Icelandic Proverbs

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Folktales

Introducing Icelandic Proverbs
Icelandic Proverbs in English and Icelandic
Icelandic Proverbs in English

Introducing Icelandic Proverbs

"Learning has at all times been venerated by the Icelanders." - Daniel Djurberg (1794) [Iso 10]

How is this to be explained? The quality of the culture performances must have to do with excellent qualities of Iceland's people. [Iso 11]
Nothing evil will be said about the diligence of the Icelandic farmers. [Iso 13]
When the Danish some years ago decided to bring back to Iceland a great deal of the Icelandic literary national treasures, the first load of costly treasures were placed on board a war boat that crossed over to the saga island with its precious load. Today the University of Iceland preserves these Icelandic manuscripts - and others - that were handed back in the period 1971-1997: After the Codex Regius of the Poetic Edda and the compendium Flateyjarbók were handed over in 1971, nearly two thousand other manuscripts followed in the years up to 1997. [Iso 15-16]
There is a large number of similar or identical Icelandic and Swedish proverbs (like in Denmark, Finland and Norway) [Iso 67-68]

Icelandic Geography

The republic of Iceland lies on a geological hot spot on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930, even though the Tynwald on Manx in the Irish Sea is older. [LINK]
After 300 years of independence, in the 1200s Iceland came to be ruled by Norway, and later Denmark. Iceland became fully independent in 1944. Almost 300.000 people, a mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts, live on Iceland, the world's 18th largest island.
Iceland has damp and cool summers, volcanos, bays and fjords, warm springs, and able, small horses, ponies for treks into mountain plateaus.
The people is literacy first-rate by world standards, and Iceland is ranked high on the UN Human Development Index as the best country to live in in 2007. The language spoken is Icelandic, a derivate from Norse. Icelanders wrote or preserved Norse writings, Havamal included. The proverbs gathered below, are mainly from the old sagas. The selection and translation is by - Tormod Kinnes

Icelandic farm animals: sheep and iceland ponies

Icelandic Proverbs in English and Icelandic

A bad rower blames his oars.
- Árinni kennir illur ræðari.

A good child sings good songs.
- Gott barn kveður góða vísu.

Bake while the fire burns. [Cf. Strike while the iron is hot.]
- Baka þig, meðan eldurinn brennur.

Blind is a man without a book.
- Blindur er bóklaus maður.

Don't ask long for little. [Njåls]
- Eigi skal lengi lítils biðja.

He who has thrown fish overboard, may well fast.
- Sá má fullvel fasta sem fisk hefur á borði. (?)

Invalid are the words of minors. [Gislas]
- Ómæt [eru] ómaga orð.

It is a friend who warns (against evil). [Grettis]
- Vinr er sás vörnuð býðr.

It is late to fence in the well when the child has fallen into it.
- Seint er að byrgja brunninn, þá barnið er dottið ofan í.

Looks do not decide (show) the good qualities. [Njålssaga]
- Eigi deilir litr kosti. [Abr.]

Many are difficult to see through. [Grettis]
- Vandsénir eru margir.

Many go to a goats' house to ask for wool. [Grettis]
- Margr ferr í geitarhús ullar at biðja.

Many kinds of persons sail across the sea. [Eyrbyggja]
- Margir eru marlíðendr.

Much happens that one expects the least. [Grettis]
- Verðr þat er varir ok svá hitt er eigi varir.

No one is excessively stupid if he can keep silent. [Grettis]
- Engi er allheimskr ef þegja má.

One thing is luck, another thing ability (or force). [Grettis]
- Sitt er hvárt gæfa eða görvileikr.

Similar children play best together.
- Lík börn leika best.

The burnt child fears the fire.
- Brennt barn forðast eldinn.

The gift expects another gift in return. [with Gislas]
- Æ sér til gildis gjöf el. æ sér gjöf til gjalda.

The more renowned woman often has fewer rings.
- Oft hefur hin frægri kona færri hringa.

The satisfied do not know where the hungry sit. (?)
- Fullur veit eigi hvar svangur situr.

There is often a witch in a fair hide (body). [Eyrbyggja]
- Opt er flagð í fögru skinni.

Things look bleak for the one who lives in a foreign country. [Njåls]
- Ilt er þeim er á ólandi er alinn.

Those who are considered good, resemble each other in much. [Grettis]
- Mart er líkt með þeim sem góðir þykjast.

Those who get praised most loudly, disappoint me the most. [Grettis]
- Ofleyfingjarnir bregðask mér mest.

Icelandic Proverbs in English

All want to get older but none wants to be pestered with the cramps of old age. [Icelandic]

An able tongue often throws out words at the wrong time. [Icelandic]

An honest friend hinders evil. [Icelandic, (Stolpe, p. 53)]

Drinks should be enjoyed only in moderate amounts.*

It is easier to look after hundred sheep than one girl. [Icelandic]

It is too late to cover the well when the child has fallen into it. [Icelandic]

Learning may bring renown. [Icelandic]

Loans seldom get home laughing. [Icelandic]

Love flares the hottest in secret. [Icelandic]

Many a man believes he is better than he is. [Icelandic]

Many are blamed for nothing. [Icelandic (Abr.)]

No doves come out of raven eggs. [Icelandic]

Nobody falls further than to the ground. [Icelandic]

Not everyone with a good reputation deserves it. [Icelandic]

Seriousness often lies behind playful words. [Icelandic]

Sift your speech like beer and get rid of dregs. [Icelandic]

The child that lives solely at home, becomes short of sight. [Icelandic]

The experience is most truthful. [Icelandic]

The lazy man unwillingly leaves his warm bed. [Icelandic]

The presentiment is as good as a prophesy. [Icelandic]

There is not much that is so good that nothing better exists. [Icelandic]

Tolerate nothing evil in the world but rejoice at everything that is good. [Havamal]

Unbearably long is the day when the sun is not to be seen. [Icelandic]

We are to procure bread before a bride. [Icelandic]

Wealth flows to where there is gold already. [Icelandic]

What concerns those close to us concerns ourselves too. [Njåls]

When the storm abates, the waves roar. [Icelandic]

You blame your own errors the most on others. [Icelandic]

Literature
Iso: Stolpe, Herman. Isländska ordspråk och skaldeord. Stockholm: LT, 1974.

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