.
  • Source for meaning: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 150. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Karagiōrgos, Panos (1999). Greek and English proverbs. P. Karagiorgos. p. 99. 

H

• Η φτήνια τρώει τον παρά.
  • Translation: Cheapness 'eats' the (value of) money.
  • Meaning: if something is cheap usually does not last long, so it is wasted money.
  • Other meaning: When items or articles are cheap people tend to buy more than they need. Used for compulsive buyers.
  • English equivalent: If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
  • English equivalent: An unneeded bargain is dear at any price.
  • Spoudōn (1998). Λεξικότηςκοινήςνεοελληνικής. ΑριστοτέλειοΠανεπιστήμιοΘεσσαλονίκης. p. 1027. 

Ό

• Oχαιςóς ειv ἁήφlΒὀς.
  • Translation: Time is expensive.
  • English equivalent: Time is precious.
  • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 428. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

• Όποιος γίνεται πρόβατο τον τρώει ο λύκος.
  • Translation: He who becomes a sheep is eaten by the wolf.
  • Meaning: Follow the wrong people, and you will fail with them.
  • Dostoyevsky, Koteliansky (2010). Dostoevsky: Letters and Reminiscences. Kessinger Publishing. pp. 304. ISBN 1163449024. 

• Όφις ην μη φάγη όφιν, δράκων ου γενήσεται.
  • Alternatively: Όφις ει μη φάγοι όφιν, δράκων ου γενήσεται. (see Robert Nares)
  • A serpent, unless it devours a serpent, will not become a dragon. (Erasmus, translated by Barker)
  • Quoted by Erasmus, Apostolius, and in Suda (according to Robert Nares)
  • Translated into Latin by Apostolius, Erasmus, and Francis Bacon.
  • Paraphrased in English by John Dryden (Oedipus III.1): "A serpent ne'er becomes a flying dragon, / Till he has eat a serpent." (see Robert Nares)
  • Sources:
    • Robert Nares, A Glossary, p. 781. (Nares's "φύγοι" emended to "φάγοι" based on Apostolius's text.)
    • Erasmus III iii 61, translated in William Watson Barker, ed. The Adages of Erasmus, p. 271.
    • Michael Apostolius, Paroemiae [Proverbs]. Ed. Daniel Heinsius. Leiden, 1619. p. 187.
    • A search of the Suda does not return this proverb.

Κ

• Κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε, παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε.
  • Translation: It's better to tie your donkey than to go searching for it (afterwards).
  • This proverb contains two composite verbs that are invented especially for the phrase, and do not occur elsewhere: γαϊδουροδένω (donkey-tying) and γαϊδουρογυρεύω (donkey-searching).
  • English equivalent: An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
  • Βασιλειάδης. ΈγκλημαστοΚΕΛΥΦΩΣ Αστυνομικόμυθιστόρημα. Dimitri Vasileiadis. p. 105. 

• Kάλλιο πέντε και στο χέρι, παρά δέκα και καρτέρι.
  • Translation: It's better to have five in your hand, than ten lurking elsewhere.
  • English equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
  • Berettas (1863). Syllogēparoimiōn tōn neōterōn Hellēnōn meta parallēlismou pros tas tōn archaiōn. Ek tou typ. ho Hellēnopelasgos. p. 37. ISBN 1. 

• Κόρακας κοράκου μάτι δε βγάζει.
  • Translation: The crow does not take the eye out of another crow.
  • English equivalent: Hawks will not pick out Hawk's eyes.
  • Meaning: People who are the same do not hurt each other.
  • Shqiptaro-Greke (1999). Albanohellenica. Albanian-Greek Philological Association. p. 22. 

• Η γλώσσα κόκαλα δεν έχει, αλλά κόκαλα τσακίζει.
  • Translation: The tongue has no bones, yet it crushes bones.
  • English equivalent: The pen is mightier than the sword.
  • Venizelos (1867). Paroimiai dēmōdeis. Ek tou typographeiou tēs Patridos. p. 95. 

• Καλή ζωή, κακή διαθήκη.
  • Translation: Good life, bad testament.
  • Meaning: Most likely, you will leave little in your will by living a good life.
  • Chakkas (1978). Hapanta. Kedros. 

Ο

• Ο πνιγμένος, από τα μαλλιά του πιάνεται.
  • Translation: The drowning man grips to his own hair.
  • English equivalent: A drowning man will clutch at a straw.
  • Meaning: A person in a desperate situation will try the most desperate measures.
  • Κριαρας (2007). Αλλελωγραφιαδυο:. ΕκδοσειςΠολυτυπο. p. 33. 

τ

• Τα εν οίκω μη εν δήμω.
  • Translation: Not for public the private ones.
  • English equivalent: Don't wash your dirty linen in public; It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.
  • Meaning: Don't speak in public of unpleasant private affairs; Don't speak ill of yourself and the groups you belong to.
  • Karagiōrgos, Panos (1999). Greek and English proverbs. P. Karagiorgos. p. 99. 

• τα μεγάλα πνεύματα συναντώνται
  • Idiomatic translation: Great minds think alike.
  • Karagiōrgos, Panos (1999). Greek and English proverbs. P. Karagiorgos. p. 138.