Sicilian Sayings & Proverbs

Every cloud has a silver lining
Doppu u bruttu veni u beddu

When the cat is away, the mice will play
Quannu u gattu nun c’e, i surci abballanu

Time is money

U tempu e’ dinaru

To be born with a silverspoon in one’s mouth
Nasciri vistutu

Better late than never
Megghiu tardu

To eat one’s words
Ammettiri di aviri tortu

When in Rome, do as the Romans
Paisi ca vai, usanzi ca trovi

Let sleeping dogs lie
Nun incuitari o cani ca dormi

Where there’s a will, there’s a way
Vuliri e’ putiri

He laughs best who laughs last
Ridi beni cu ridi l’ultimu

One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Megghiu oi l’ovu ca dumani la gaddina

Everyone is master inhis own house
Ogni gaddu canta ntra lu so munnizzaru

What the heart thinks, the mouth speaks
La lingua batti unni lu denti doli

The offenses against God and the honest people always fall back on the offender
Cu’ sputa n celu a la faccia ci veni

Who doesn’t know how to pray goes to the sea
Cui non sapi prijari vaja a mari

Do not do to others what you wouldn’t like them to do to you
Zoccu non fa pi tia ad autru non fari

Whatever you do to others, you do to yourself
Chiddu ca fai a l’autri lu fai a tia

Evil can come from the Good
Acqua e terra fa limara

Who threatens someone, will not kill him
Cu’ amminazza non ammanzza

Who seeds thorns will not walk barefoot or else he’ll hurt himself
Nun vaja scausu cu’ simina spini, chi poi si punci a la sdiminticata

To keep a grudge doesn’t do any good
Acqua passata non macina cchiui

If something has to happen, it will
Lu piru quann’e chiumputu casca sulu

The risky man is fortunate
L’omu arrisicusu e furtunatu

The world never changes
Munnu era e munnu ‘e

The world can’t dress someone without undressing another
Lu munnu non po’ vestiri a unu si non spogghia a n autru

Take time when it comes
Pigghia lu tempu a tempu comu veni

Time runs fast
Passanu l’anni e volunu li iorna

Love takes out all defects
Amuri ammuccia ogni difettu

Distance proves solidity
Distanza prova custanza

A man with two women will end up with none of them
Cu’ s’assetta n’tra du seggi sbatti lu culu n terra (who sits between tow chairs will fall down)

A women with no love is like a rose with no smell
Donna senza amuri e rosa senza oduri

Love and jealousy always come together
Amuri e gilusia su’ sempri n cumpagnia

It’s better to be cheated than stupid
Megghiu curnutu ca minchiuni

A man without vices is not good
Un omu senza viziu non e bonu

Better alone than badly accompanied
Megghiu sulu ca malu accumpagnatu

Who has a nice wife sings, who has money always counts
Cu’ avi mugghieri bedda sempri canta, cu’ avi dinari picca sempri cunta

A good descent starts with a girl
Cu’ buna reda voli fari, di figghia fimmina avi a cuminciari

Avoid friends and parents who don’t help
Amicu ca non ti duna, parendi ca non ti mpresta, fuili comu la pesta

Every friend you lose is a step down
Ogni amicu ca si perdi e un scaluni ca si scinni

See Palermo and enjoy, see Naples and die
Vidi Palermu e gori, vidi Napuli e poi mori

Who wakes up early in the morning, finds good income
Cui nesci matinu, ascia un carrinu

If you don’t want when you can, you can’t when you want
Cui nun voli quannu po, nun purra quannu voli

Who looks for, finds; who percieves, wins
Cui cerca, trova; cui secuta, vinci

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