Traditional Portugal Wisdom

Quem não arrisca, não petisca.

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

You cannot achieve rewards without taking risks.

Águas passadas não movem moinhos.

“Past waters do not turn mills.”

There is no use dwelling on things that are over and done with.

Depois da tempestade vem a bonança.

“After the storm comes the calm.”

Difficult times are eventually followed by peaceful, better ones.

Mais vale um pássaro na mão do que dois a voar.

“A bird in the hand is worth two in flight.”

It is better to keep what you already have than to risk it for something uncertain.

Cão que ladra não morde.

“A barking dog does not bite.”

People who make the loudest threats are often the least dangerous.

Quem tudo quer, tudo perde.

“Who wants everything loses everything.”

Greed and overreaching often leave you with nothing.

Grão a grão enche a galinha o papo.

“Grain by grain, the hen fills her crop.”

Great results are achieved through small, steady, patient efforts.

Devagar se vai ao longe.

“Slowly one goes far.”

Steady, careful progress achieves lasting results better than haste.

Casa roubada, trancas à porta.

“A robbed house, bars on the door.”

Taking precautions only after the damage is done is useless.

Não há bela sem senão.

“There is no beauty without a flaw.”

Nothing and no one is perfect; every good thing has a drawback.

Em terra de cegos, quem tem um olho é rei.

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”

A person with even a small advantage stands out among those who have none.

Água mole em pedra dura, tanto bate até que fura.

“Soft water on hard stone strikes until it bores through.”

Gentle, persistent effort can overcome even the toughest obstacles.

Filho de peixe sabe nadar.

“A fish's son knows how to swim.”

Children naturally inherit the traits, skills, or trade of their parents.

Quem tem boca vai a Roma.

“He who has a mouth can reach Rome.”

Asking for directions or help will get you wherever you need to go.

Cada macaco no seu galho.

“Each monkey on its own branch.”

Everyone should mind their own business and stay in their proper place.

A cavalo dado não se olha o dente.

“Do not look a gift horse in the mouth.”

Do not criticize or question something that is given to you for free.

Mais vale prevenir do que remediar.

“Better to prevent than to remedy.”

Taking precautions in advance is wiser than fixing problems afterward.

Nem tudo que reluz é ouro.

“Not all that glitters is gold.”

Appearances can be deceiving; something attractive is not always valuable.

A pressa é inimiga da perfeição.

“Haste is the enemy of perfection.”

Rushing a task usually lowers the quality of the result.

Longe da vista, longe do coração.

“Far from sight, far from heart.”

Physical distance gradually weakens emotional attachment.

Em boca fechada não entra mosca.

“No fly enters a closed mouth.”

Staying silent protects a person from trouble caused by careless words.

Quem vê caras não vê corações.

“He who sees faces does not see hearts.”

A person's outward appearance reveals nothing about their true feelings or intentions.

A união faz a força.

“Union makes strength.”

People working together achieve far more than they could alone.

Quem ama o feio, bonito lhe parece.

“He who loves the ugly finds it beautiful.”

Love changes how we perceive the object of our affection, flaws and all.

Quem com ferro fere, com ferro será ferido.

“He who wounds with iron will be wounded with iron.”

Those who cause harm to others will eventually suffer the same harm themselves.

O seguro morreu de velho.

“The cautious one died of old age.”

Careful, prudent people tend to live long, safe lives.

Onde há fumo, há fogo.

“Where there is smoke, there is fire.”

Persistent rumors or signs usually point to some underlying truth.

Quem ri por último, ri melhor.

“He who laughs last, laughs best.”

Final success matters more than an early advantage or mockery.

Cada cabeça, sua sentença.

“Every head, its own judgment.”

Every person has their own opinions and way of seeing things.

Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga.

“God helps those who rise early.”

Those who start their efforts early tend to be rewarded.

Quem tudo abraça, nada aperta.

“He who grasps at everything holds nothing tightly.”

Trying to take on too many things at once leads to mastering none of them.

A galinha da vizinha é sempre mais gorda.

“The neighbor's hen is always fatter.”

Other people's belongings or lives always seem better than our own.

Não há mal que sempre dure, nem bem que nunca acabe.

“There is no bad that lasts forever, nor good that never ends.”

Both hardship and good fortune are temporary and will eventually change.

Quem espera, desespera.

“He who waits, despairs.”

Waiting for something for too long can wear down a person's patience.

Antes só do que mal acompanhado.

“Better alone than in bad company.”

Solitude is preferable to spending time with people who bring harm.

Quem não chora, não mama.

“He who does not cry is not fed.”

Those who do not speak up or ask for what they need often go without it.

Quem faz um cesto, faz um cento.

“He who makes one basket can make a hundred.”

Once a skill is learned, it can be repeated and applied again and again.

Roma não se fez num dia.

“Rome was not built in a day.”

Great achievements take time and cannot be rushed.

Quem vai ao vento perde o assento.

“He who leaves for the wind loses his seat.”

Stepping away from your place or opportunity means someone else may take it.

A ocasião faz o ladrão.

“Opportunity makes the thief.”

People are more likely to do wrong when an easy chance to do so presents itself.

Cão velho não ladra à toa.

“An old dog does not bark for nothing.”

Experienced people give warnings only when there is real reason for concern.

Quem tem telhado de vidro não atire pedras.

“He who has a glass roof should not throw stones.”

Do not criticize others for faults you share yourself.

Quem canta seus males espanta.

“He who sings scares away his sorrows.”

Cheerful activity like singing can lift a person's spirit and ease worry.

Palavras não enchem barriga.

“Words do not fill the belly.”

Promises and talk are worthless without real action behind them.

Gato escaldado de água fria tem medo.

“A scalded cat fears even cold water.”

A painful past experience makes a person overly cautious even in safe situations.

Quem dá aos pobres empresta a Deus.

“He who gives to the poor lends to God.”

Acts of charity are ultimately rewarded, even if not immediately repaid.

Casa onde não há pão, todos ralham e ninguém tem razão.

“In a house where there is no bread, everyone argues and no one is right.”

Hardship and want breed conflict, and disputes born of need rarely have a clear right side.

A necessidade aguça o engenho.

“Necessity sharpens ingenuity.”

Difficult circumstances often force people to find clever solutions.

Quem muito fala, pouco acerta.

“He who talks too much rarely gets it right.”

Excessive talking tends to lead to more mistakes than careful, measured speech.

Não há rosas sem espinhos.

“There is no rose without thorns.”

Every good and beautiful thing in life comes with some difficulty attached.