Proverbs from Sezze
On http://www.sezzeromano.it/sezzeproverbi.htmthere is a web page of proverbs from Sezze, the town my parents came from.
I copied them here and attempted an English translation. I had help from friends, sometimes with the translation of one word. But I alone am responsible for the final translation.
Legand:
?* -- before an English translation means there are words that I am not sure of.
?*?* -- before an English translation means the translation needs major work.
?* -- before an Italian word indicates I do not know it's meaning or I guess at the meaning.
For example: [?*parola] or [word?*parola]. In the first case I do not know what parola means. In the second case I am guessing it means word (which it does).
Bold Font -- For some proverbs I have added in a bold font an English proverb that is similar to one from Sezze.
a cura di Daniela Pironi di Bondeno
[edited?*cura] by Daniela Pironi di Bondeno
I proverbi rappresentano da sempre un segno di saggezza. Con poche e semplici parole, alla portata di tutti, si esprime un segnale, un messaggio o meglio un monito affinchè la vita scorra più piacevolmente al riparo dai dispiaceri. Citeremo alcuni dei più conosciuti proverbi setini, molto usati dai nostri padri ma ancora non caduti in disuso, fortunatamente.
Proverbs have always represented a sign of wisdom. With few and simple words, within the grasp of everyone, they express a signal, a message or better an admonishment until finally life runs along more pleasantly protected from displeasure. We will now cite some of the better known Sezzenese proverbs used often by our fathers but still not fallen into disuse, fortunately.
(tratti dal libro "Sezze che scompare" del prof. Luigi Zaccheo, illustre conoscitore della storia e delle tradizioni setine)
(from the book "Sezze that disappears" by Prof. Luigi Zaccheo, illustrative connoisseur of the Sezzenese story and traditions.)
1 La caglina fa gli ovo e agli ‘aglio ci fa malo ‘i culo ( La donna fa fatica e l’uomo si lamenta )
The hen makes the egg and the garlic and olive oil hurts the ass.(The women is fatigued and the man laments )
2 ‘I preto senza bocchi non canta messa ( Il prete senza soldi no celebra la messa)
The priest without a mouthful does not sing the mass. ( The priest without money does not celebrate the mass )
You have to pay the fiddler
3 L’oncia dà di sponta alla decina ( Anche i piccoli possono aiutare i grandi )
?*?* The ounce gives [?*di] [?*sponta] to the [?*decina] ( Even the small ones are able to help the great )
The ounce finally tops off the quart -- as suggested by Guy Longobardo-
4 Chi tè la curela va alla chiesa (Chi è in peccato và in chiesa)
?* He who has [sin?*curela] goes to church (He who is in sin goes to church)
5 Pè i annazi bisogna ogne le rote (Per andare avanti bisogna ungere le ruote)
To rise you must grease the wheels (To get ahead you must grease the wheels)
You have to grease the wheels to get ahead
6 Quando Del Duca ha sete, Maratoce stà appicciato ( Quando il padrone Del Duca ha sete, il suo garzone Maratoce sta bruciando dall’arsura)
When the duke has thirst, Maratoce is parched ( When the boss of the duke has thirst, his servant Maratoce is burning of thirst)
When the boss is getting thirsty, the servant is dying of thirst -- as summed up by Nunzio Lipari
7 Mica stonco a gli tafri! (Lo dice una persona per indicare che economicamente sta bene e si serve di una metafora con più incisività )
?* I am in the [?*talfri]! (One say this to indicate one is well off economically, and it serves as a metaphor with more incisiveness. )
I'm in the clover
8 ‘I sacco voto, non s’arregge ritto ( Un sacco vuoto non sta in piedi ritto)
The empty sack, will not stay upright ( The empty sack, will not stand up at your feet.)
If you are not competent, you cannot have success -- is Nunzio Lipari's interpretation
If you don't believe in something you'll fall for anything
9 Abbada a gli petucchio rifatto! ( Guardati dal povero che si è arricchito )
Be aware of the poor who becomes rich ( Watch out for the poor one who has enriched himself )
Beware of the new rich -- from Nunzio Lipari
10 Va in giro cò ‘na scarpa e ‘na ciavatta ( Per indicare che una persona è molto povera)
Goes around with a shoe and a sandal ( To indicate that a person is very poor )
He walks around with a shoe on one foot and a sandal on the other -- as suggested by Nunzio Lipari.
