French Proverbs from 1611: Starting with the letter B

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[Barbe rase, pied ferrat:] [Prov.] Cleerely, all charges borne, all things discharged, and done.


[Baston porte paix quant & soy:] [Prov.] [A good bat makes peace where it comes;] [Comme vn faquin porte faix, ainsi le baston la paix.]
[Baston porte paix quant et soy:] [Prov.] [A cudgell breeds the peace of him that beares it.]


[Beau chanter souvent ennuye:] [Prov.] [Euen choice delights are often tedious.]
[Beau chanter souvent enuye:] [Prov.] Sweet singing often loathes vs. [Belle chere & c.]


[Beaucoup offrir à vn qui peu demande, c'est luy nier tout à plat sa demande:] [Pro.] An offer of more then is required, imports a flat denyall.
[Beaucoup offrir à vn qui peu demande, c'est luy nier tout à plat sa demande:] [Prov.] To offer much to him that asketh little, is flatly to denie him the little he asketh.


[Beaucoup promettre, & peu tenir couste peu à entretenir:] [Pro.] [It costs a man but little to say much and doe little.]


[Beau parler n'escorche langue:] [Prov.] Faire words flay not the tongue; teare no skin, breake no bones.
[Beau parler n'escorche langue:] [Prov.] Good words cost nothing


[Beau service fait amis vray dire ennemis:] [Prov.] [Faire seruice friends, true plainenesse foes, procures.]


[Beauté de femme fascheux resveille-matin:] [Prov.] A (wanton) womans beautie breeds a restlesse morning.
[Beauté de femme fascheux resveille-matin:] [Prov.] [A womans beautie reaues (fond) man of rest.]


[Beauté & folie vont souvent de compaigne:] [Prov.] Beautie and folly are often matcht together.


[Beauté sans bonté est comme vin esventé:] [Prov.] [Beautie without goodnesse is like wine that hath taken wind.]


[Belle chere, & coeur arriere:] [Prov.] A faire looke, and false thoughts; or, a froward looke, and froward thoughts; [one that speakes me faire, and wishes my throat were cut.]
[Belle chere, & coeur arriere:] [Prov.] A willing looke, and vnwilling heart.


[Belle chere vault bien vn mé s:] [Prov.] [A cheerefull looke fills vp halfe-emptie dishes.]
[Belle chere vault bien vn mets:] [Prov.] A heartie welcome is worth halfe a feast.


[Belle chose est tost ravie:] [Pro.] A goodly thing is quickly snatched vp.
[Belle chose est tost ravie:] [Prov.] [Faire things are quickly snatched vp.]


[Belle femme mauvaise teste:] [Pro.] Faire women either curst, or cruell, be.


[Belle hostesse c'est un mal pour la bourse:] [Pro.] A faire hostesse brings in a foule reckoning.
[Belle hostesse c'est vn mal pour la bourse:] [Prov.] [A faire hostesse is a foule pick-purse;] or, the beautie of an Hostesse is the purses bane.


[Belle promesse fol lie:] [Prov.] [Faire promises oblige the foole; or, are no better then fopperies; (for the words fol lie equiuocate vnto folie.)]


[Bien a crié la loup qui sa proye rescoult:] [Pro.] He complaines to some purpose that recouers what he complaines for.
[Bien a crié le loup qui sa proye rescoult:] [Prov.] [He followed the Wolfe to purpose that recouers his prey.]


[Bien a en sa maison qui de ses voisins est aimé:] [Pro.] He liues well at home that is beloued abroad.
[Bien a en sa maison qui de ses voisins est aimé:] [Prov.] He finds all well within, who is beloued without, doores.
[Bien a en sa maison qui de ses voisins est aimé:] [Prov.] Well doth he liue within, who is beloued without, dores.


[Bien courroucé de peu pleure:] [Prov.] He that is angred throughly sheds few teares.
[Bien courroucé de peu pleure:] [Prov.] [He thats angred agood can hardly weepe.]
[Bien courroucé de peu pleure:] [Prov.] He thats throughly angred hardly weepes.


[Bien de sa place part qui son ami y laisse:] [Pro.] [He leaues a place well that leaues a friend in it.]
[Bien de sa place part qui son ami y laisse:] [Prov.] He fitly leaues his roome that leaues a friend in't.


[Bien dire fait rire, bien faire fait taire:] [Pro.] Good words breed laughter, good deeds admiration.
[Bien dire fait rire, bien faire fait taire:] [Prov.] Good words breed laughter, good deeds admiration.
[Bien dire fait rire, bien faire fait taire:] [Prov.] [Wee laugh at goood words, but admire good deeds.]


[Bien escorche à qui ne deult:] [Prov.] Sencelesse people may well enough be flayed; or, tis good fleecing of them that haue so much, as they misse not what is gone.


[Bien faict n'est iamais perdu:] [Prov.] [Neuer came losse by doing a good deed.]
[Bien faict n'est iamais perdu:] [Prov.] One seldome looses by a good deeds doing.


