Yiddish Proverbs

A half-fool is a very wise man.

A halber nar iz a gantser khokhem.


A child’s wisdom is also wisdom.

A kindersher saichel iz oichet a saichel.


A crowd of people, and not one good person among them.

A groyse oylem, un nito eyn mentsch.


A good friend is often better than a brother.

A guter freint iz oft besser fun a bruder.


Charity is also a habit.

Oif tsedokeh iz oich do chazokeh.


Don’t ask questions about fairy tales.

Oif a meisseh fregt men kain kasheh nit.


Death doesn’t knock on the door (i.e., doesn’t warn of its impending arrival)

Der toyt (teyt) klapt nit in (der) tir.


Every limb wants to speak but the tongue alone does the talking.

Ale glider viln redn un di tsung aleyn shtelt men aroys.


Every man has a madness of his own.

Itlecher mentsh hot zich zein shigoyen.


From bad matches also come good children.

Fun krume shidukhim kumen arois glaikheh kinder.


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