French Proverbs from 1611: Starting with the letter O

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[Occasion trouve qui son chat bat:] [Prov.] [He that would beat his Cat finds a cause for it.]


[Oignez vilain il vous poindra:] [Prov.] [The base vnthankfull chuffe returnes bad offices for good.]
[Oignez vilain il vous poindra:] [Pro.] [(Applyable to the base ingratitude of a base chuffe, or churle.)]
[Oignez vilain il vous poindra:] [Pro.] [(Like our homelie one)] claw a churle by the breech, and he will shite in your fist.


[Oiseau debonnaire de luy mesme se fait:] [Pro.] The gentle hauke (halfe) mannes herselfe.
[Oiseau debonnaire de luy mesme se fait:] [Pro.] [The gentle Hawke (halfe) makes, or mannes, her selfe; a wellbred person is of a vertuous disposition, needes not much tutoring, will of himselfe be good.]


[On a beau mener le boeuf à l'eau s'il n'a soif:] [Pro.] In vaine is an Oxe led to the water if he be not athirst; we say [(with some difference of sence)] a man may lead his horse to the water, but cannot make him drinke vnlesse he list.


[On cognoist les balles aux marques des marchands, & les ames au parler:] [Pro.] [As packs by marks, so wits by words, are knowne.]


[On cognoit le diable à ses griffes:] [Pro.] The diuell is knowne by his clawes; a couetous heart discerned by catching hands.


[Oncques amour, & seigneurie ne se tindrent compagnie:] [Prov.] [True loue, and lordlinesse neuer held correspondencie; friendship, and lordship agree not long together.]


[Oncques bon cheval ne devint rosse:] [Prov.] Looke Cheval. {not there}


[Oncques mastin n'aima levrier:] [Prov.] See Levrier. {not there}


[Oncques n'ayma bien qui pour si peu haït:] [Prov.] [He neuer soundly loued that hateth for a toy.]
[Onques n'aima bien que pour si peu haït:] [Prov.] He neuer loued well, that hated for a trifle.


[Oncques n'y eut laides amours ny belle prison:] [Pro.] Neuer seemd mistresse foule, nor prison faire.


[Oncques vieil singe ne fit belle mouë:] [Pro.] [Th'old Monkey neuer made well-fauored mowe.]
[Oncques vieil Singe ne fit belle mouë:] [Prov.] [An old-bred clowne was neuer mannerlie.]
[Oncques vieil singe ne fit belle mouë:] [Prov.] [Old age cannot be gracious, comelie, louelie.]


[On crié tousiours le loup plus grand qu'il n'est:] [Prov.] [Report makes dangers greater then they be.]
[On crie le loup plus grand qu'il n'est:] [Prov.] Report makes mischiefes greater than they be. {ed: Crying wolf.}


[On croit d'un fol bien souvent qu'il soit Clerc, pour ses vestemens:] [Pro.] Graue clothes make dunces often seeme great Clarkes.
[On croit d'un fol bien souvent qu'il soit clerc pour ses vestemens:] [Prov.] [Discreet cloathes often passe a foole for a wise man.]
[On croit d'un fol bien souvent, qu'il soit Clerc pour ses vestemens:] [Prov.] Handsome, or decent apparrell makes fooles oft passe for wise men.


[On doit dire du bien le bien:] [Prov.] Of good things we must giue good words.
[On doit dire du bien le bien:] [Prov.] Of things well done we ought to speake well.


[On lie bien le sac avant qu'il soit plein:] [Pro.] [A sacke before tis full is well ynough tyed vp; men while they are kept low are easily kept in.]
[On lie bien le sac avant qu'il soit plein:] [Prov.] [An emptie sacke will easily be tied;]


[On n'a jamais bon marché de mauvaise marchandise:] [Prov.] [Bad ware is neuer cheape ynough.]
[On n'a jamais bon marché de mauvaise marchandise:] [Prov.] [For naughtie ware no price is low ynough.]
[On n'a jamais bon marché de mauvaise marchandise:] [Prov.] [One can neuer haue ill ware cheap ynough;] or, his bargaine is not cheape that hath ill ware for his money.


[On n'aura ia bon asne vieil:] [Pro.] A slugg, or dullard growne old is worse then naught.
[On n'aura ja bon asne vieil:] [Prov.] [An old Asse is good for nothing.]