[Bien part de sa place qui son ami y laisse:] [Pro.] He fitly leaues his place, that leaues his friend to keepe it; or (if it was good) that helpes his friend vnto it.


[Bien perdu bien connu:] [Prov.] Goods lost good knowne; we discerne not the worth of things vntill we be depriued of them.


[Bien poulsé longuement chancelle:] [Pro.] He staggers long thats thrust with a strong hand.


[Bois laid, & inutile porte le fruict pretieux:] [Prov.] [(Meant of the vine)]


[Bois ont oreilles, & champs oeillets:] [Prov.] [Some heare, and see him, whom he heareth, nor seeth not; but fields haue eyes, and woods haue eares, ye wot;] [Heywood.]
[Bois ont oreilles, & champs oeillets:] [Prov.] [Woods haue their eares, and fields their eyes; euerie thing hath some instrument of, or helpe for, discouerie.]
[Bois ont oreilles, & champs oeillets:] [Prov.] Woods haue their eares, and fields their eyes; so apt, and able is euery place to detect close villanie.
[Bois ont oreilles, & champs oeillets:] [Pro.] [(Wherein the Jewes-eare-Mushrome is the woods eare.)]


[Bon advocat mauvais Voisin:] [Pro.] a good Lawyer an euill neighbour.
[Bon Advocat mauvais voisin:] [Prov.] A good Councellor an ill companion.


[Bon bastard c'est avanture, mais meschant c'est de nature:] [Prov.] A bastard may bee good, but nature makes him bad.
[Bon bastard, c'est avanture, mais meschant c'est de nature:] [Prov.] [Bastards by chance are good, by nature bad.]


[Bon charron tourne en petit lieu:] [Prov.] A good carter turnes in a narrow corner; a wise fellow quits himselfe well in time of extremitie, or, shifts himselfe easily out of an extremitie.
[Bon charron tourne en petit lieu:] [Prov.] A skilfull carter turnes in a narrow corner.
[Bon charron tourne en petit lieu:] [Prov.] [A skillfull Coachman turnes in a small roome;]


[Bon chasteau garde qui sç ait son corps garder:] [Pro.] He is a sufficient warder that can defend his own bodie.
[Bon chasteau garde qui sç ait son corps garder:] [Prov.] A good fort saues he that can saue his bodie.
[Bon chasteau garde qui sç ait sont corps garder:] [Prov.] A good fort guards he, that himselfe can guard.


[Bon coeur ne peut mentir:] [Prov.] An honest heart cannot dissemble
[Bon coeur ne peut mentir:] [Prov.] [An honest heart cannot vtter (or be the author of) an vntruth;] and; [Le bon sang ne peut mentir.] [A noble nature will not yeeld vnto base conditions; or cannot, when occasion is offered, conceale it selfe.]


[Bon droict a bon mestier d'aide:] [Prov.] Good right hath (in our dayes) great need of fauour.
[Bon droict a bon mestier d'aide:] [Prov.] Good right hath need of great helpe; (so much ado haue men (in this vniust age) to recouer, or keepe, their owne.)


[Bon est le dueil qui apres aide:] [Prov.] Good is that sorrow which at length does good; happie the griefe which in the end makes vs happie.
[Bon est le dueil qui apres aide:] [Prov.] Happie is that sorrow which is rewarded with happinesse.
[Bon est le dueil qui apres aide:] [Prov.] That mourning's well bestowed that helpes the mourner.


[Bon est le medecin qui se sç ait guarir:] [Pro.] [He is a right Phisition that can cure himselfe.]
[Bon est le medecin qui se sç ait guarir:] [Prov.] He is a good Physitian that can heale his owne infirmitie.
[Bon est le medicin qui se sç ait guarir:] [Prov.] [He is a good Phisition that can heale himselfe.]


[Bon gaignage fait bon potage:] [Prov.] Fruitfull crops yeeld fattening sops; or, good hearbes good pottage yeeld.


[Bon gré mal gré va le Prestre au Sené:] [Prov.] [Needes must he goe whom the Diuell (necessitie) driueth.]
[Bon gré mal gré va le prestre au Sené:] [Prov.] [(Some will expound this by a prouerbe of ours;] he must needs go whom the diuell driues.)


[Bon guet chasse malaventure:] [Pro.] Good watch preuents misfortune; (fast bind fast find, say we.)
[Bon guet chasse malaventure:] [Prov.] [Good heed preuents misfortunes, (or expells them.)]
[Bon guet chasse malaventure:] [Prov.] [Hee that would euer be well must euer looke well about him.]


[Bon marché tire l'argent de la bourse:] [Prov.] A cheape commoditie picks a customers purse.
[Bon marché tire l'argent de la bourse:] [Prov.] [No pickepurse to a cheape commoditie.]
[Bon marché tire l'argent hors de la bourse:] [Prov.] Good cheape commodities are notable picke-purses.


