“The shrimp that falls asleep is carried away by the current.”
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (widely used across Latin America)
Traditional Chile Wisdom
Refranes Chilenos
Folk & Oral Tradition
Who is Traditional Chile Wisdom?
Traditional Chile Wisdom gathers the refranes and dichos, the proverbs and folk sayings passed down orally among the Chilean people across generations. These lines have no single named author; they are the shared inheritance of farmers, fishermen, huasos, market vendors, grandmothers and neighbours who compressed everyday experience into a few memorable, often rhyming words. Much of this wisdom is pan-Hispanic, carried to Chile with the Spanish language and then reshaped by local life along the country's long coast, central valleys and southern rains. Chilean proverbs tend to teach prudence, diligence, gratitude, humility and caution in speech, frequently using images of animals, water, birds and daily work to make their point. Because they live in spoken language rather than in a fixed printed source, small variations exist between regions and retellings, and many sayings are shared with the wider Spanish-speaking world. This platform records the widely recognised forms and, in keeping with its accuracy rule, presents them as traditional public-domain oral tradition rather than attributing them to any one person.
Sources: Traditional Chilean oral tradition (refranes chilenos), public-domain folk wisdom · Pan-Hispanic refrán tradition shared across Latin America and Spain
Quotes by Traditional Chile Wisdom
“He who rises early, God helps.”
Al que madruga, Dios lo ayuda.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
“Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.”
A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
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“In a closed mouth, no flies enter.”
En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
“A bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying.”
Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
“A barking dog does not bite.”
Perro que ladra no muerde.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
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“Rising very early does not make the dawn come sooner.”
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
“He who laughs last, laughs best.”
El que ríe último, ríe mejor.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
“Tell me who you walk with, and I'll tell you who you are.”
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)
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“Water that you should not drink, let it flow.”
Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr.
Source: Traditional Chilean proverb, public-domain oral tradition (pan-Hispanic refrán)