[On ne cache point esguilles en sac:] [Pro.] [A sack's no fit thing to hide needles in; heart-pricking anguish will bewray it selfe.]


[On ne cognoist point le vin aux cercles:] [Pro.] The goodnes of wine is not known by the fashion, or strength of the hoops that begird it.


[On ne doit pas à gras pourceau le cul oindre:] [Prov.] [We should not grease a fat hog in the taile.]
[On ne doit pas à gras pourceau le cul oindre:] [Pro.] [We must not grease a fat Sow in the tayle.]


[On ne doit pas laisser bonne terre pour mauvais seigneur:] [Pro.] [Good land must not be left because of a bad Landlord.]
[On ne doit pas laisser bonne terre pour mauvais seigneur:] [Prov.] [Quit not good land because of a bad Landlord.]
[On ne doit pas laisser bonne terre pour mauvais Seigneur :] [Prov.] [Rich land must not be left for a rigorous Landlord; nor a good countrey quit because tis gouerned by a bad Prince.]


[On ne doit point mentir en vin:] [Prov.] [Somewhat like the Latine, In vino veritas; or an aduise to make it good; and then may be rendered thus; when men are drunke they should not lye, because in wine is veritie.]
[On ne doit point mentir en Vin:] [Pro.] [Wine telleth truth, and should not be belyed.]


[On ne doit point querir brebis qui se veut perdre:] [Pro.] [The sheepe which will be lost must not be lookt for.]
[On ne doit point querir brebis qui se veut perdre:] [Prov.] [A wilfull sinner must not be reclaimd.]


[On ne fait boire à l'asne quand il ne veut:] [Prov.] Men force not th'asse (but asses men) to drinke.


[On ne fait de rien grasse porré e:] [Prov.] [Fat broth cannot without some stuffe be made.]
[On ne fait pas de rien grasse poré e:] [Prov.] [Fat broth cannot be made of nothing.]


[On ne fait pas à grand coups douce vielle:] [Prov.] Tis not the great (but the apt) stroake that makes the harmonie.
[On ne fait pas à grands coups douce vieille:] [Pro.] [Hard stroakes yeeld but harsh Musicke.]
[On ne fait pas à grands coups douce vielle:] [Prov.] [Not great, but apt, stroakes make sweet Musicke.]


[On ne peut avoir trop d'amis:] [Pro.] One cannot haue too many (faithfull, and discreet) friends.


[On ne peut despouiller vn homme nud:] [Prov.] [A naked man cannot be stript of clothes.]
[On ne peut despouiller vn homme nud:] [Prov.] Of a naked man who can haue clothes? Where there is nothing, the King looses his rights.


[On ne peut d'un pigeon faire vn vif esparvier:] [Prov.] [The sillie Doue good Sparhawke nere will be;] [(Somewhat to which purpose we say)] a man cannot make a Cheuerill purse of a Sowes eare.


[On ne peut estre ensemble au four, & au moulin:] [Prov.] [One cannot be in two places, or follow two businesses, at once.]
[On ne peut estre ensemble au four, & au moulin:] [Prov.] [One cannot be in two places, or follow two businesses, at once.]


[On ne peut faire de hibou esparvier:] [Prov.] [One cannot make a Hawke of an Owle.]
[On ne peut faire d'hibou esparvier:] [Prov.] He thats a clowne by nature, cannot be gentilized by nurture; The like is; [On ne peut d'vn Pigeon faire vn vif esparvier:] [Prov.]


[On ne peut tirer du sac que ce qu'y est:] [Prov.] [You can haue no more of a Cat but her skinne;] or, there can come no more (no other stuffe) from a man then is in him.


[On ne sç ait qui mord ne qui rue:] [Prov.] [A man knowes not what may fall out.]
[On ne sç ait qui mord ne qui rue:] [Prov.] [One knowes not what may happen, who may hurt him, what mischiefe may in time betide him.]


[On plume l'oye sans la faire crier:] [Prov.] [The sillie Goose complaines not when she's pluckt.]
[On plume l'oye sans la faire crier:] [Prov.] [The simple goose complaines not of her plucking; a sillie gull complaines not though you cousen him.]


