Traditional Honduras Wisdom

A la fuerza, ni la comida es buena.

“Not even good food tastes good when it is forced on you.”

Anything, however good, becomes unpleasant when someone is compelled to accept it against their will.

El tonto ni de Dios goza.

“Even a fool cannot enjoy what God gives him.”

A foolish or ungrateful person fails to appreciate even the greatest blessings placed before them.

De las aguas mansas líbrame Dios, que de las bravas me libro yo.

“From calm waters, God deliver me; from rough ones I deliver myself.”

A quiet, gentle appearance can hide the greatest danger; open threats are easier to guard against than hidden ones.

A dos puyas no hay toro valiente.

“No bull is brave against two spears at once.”

Even the strongest will falter when pressed hard from two directions at the same time.

Candil de la calle, oscuridad de la casa.

“A lamp for the street, darkness in the house.”

Someone who is generous and pleasant to strangers may still neglect and mistreat the people closest to them.

Gallina que come huevos, aunque le quemen el pico.

“The hen that eats eggs keeps doing it, even if they burn her beak for it.”

A deeply set habit continues even after repeated punishment.

El que nace para martillo, del cielo le caen los clavos.

“He who is born to be a hammer will have nails fall from the sky.”

Circumstances tend to arrive that match a person's true calling or nature.

El que fía lo que tiene, a velar se queda.

“Lend out everything you own, and you will be left keeping watch over nothing.”

Giving away everything you have leaves you with nothing left to protect or rely on.

El vivo a señas y el tonto a palos.

“The clever man takes a hint; the fool needs a beating.”

A perceptive person learns from a subtle signal, while a stubborn one only learns through hard consequence.

Fiado se murió, mala paga lo mató.

“Credit died; bad debtors killed it.”

Generosity in lending eventually disappears once too many debts go unpaid.

Muchos matan al tigre, y después le tienen miedo al cuero.

“Many claim to have killed the tiger, yet still fear its hide.”

People often boast of overcoming a danger, yet remain fearful even of its harmless remains.

Hijo de mi hija, mi nieto será; hijo de mi hijo, en duda estará.

“My daughter's son will surely be my grandson; my son's son may always be in doubt.”

An old saying noting that descent through a daughter was considered certain, while descent through a son could always be questioned.

El buey solo bien se lame.

“The lone ox grooms itself well.”

A person without help learns to take good care of their own needs.

Del lobo, un pelo.

“From the wolf, even a single hair is worth taking.”

Take whatever small gain you can get, even from someone or something you do not fully trust.

Después de un gustazo, un trancazo.

“After a great pleasure comes a hard blow.”

Moments of great pleasure are often followed closely by a painful price.

Con el mismo cuero, salen las correas.

“From the same hide come the straps.”

Make the most of whatever resources you already have rather than waiting for something better.

El que nace para maceta no pasa del corredor.

“He who is born to be a flowerpot never leaves the corridor.”

Some people, however hard they strive, remain confined to the modest circumstances set by their beginnings.

El gallo viejo con el ala mata.

“The old rooster kills with his wing.”

Age and experience can still overcome youthful strength through cunning and skill.

El que nace para burro, no puede ser caballo.

“He who is born a donkey cannot become a horse.”

A person's fundamental nature cannot be changed no matter how much effort is applied.

¿A dónde va el buey que no ha de arar?

“Where does the ox go, if not to plow?”

No matter where a person goes, there is no escaping the work or duty that is truly theirs.

Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres.

“Tell me who you walk with, and I will tell you who you are.”

A person's character is judged by the company they choose to keep.

El que siembra vientos recoge tempestades.

“He who sows winds reaps storms.”

Careless or harmful actions sown in haste tend to return as much greater consequences.

A palabras necias, oídos sordos.

“To foolish words, deaf ears.”

It is wiser to ignore spiteful or senseless talk than to dignify it with a response.

Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.

“Eyes that do not see, a heart that does not feel.”

What a person never witnesses rarely troubles their heart; distance eases pain.

Perro que ladra no muerde.

“A barking dog does not bite.”

Someone who makes loud threats rarely follows through with real action.

Quien ríe último, ríe mejor.

“He who laughs last, laughs best.”

The final outcome matters far more than an early advantage or premature celebration.

A caballo regalado no se le busca lado.

“Do not look for fault in a gift horse.”

Accept a gift graciously rather than picking apart its flaws.

Mucho ruido y pocas nueces.

“Much noise and few nuts.”

A great commotion often produces very little of real substance or result.

A cada chanchito le llega su Navidad.

“Every little pig gets its Christmas.”

Everyone eventually faces the consequences, good or bad, that are coming to them.

Nunca digas de esta agua no beberé.

“Never say, "I will never drink this water."”

No one should swear they will never face a certain hardship, since circumstance can still force it upon them.

Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta.

“He who grasps too much holds very little.”

Taking on too many tasks at once usually means doing none of them well.

En boca cerrada no entran moscas.

“Flies do not enter a closed mouth.”

Staying silent at the right moment keeps a person out of unnecessary trouble.

El que tiene más galillo traga más pinol.

“He who has the bigger throat swallows more pinol.”

Those with a greater appetite or capacity naturally take in more than others.

Jueguen con el santo, pero no con la limosna.

“Play with the saint, but never with the alms.”

It is fine to joke about most things, but money set aside for those in need must always be respected.

El que presta un libro es tonto, y más tonto el que lo devuelve.

“He who lends a book is a fool, and the one who returns it is an even greater fool.”

A wry warning that once something is lent out it is rarely seen again — so is anyone foolish enough to give it back.

Sin pisto no hay matrimonio.

“Without money, there is no marriage.”

Practical matters such as marriage become difficult to arrange without the means to support them.

Y como dijo Cristo, cada quien con su pisto.

“As Christ himself said, everyone with their own share.”

Every person is responsible for managing their own affairs and resources.

El hombre casado, ni frito ni asado.

“A married man is neither fried nor roasted.”

Once a man marries, his old carefree life is over, yet he is not entirely bound either — a wry comment on married life.

Manchando el nombre de Cristo, algunos hacen buen pisto.

“Staining the name of Christ, some still turn a good profit.”

A pointed warning that some people invoke sacred things dishonestly simply to profit from others' faith.

La yegua no tiene cola, pero quiere grupera.

“The mare has no tail, yet still wants a saddle strap.”

Even those who lack the basic means still desire comforts and luxuries beyond their situation.

Macho que respinga, chimadura tiene.

“A mule that bucks is hiding some flaw.”

Someone who resists or reacts strongly usually has a hidden reason or defect behind their behavior.

A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan.

“A good listener needs only a few words.”

A perceptive person grasps the point quickly, without needing a lengthy explanation.

A mal tiempo, buena cara.

“In hard times, put on a good face.”

Facing adversity with courage and a positive spirit makes hardship easier to bear.

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.

“God helps the one who rises early.”

Diligence and an early start are rewarded with good fortune.

Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente.

“The shrimp that falls asleep is swept away by the current.”

Whoever grows careless or inattentive will lose their opportunity or advantage to someone else.

Arrieros somos y en el camino andamos.

“We are all muleteers, traveling the same road.”

Since everyone travels through life on the same road, people are bound to cross paths again — so treat others well now.

Come Santos, caga diablos.

“He eats saints and excretes devils.”

A biting description of a hypocrite who displays great piety in public while doing wicked things in private.