Sicilian Proverbs

 Song: Andromeda 
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Senza Dinari Nun Si Canta Missa

Un canta abbati 'n coru ne' batissa,
si la cucina e' di dinari oppressa
Nun si fa cursa mai senza scummissa,
e senza accordu la liti nun cessa.
E picchi' la paga ci veni suppressa:
dici lu lavuranti ca s'arrissa,
-Senza dinari nun si canta missa,
e mancu senza stola si cunfessa

Parra a lu munnu quantu menu poi,
ca di li genti stimatu sarai.
Sulu tu bada a li nigozi toi,
e ci hai a pinsari prima ca li fai.
E si poi sgarbi suffriri nun voi,
pinseri d'avutru nun ti pigghiari mai.
Ca l'omu ch'un si fa li fatti soi,
cu la lanterna va circannu guai.

Amuri voli affettu e non dinari.
E va' sempri circannu un fidu cori:
Amuri voli un sinceru parrari,
Voli custanza sinu ca si mori.
Amuri a cui di cori sapi amari,
Lu prifirisci a tutii li tisori.
Pinsati dunca cui s'ha' 'nnamurari:
Ch'amuri voli fatti e non paroli.


Acqua passata ‘un macina mulinu

Si ti sciarrii cu l’armi a li manu, 
cc’un parenti, un amicu, o c’un vicinu
e’mmenzu si ci metti un paisanu,
mittennu paci, di prudenza chinu,
subitu cedi, e mustra un cori umanu.
Chista e`la liggi di lu citatinu; 
e poi nni ‘nsigna lu Sicilianu:
ch’acqua passata ‘un macina mulinu.


Pacenzia ci voli a li burraschi
ca meli nun si mancia senza nuschi

Si stanchi carrijannu zucchi fraschi
e cu lu suli li spaddi t’abbruschi,
e mentri tu travagghi, provi baschi,
pirchissu doppu dinaru tu vuschi
Pi aviri oru e dargentu ‘ntralitaschi,
nu ti curari di lampi surruschi
Pacenzia caru amicu, a li burraschi,
ca meli un si nni mancia senza muschi!


La terra cu lu celu hannu iuratu
ca nudda cosa tennu celatu

Ammatula ti ‘mpegni a tuttu ciatu
di fari un grossu furtu mutu mutu;
E ti lusinghi tinirlu cilatu,
senza chi fussi d’arcunu scuprutu
Nun ti rinesci e ristirai ‘ngannatu,
tu sarai quantu prima prusicutu
Ca lu celu cu la terra l’ha juratu,
ca nudda cosa tennu cilatu.


Cu ama a Diu campa filici

All’omu ‘ntra ‘stu munnu sempri
piaci d’acquistari ricchizzi,onuri,amici.
E si nn’acquista,comu arpia vuraci
pi cchiu` acquistarni, sempri siziu dici
Ma cchiu` s’impegna a circari la paci,
menu la trova, e sempri e` ‘nu ‘nfilici.
Pirchi a ‘stu munnu lu beni e` fallaci
e sulu cu ama Diu campa filici 		 Without Money Won't Celebrate Mass

Won't sing the friar nor the abess,.
if nothing is cooking in the kitchen.
There is never race without a bet,
and without a treaty war won't cease.
Complaints a worker, all upset,
because the pay has gotten less:
-Without hassock won't confess,
and without money won't celebrate mass!-

Talk about people less than you can,
And they will have you in big esteem.
Your business only you just mind,
And even so, think about what you do.
If who is so rude you want to keep away,
Leave your thoughts at the bottom of your heart.
He who the other's makes his own,
With the candle is looking for pain

Love looks for love and not for money,
Love seeks and wants a faithful heart.
Love wants the words most sincere,
Love wants constancy 'till one departs.
Love prefers to all reaches and treasures,
A heart that has knowledge of love.
Think all of you who deal with love:
Love cares for deeds and not for words.


Water gone by won’t move the mill

If you fight with arms in hand,
with a relative, a neighbor or with a friend,
and in between comes a countryman,
full of prudence, trying to appease,
right there show a good heart and cease
This is the law that binds us all.
In fact Sicilians teaches you and me:
water gone by won’t move the mill.


You need patience to deal with life,
nobody has honey without flies.

If you are tired because you’re hard working,
and because of the sun your skin is burning;
if hard work causes you puffing,
it’s because money you are earning.
To hear gold in your pockets giggling,
don’t be afraid of thunder and lightning:
You need patience to deal with life,
nobody will have honey without flies.


Heaven and earth an oath have taken,
Nothing to keep for ever hidden

Uselessly you do all you canfurtively,
to hide to all a big caper.
You deceive yourself to keep it hidden,
and let nobody have of that knowledge:
But it won’t work, you are misled,
and sooner or later you’ll be prosecuted.
Heaven and earth an oath have taken,
nothing to keep for ever hidden.


Only if you love God you happily live

Man in this world loves always 
to amass wealth, honors and friends
More he has and more voracious he becomes,
and to more acquire hungrier he gets.
But the more he tries to find some peace,
harder it is and unhappier he gets,
because life possessions are fallacious,
and only if you love God, you happily live.