[Onques mastin n'aima Levrier:] [Prov.] A churle neuer cared for gentleman.


[On revient sage des iours:] [Pro.] [In time one gets experience.]
[On revient sage des iours:] [Prov.] [In time fooles get experience.]


[On s'advise tard en mourant:] [Prov.] [Too late one takes aduise when he must leaue the world.]
[On s'avise tard en mourant:] [Prov.] When death approches, had-I-wist comes too late.


[On se lasse de bien chanter:] [Prov.] The best contentments breed sacietie.


[On seme les bleds à l'auanture:] [Prov.] [viz. Not knowing whether they will come vp or no.] {needsdef}


[On se saoule bien de manger tartes:] [Prov.] [A man may take too much of a good thing.]
[On se saoule bien de manger tartes:] [Prov.] [Sweets quickly breed sacietie.]


[On touche tousiours sur le cheval qui tire:] [Pro.] [The free drag-horse is alwayes ouerraught.]
[On touche tousiours sur le cheval qui tire:] [Prov.] [The forward horse is alwayes most put on.]
[On touche tousjours sur le cheval qui tire:] [Prov.] [We say, Seldome hath a good horse turned iade; a worthie fellow will neuer prooue coward, nor knaue; no age can weaken, no daunger appall, no paine afflict, no offer infect, him.


[Or est qui or vaut:] [Pro.] [Tis Gold thats worth Gold.]


[Orgueilleuse semblance monstre folle cuidance:] [Prov.] [A prowd looke shewes the heart's possest with follie.]
[Orgueilleuse semblance monstre folle euidance:] [Prov.] [An hautie looke argues a fond presumption.]


[Orgueil n'a pas bon oeil:] [Prov.] [He scuruily lookes that proudly lookes;]
[Orgueil n'a pas bon oeil:] [Prov.] [Pride lookes not well on any.]


[Ou brebis sont laine est:] [Prov.] Where sheepe are wooll is.


[Ouï -dire va par ville:] [Prov.] [Tell-tale is the towne Crier; hearesay goeth speedily from doore to doore.]


[Ou la chevre est lié e faut qu'elle broute:] [Prov.] The goat must brouze where she is bound; where a man is setled he is to seeke meanes to liue.


[Ou Marchand, ou larron:] [Prov.] [Either a marchant or a theefe; a speech verie ordinarie in the mouthes of Shop-keepers, who thereby pretend, that not comming to their wares so easily, they cannot sell them so cheape, as theeues doe.]


[Ou marchand ou larron:] [Prov.] [Either a trader, or a stealer;]


[Ou pain faut tout est à vendre:] [Prov.] [A man will sell all rather then be starued.]
[Ou pain faut tout est à vendre:] [Prov.] [Where bread is wanting all is to be sold.]


[Ou rendre, ou pendre, ou mort d'enfer attendre:] [Pro.] [Restore, or hang, or looke to be damn'd.]
[Ou rendre, ou pendre, ou mort d'enfer attendre:] [Prov.] [A thiefe must restore, or be hangd, or looke to be damd.]


[Ou richesse est peché est:] [Prov.] [Where riches are sinne is.]
[Ou richesse est peché est:] [Prov.] [Where wealth is offences are.]


[Ouvrage de commun ouvrage de nul:] [Prov.] All mens worke is no mans worke; or, that which is done for many is acknowledged by none.
[Ouvrage de commun ouvrage de nul:] [Prov.] [Euerie bodies worke is no bodies worke; that which euerie one can doe is not worth doing;] or, as good doe nothing as worke for a multitude.


[Ouvriere mediocre à cheval; ouvrier gentil à l' hospital:] [Prov.] [The meane workman labours hard, & by much light gaine comes to a heauie purse; the skilfull one is (commonly) proud, vnthriftie, or sloathfull; and dies a wretched, or diseased begger.]


[Ouvrier gaillard cele son art:] [Prov.] The industrious workman prostitutes not his Art.
[Ouvrier gaillard cele son Art:] [Prov.] [Th'industrious workeman shewes his skill to few.]


[Oy, voy, & de tais, si tu veux vivre en paix:] [Prov.] [Heare, see, and hold thy peace, if thou desire to liue in peace.]


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