He does not have a dime to his name
11 Tu fai accome agli ‘utteri: vai sempre cerchenne feschi, ma lu tempo è mortorità dei padrugni ( Tu fai come i butteri che desiderano sempre, per non lavorare, le feste, il maltempo e la morte del padrone )
?* You act like the [?*'utteri]: you always go searching for holidays, bad weather and the death of the master ( You make like the [?*butteri], who desire always, not to work, the holiday, bad weather and the death of the boss)
12 Lo malo entra a chigli esce a once ( Il male entra a chili e va via a grammi )
Evil enters as kilos and leaves as ounces ( Evil enters as kilos and leaves as grams )
13 Dalla ficora ce nasce la ficorozza (Dall’albero del fico nasce un germoglio che è sempre fico anche se piccolo)
From the fig tree is born the fig seed ( From the fig tree is born a seed which is always a fig even though it is small )
The skunk does not change his stripes
14 15 Gli asino porta la pagli e isso se la rimagna ( L’asino porta il fieno che poi mangia lui stesso)
?* The ass carries the straw and he re-eats it ( The ass carries the [wheat?*fieno] that he himself eats )
16 In tempo de carestia, pane de veccia (Nella necessità bisogna adattarsi)
In scarce times, old bread ( In necessity, you must adapt yourself )
Waste not want not
17 Quella tacca è ‘scita da quiglio ciocco (Il figlio è simile al padre)
?* That [chip?*tacca] comes out of that [log?*ciocco] ( The son is like the father )
The apple does not fall far from the tree -- or A chip off the old block
18 Chiacchera ‘npizzo e caca tosto ( Si atteggia a signore ma è sempre un bifolco )
?* Chats [a piece?*n'pizzo] and shits [toast?*tosta] ( He poses as a gentleman but is always a plowman )
He talks a good talk
19 Rocco fatìa e Pizzicato magna (Chi lavora e chi ne trae i frutti)
Rocco is fatigued and Pizzicato eats (Who works and who catches the fruit)
20 Menai a chi vigghi e a chi non vigghi cugghi (Mirai ad una persona e ne colpii un’altra)
?*?* [Aims?*Menai] at who [?*vigghi] and to who does not [?*vigghi] [?*cugghi] ( Aims at one person and hits another)
21 I’ giusto gli ao ‘mpiccato alla storta prima di arrivà a Sez. ( A Sez. si è perduta ogni traccia di giustizia )
?* The just have no [sins?*'mpiccato] to the [?*storta] before they arrive at Sezze ( In Sezze there is lost every [trace?*traccia] of justice )
22 La caglina cieca la notte va a gli ruspo (La gallina cieca di notte va a razzolare la terra credendo che sia giorno )
?* The hen [crows?*cieca] in the night goes to the [?*ruspo] (The hen [crows?*cieca] at night goes to scratch?razzolare the ground thinking it is day)
23 A fa bene e a esse acciso ( Chi fa del bene, spesso si pente di averlo fatto )
To do good and to be killed ( Who does good, soon regrets having done it )
No good deed goes unpunished
24 I’ grannunchio, pè non se fa gli affari sei, perdivi la coda ( La rana per interessarsi dei problemi altrui perse la coda )
The grannunchio, because he does not do his own affairs, looses his tail (The frog by interesting himself in his own problems looses his tail )
25 Chi zappa crepa, chi negozia campa ( Il contadino muore di fatica mentre il negoziante vive senza problemi )
?* Who [cracks?*crepa] the hoe, who negotiates the field (The farmer dies of fatigue meanwhile the trader lives without problems )
26 Fiocca, fiocca, fiocca; chi tè la moglie s’appallocca ( Quando fa la neve chi ha la mogli può abbracciarsela e riscaldarsi
?* Snow, snow, snow; who has a wife [?*appalloca] himself ( When it snows who has a wife is able to embrace her and warm himself )
A man's home is his castle
27 Pane accattato, corpo arraiato ( Non ci si sazia mai del pane comprato )
Bought bread, body unsatisfied ( You are never satisfied with bought bread )
28 Non t’allazzi manco nu dento ( Nel mangiare non Ti sazi neppure un dente )
You don't satisfy?allazzi yourself not even the tooth ( In eating you satisfy not even a tooth )
Man does not live by bread alone
29 N’esse tanto maro ca tutti te sputano, n’esse tanto doce ca tutti te sucano ( Bisogna sapersi destreggiare nella vita senza essere troppo severi o troppo indulgenti )
Not being too bitter that all spit you out, not being so sweet that they suck you ( Need to know how to manage your life without being too strict or too indulgent )
All things in moderation
30 Ciriara ciriarella semini na’ quarta e arraccugli nà scodella
?*?* [?*Ciriara] [?*ciriarella] seeds the quarter and [?*arraccugli] the bowl
31 Quando la femmena alleva, la casa trema; quando è grossa è ricca o spiantata.
When the women grows up, the house trembles; when she is adult the house is rich or ruined -- Thanks to Antonio Gnudi
The little lady rules the roost
32 Se vai a Piperno amico non ti farai e se te lo farai te ne pentirai. Se ne fece uno i principe Colonna, ce se magnavi i bovi co tutte le corna (Proverbio nato a seguito della rivalità con gli abitanti di Priverno )
?* If you go to Piperno you will not make a friend and if you make one you will regret it. The prince of Colonna once made one, who ate his cows with all the horns ( Proverb born to [point-out?*seguito] of the rivalry with the inhabitance of Priverno )
33 Ho fatto gli accatto de Maria de gli ulimo: accatta a rasimo e vende a culimo (Indica un cattivo affare)
They did the deal of Maria Degli Ulumo: she buys something filled to the brimful and she sells it spilling over the brim. (Indicates a bad affair)
Thanks for help from Lidano Petrianni who comes from Sezze
35 La vipera tè lo veleno alla vocca, la femmena pè tutto
The viper keeps the poison in the mouth, the women everywhere -- Thanks to Antonio Gnudi.