[Bonne beste s'eschauffe en mangeant:] [Prov.] [A good beast eates till he sweat againe; or, eates that he sweat withall; we say, good at meat good at worke.]
[Bonne beste s'eschauffe en mangeant:] [Prov.] A good beast eats apace; or, as we say, good at meat good at worke.
[Bonne beste s'eschauffe en mangeant:] [Prov.] [A good beast heates it selfe while it eates; viz. eates hard, feeds heartily.]


[Bonne bouche bonne trongne:] [Prov.] [A temperate mouth breedeth a fresh complexion;] or, a well-shap'd mouth makes all the face shew faire; or, a silent mouth settles the countenance.


[Bonne iourné e fait qui de fol se delivre:] [Pro.] he does an excellent dayes work that rids himselfe of a foole.
[Bonne iourné e fait qui de fol se delivre:] [Prov.] He does a good dayes worke that gets cleere of a foole.
[Bonne iourné e fait qui de fol se delivre:] [Prov.] [He does a good dayes worke that rids his hands of a foole.]


[Bonne lai mort qui nous donne la vie:] [Prov.] [Good is the death which brings vs vnto life; Gods fauour's great not to repriue such as end well, and die to liue.]


[Bonne la maille qui sauve le denier:] [Prov.] [Well is the halfe-pennie (spent) that saues a pennie.]
[Bonne la maille qui sauve le denier:] [Prov.] Well is the money spent that saues more than it selfe.


[Bonne marchandise trouve tousiours son marchand:] [Prov.] [Good chaffer cannot want a chapman.]
[Bonne marchandise trouve tousiours son Marchand:] [Prov.] [Good ware is euer furnished with chapmen; or, finds euer store of customers.]


[Bonne mule mauvaise beste:] [Prov.] A good huswife is commonly no sheepe.


[Bonne parole bon lieu tient:] [Prov.] [A good word hath great acceptation; good language brings it welcome along with it.]
[Bonne parole bon lieu tient:] [Prov.] Good speech finds good entertainment; wins great preferment.


[Bonne vie embellit; & attrait bonne fin:] [Pro.] [Good life imbellishes, and ends in blisse.]
[Bonne vie embellit; & attrait bonne fin:] [Pro.] [Good life imbellishes, and ends in blisse.]


[Bon paï s mauvais chemin:] [Pro.] In a fruitfull ground there is filthie going; in the best soyle the worst way.


[Bon poete mauvais homme:] [Prov.] [A good Poet an euill person.]
[Bon poë te mauvais homme:] [Prov.] [A good Poet an ill man.]


[Bon sang ne peut mentir:] [Prov.] A worthy nature cannot conceale it selfe. Looke


[Bons mots n'espargent nuls:] [Prov.] [Good words (or fit ieasts) pay home.]
[Bons mots n'espargnent nul:] [Prov.] A good mans words are no way partiall; good words pay home.


[Bon vin bon vinaigre:] [Pro.] [Good wine is made good vineger; good things transform'd retaine part of their worth.]
[Bon vin bon vinaigre:] [Prov.] Good wine (yeelds) good vinegar.


[Bon vin mauvaise teste:] [Pro.] [Good wine breeds many a brable.]
[Bon vin mauvaise teste:] [Pro.] Strong wine makes a weake braine; or, makes a man apt to brabble; [(for we say of those that after drinking fall to swagger; their wine begins to worke.)]


[Bouche fresche, pied sec:] [Pro.] [A coole mouth, and a dry foot (preserue a man long time aliue.)]
[Bouche fresche pied sec:] [Prov.] He that would liue a long time, must keepe both his mouth coole, and moist, and his feet warme, and drie.


[Boy le vin comme Roy, boy l'eau comme Taureau:] [Pro.] For th'one vses not to drinke much, th'other will drinke no more than he needs.
[Boy le vin comme roy, boy l'eau comme taureau:] [Prov.] [Drinke little wine, and much water; or, drinke wine moderately, water abundantly.]


[Boy vin en roy:] [Pro.] [viz. Moderately.]


[Bras à la poictrine, iambe en gesine:] [Prov.] Those parts, being hurt, must haue rest; the one in a scarfe; the other in bed, or on a stoole.
[Bras à la poictrine, jambe en gesine:] [Prov.] [Keepe a sore arme to thy bosome, a sore leg in thy bed.]


[Brebis conté es mange bien le loup:] [Pro.] The wolfe eats counted, as well as vncounted, sheepe; [(appliable vnto a beastly fellow, that respects nothing but the glutting of his filthy appetite.)]
[Brebis conté es mange bien le loup:] [Prov.] [The Wolfe eats counted (and vncounted) sheepe; All's one to him that loues to haue his will.]


[Brebis trop apprivoisé e de trop d'agneaux est tetté e:] [Prov.] An ouer-kind man, or woman get more followers, than it stands with his ease, or her honestie to keepe.
[Brebis trop apprivoiseé de trop d'agneaux est tetteé:] [Prov.] The gentle Ewe is suckt by too many Lambs; (appliable to an ouer-kind, or too familiar, woman.)


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