Guernsey — quotes, proverbs & wisdom

P'tit patchet long ch'min coute.

“A small packet becomes a heavy burden on a long journey.”

Even a minor load feels heavier the further and longer you must carry it.

Gras coum' aen lopin d'si.

“As fat as a lump of suet.”

A vivid rural simile describing someone who is very well-fed or stout.

Daeux gros os n'peuve bouidre dans lé mesme pot.

“Two big bones cannot boil in the same pot.”

Two strong-willed rivals cannot easily share the same small space.

Il en reste assaïz pour tous les Tostevins.

“There is enough left for all the Tostevins.”

Said when plenty of food remains at the table; Tostevin, a common Guernsey surname, stands in for "everyone".

Ch' n'est pas les sians qui labourent pus pres des fossaïs qui saönt les pus riches.

“It is not those who plough nearest the hedge who are the richest — economy can be carried too far.”

Squeezing every last inch out of your land through excessive thrift or caution does not make you the wealthiest; economy carried too far defeats itself.

Quand i' plleut daove vent d'ava, I'nourrit haomme et son cheval; Quand i' plleut daove vent d'amaont, Ch'est merveille si tout nö faont.

“When it rains with a west wind, it feeds a man and his horse; when it rains with an east wind, it is a wonder if anything comes to good.”

A westerly rain nourishes both man and livestock, while rain from the east threatens ruin to crops and fortune alike.

Necessitaïe fait la vieille trottaïr.

“Necessity will make an old woman trot.”

Hardship or urgent need can drive even the frail and reluctant to move quickly and act.

Paque martine djère, peste, ou pestilence.

“Easter in March brings war, plague, or pestilence.”

An old calendar-based weather and fortune saying warning that an unusually early Easter foretells hardship for the year ahead.

L'arc d'alliance du saër, baël a veies, L'arc d'alliance du matin, fait la mare au ch'min.

“A rainbow in the evening is a sign of fair weather; a rainbow in the morning means puddles on the road.”

Traditional weather-reading lore: an evening rainbow promises good weather ahead, while a morning rainbow warns of rain to come.

Aen mouissaon à la môin vaút mux qué daeux qui volent.

“A bird in the hand is worth more than two on the wing.”

A smaller certain gain is worth more than a larger, uncertain one still out of reach.

Vent d'amaont ove pllie, n'vaut pas énne fllie.

“An east wind with rain is not worth a limpet.”

An east wind bringing rain is a thoroughly bad and unproductive combination, worth nothing at all.

Lé sian qui mange sa crôime, né fait pas du burre.

“He who eats his own cream never makes butter.”

Consuming your resources as soon as you have them leaves nothing to build something greater; save in order to prosper.

I' ne faut pas faire le cottin d'vànt que le viau seit naï.

“One must not make the crib before the calf is born.”

Don't count your chickens before they hatch — avoid preparing for or celebrating an outcome that has not yet happened.

Apprins au ber, dure jusqu'au ver.

“What is learnt in the cradle lasts until the grave.”

Habits and values instilled in early childhood stay with a person for life.

Nou ne va pas au jàn sans ses gànts.

“No one goes to cut furze without gloves.”

Prepare properly before undertaking a difficult or thorny task.

P'tit à p'tit lé mouissaon fait sa mid.

“Little by little, the bird builds her nest.”

Great achievements are built gradually through small, steady effort.

Ch'n'est pas Ôve du vinaigre que nous attrâpe des mouques.

“You do not catch flies with vinegar.”

Harshness and roughness win nothing; kindness and gentleness accomplish far more.

Qui pent volaïr ùn oeuf, pent volaïr ùn boeuf.

“He who would steal an egg would steal an ox.”

A person willing to be dishonest in small matters cannot be trusted in larger ones; integrity must hold in every case.

A p'tit pourche grosse pânais.

“The little pig gets the big parsnip.”

The youngest or smallest of a family is often given the most favour and pampering.

Qui paie s'acquitte; qui s'acquitte s'enrichit.

“He who pays clears his debt; he who clears his debt grows rich.”

Settling what you owe promptly is the surest path to lasting prosperity.

Si nou lli dounne un peis i' prend une faïve.

“Give him a pea and he will take a bean.”

Give someone a small concession and they will push to take far more; give an inch and lose a mile.

Mettre daeux guerbes en un llian.

“To bind two sheaves with one wisp.”

To accomplish two goals at once with a single, efficient effort.