36 Pè ‘na vota che Giovanni iette a femmine, le trovave tutte confessate ( Si mette in rilievo la sfortuna che perseguita una persona )
Every time John finds a women, he finds all confessed ( Puts in relief the misfortune on that pursues a person ) -- with the help of Giacomo Bucci
37 Bianca roscetta la Susaroletta, quadragnola la Rocchiciana, vita fine la Bassianese, sacco di paglia la Sezzese (si delinea il carattere delle donne della zona )
?* White [rosette?*roscetta] the [?*Susaroletta], [cube-like?*quadragnila] the [?*Pocchiciana], [fine-waisted?*vita-fina] the Bassianese, sack of straw the Sezzese ( It delineates the caricature of women of the region ) -- with some dialect words analyzed by Giacomo Bucci
38 Alla cesa passarina non ci si bene [credo bene 'e beve] nu bicchierino, specialmente Catallo Bottono ci s’accatta ‘na matassa cottono ( Si prende in giro questo tal Catallo che, dopo aver lavorato per un anno la terra, raccoglie soltanto quanto basta per comprare una matassa di cotone )
?* At the [field house?*cesa] you cannot drink a small glass of wine, especially Catallo Bottone who has [accumulated?*accatta] a [bolt?*matassa] of cotton ( He finds himself in a whirl this such Catallo who, after he has worked the land for a year, collects only enough to buy a [bolt?*matassa] of cotton ) -- Giacomo Bucci helped with this one by suggesting beve for bene
39 E’ meglio vedè ‘’n’asino cacà che n’accetta taglià (E’ preferibile assistere ad una scena esteticamente brutta, ma innocua, che ad un’azione che provoca lutti ).
It is better to see an ass relieve himself than a cutting ax ( It is preferable to assist at an aesthetically ugly but innocuous scene, rather than to an action that provokes mourning ) -- without Giacomo Bucci I would have had a hard time with this one
Things could be worse
40 Senza la tua panara inforno e sforno, senza la tua sutuccia ammasso e cerno ( Il proverbio indica l’autosufficienza che una persona dichiara superbamente a chi le ha negato un aiuto )
?* Without your long spatula I put into and take out of the oven, without your [?*sutuccia] I heap and [get?*cerno] ( The proverb indicates the self-sufficiency that a person superbly declares to someone who has neglected to help ) -- Giacomo Bucci helped with this one
41 Gli asino, pe’ non move la coda, se fece magnà i’ culo dalle mosche (si condanna in modo efficace e duro la pigrizia ).
The ass, because he does not move the tail, the flies will eat his rear end ( It condemns laziness in an effective and hard way )
42 Più si ietta a capoculo, più aresce caporitto ( Si riferisce ad una persona particolarmente fortunata ).
The more he throws himself, bottom up, the more he comes off right side up. (Refers to a particularly fortunate person)
Thanks for help from Lidano Petrianni from Sezze.
The cat lands on his feet.
43 Ci mancano sempre 99 bocchi pè fa ‘na lira ( Si dice di una persona che è sempre senza soldi )
There is always lacking 99 mouths to make a lire ( It is said of a person who is always without money )
He is full of hot air
44 La neve marzolina è accome la lengua della malavicina ( Paragone molto efficace per indicare quanto danno può arrecare la cattiva lingua della vicina).
The March snow is like the tongue of a bad neighbor ( An effective comparison to indicate how much damage can be brought by the bad language of a neighbor ) -- Arrigo Frisiani says the March snow in Genoa is very dirty
An ill wind blows no good
45 Chi tè la lengua va in Sardegna ( La persona che sa parlare e non è timida può girare tranquillamente dappertutto )
Who has the tongue goes to Sardinia ( The person who knows how to talk and is not timid, can go around calmly everywhere )
46 Se febbraro non febbrarìa, marzo malo pensava ( Ogni mese deve avere il suo clima )
If February does not give you a fever, you'll think March is bad ( Every month has its climate )
In like a lamb out like a lion
47 Magnate sta pizza pè tortolo! ( Prenditi questa offesa come se fosse una cosa buona, senza protestare )
Eat this piece as if a tort! ( Handle this offence as if it was a good, without protesting )
Bear and forbear -- Sostienti e astienti.
48 Alla Cagnillora se fiocca, piove e tira vento, merno è ito fora; se non fiocca non piove e non tira vento, merno sta dentro.
On Cagnillora Day [a day for blessing throats, celebrated in early February] if it snows, rains, the wind pierces, best not to stay outside; if it does not snow, does not rain and the wind does not pierce, best not to stay inside -- thanks for help from Renato Angelucci
He is not smart enough to come in out of the rain
10:54 PM 1/19/2007