Traditional proverbs of San Marino in it and English — each with its meaning and source.
A forza d' fê us fa la pratica.
“Practice makes perfect.”
A skill is only mastered through repeated doing, not through thinking about it.
Source: Traditional Romagnol dialect proverb (San Marino / Romagna regional oral tradition), public-domain — Wikiquote: Romagnol proverbs
A vle che e zogh séja béll, e bsogna che séja curt.
“Leave a jest when it pleases you best.”
A joke stays enjoyable only if it is kept short and does not overstay its welcome.
E bsogna ciapê la furtona quand la s'presenta.
“When fortune knocks, be sure to open the door.”
Seize an opportunity the moment it appears, because it may not return.
La bona mêdar la dis tö rom.
“The good mother does not say "will you?" — she gives.”
True generosity acts on its own, without waiting to be begged or asked twice.
La carité la prinzepia da se stess.
“Charity begins at home.”
Care for your own household and community first, before reaching outward.
La furtona la va e la ven.
“The wheel of fortune is forever in motion.”
Luck and circumstance are never fixed — they rise and fall over time.
La përa quand l' è madura la casca dà su posta.
“When the fruit is ripe, it falls of its own accord.”
Good outcomes cannot be forced; they arrive naturally once the time is right.
L e méi un ôv inco, che dman una galena.
“Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.”
A small certain gain now is worth more than a bigger uncertain promise later.
L`e un gran cativ sord quèll chan vô capi.
“None so deaf as those who will not hear.”
The most stubborn kind of ignorance is refusing to listen on purpose.
Mettar troppa chêrn ae foch.
“He that has many irons in the fire, some of them will cool.”
Taking on too many tasks at once means some of them will inevitably be neglected.
Nó lassô mèi e zërt par l inzërt.
“Do not leave the certain for the uncertain.”
Never trade a sure thing for a risky gamble on something unproven.
Vler e lene e cul chêld.
“You can't have the wool and the warm backside too.”
You cannot have every advantage at once; some choices demand a trade-off.
Chi va piano va sano e va lontano.
“He who goes slowly goes safely and goes far.”
Moving carefully and steadily leads to safer, more lasting success than rushing.
Source: Traditional Italian proverb, shared linguistic and cultural heritage with San Marino (Italian is San Marino's official language), public-domain oral tradition
Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro.
“He who finds a friend finds a treasure.”
True friendship is one of life's most valuable possessions.
Il mattino ha l'oro in bocca.
“The morning has gold in its mouth.”
Starting the day early brings the greatest advantage and opportunity.
Chi dorme non piglia pesci.
“He who sleeps catches no fish.”
Success requires effort and alertness; the idle miss their chance.
Tra il dire e il fare c'è di mezzo il mare.
“Between saying and doing lies the sea.”
Talking about a plan is far easier than actually carrying it out.
Chi la fa l'aspetti.
“He who does it to others should expect it done to him.”
Whoever causes harm to others should expect the same in return.
Chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta.
“He who sows wind reaps the storm.”
Small, reckless acts can bring back far greater trouble than intended.
L'erba del vicino è sempre più verde.
“The neighbor's grass is always greener.”
Other people's lives always appear better than they truly are.
Chi tace acconsente.
“Silence gives consent.”
Saying nothing in the face of wrongdoing is often taken as agreement.
A caval donato non si guarda in bocca.
“Don't look a given horse in the mouth.”
A gift should be accepted gratefully, not judged or picked apart.
Chi troppo vuole nulla stringe.
“He who wants too much grasps nothing.”
Excessive greed often ends in getting nothing at all.
Ride bene chi ride ultimo.
“He who laughs last, laughs best.”
True victory belongs to whoever prevails in the end, not whoever celebrates first.
Rosso di sera, bel tempo si spera.
“Red sky at night, fair weather is hoped for.”
A red evening sky is taken as a traditional sign of good weather ahead.
Chi cerca trova.
“He who seeks, finds.”
Genuine effort to look for something eventually leads to finding it.
Chi fa da sé fa per tre.
“He who acts for himself does the work of three.”
Relying on your own effort is often more effective than waiting on others.
Paese che vai, usanza che trovi.
“Whatever country you go to, follow the customs you find there.”
Adapt respectfully to the customs and habits of wherever you are.
Non è tutto oro quel che luccica.
“Not all that glitters is gold.”
Appearances can be deceiving; not everything valuable-looking truly is.
Il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio.
“The wolf loses its fur but not its vice.”
People may change outwardly with age, but their true nature or bad habits remain.
“Wars end, but neighbours remain.”
Onofri's stated reasoning in 1797 for refusing Napoleon's offer to enlarge San Marino's territory — lasting peace with neighbours matters more than temporary gains from conflict.
Source: Antonio Onofri, Captain Regent of San Marino, on declining Napoleon's 1797 offer of territorial expansion — recorded in San Marino historical accounts (see Wikipedia: 'Antonio Onofri')
Relinquo vos liberos ab utroque homine.
“I leave you free from both men.”
Tradition holds these were Saint Marinus's dying words in 366 AD, releasing the community on Monte Titano from allegiance to any single secular or ecclesiastical ruler — the origin of San Marino's motto 'Libertas.'
Source: Attributed dying words of Saint Marinus, from the founding hagiography of San Marino (earliest surviving manuscripts, 10th century); discussed in William Miller, 'The Republic of San Marino,' The American Historical Review, Vol. 6, No. 4 (1901)
Chi ben comincia è a metà dell'opera.
“Well begun is half done.”
A strong, careful start already accomplishes much of the task ahead.
Volere è potere.
“Where there's a will, there's a way.”
Strong determination is often enough to make something possible.
Batti il ferro finché è caldo.
“Strike while the iron is hot.”
Act at the right moment, while conditions are still favorable.
Chi non risica non rosica.
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
Avoiding all risk means missing out on any reward.
A buon intenditor poche parole.
“A word to the wise is enough.”
A perceptive listener needs only a hint to understand the whole matter.
Tale padre tale figlio.
“Like father, like son.”
Children often inherit the character and habits of their parents.
L'abito non fa il monaco.
“The habit does not make the monk.”
Outward appearance alone does not reveal a person's true character.
Can che abbaia non morde.
“A barking dog doesn't bite.”
Loud threats often come from those least likely to actually act on them.
Chi si loda si imbroda.
“He who praises himself dirties himself.”
Boasting about your own merits tends to lower others' opinion of you.
L'occasione fa l'uomo ladro.
“Opportunity makes the thief.”
Easy, unguarded chances can tempt even an otherwise honest person into wrongdoing.
Non c'è due senza tre.
“There is no two without three.”
Events, especially misfortunes, are commonly expected to happen a third time after occurring twice.
Chi rompe paga.
“He who breaks it, pays for it.”
Whoever causes the damage bears the responsibility for fixing it.
Ad ogni uccello il suo nido è bello.
“To every bird, its own nest is beautiful.”
People naturally cherish their own home above all others, however humble.
La gatta frettolosa fece i gattini ciechi.
“The hasty cat gave birth to blind kittens.”
Rushing an important task produces flawed, incomplete results.
Meglio soli che mal accompagnati.
“Better alone than in bad company.”
Solitude is preferable to keeping company with people who bring you harm.
Chi la dura la vince.
“He who perseveres, wins.”
Steady persistence eventually overcomes even the most difficult challenge.
Fatta la legge, trovato l'inganno.
“Once the law is made, the loophole is found.”
People will quickly search out a way around any new rule or restriction.
Presto e bene raro avviene.
“Fast and good rarely happen together.”
Speed and quality are difficult to achieve at the same time.
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