Part 109

It's gude to hae friends baith in heaven and in hell.

It's gude to hae your cog out when it rains kail.

That is, it is good to take advantage of any opportunities of benefit or advancement which may come in our way: to "make hay while the sun shines."

It's gude to nip the briar in the bud.

It's hard baith to hae and want.

It's hard for a greedy ee to hae a leal heart.

Or for a covetous person to be honest.

It's hard for an auld mare to leave aff flinging.

It's hard to be poor and leal.

It's hard to keep flax frae the lowe.

It's hard to sit in Rome and strive wi' the pope.

It's ill ale that's sour when it's new.

It's ill baith to pay and to pray.

It's ill bringing but what's no ben.

The meaning of this proverb is, that it is ill to produce what we are not possessed of.

"'Swith roast a hen, or fry some chickens, And send for ale to Maggy Pickens,'-- 'Hout I,' quoth she, 'ye may weel ken, 'Tis ill brought but that's no there ben; When but last owk, nae farder gane, The laird got a' to pay his kain.'"--Allan Ramsay.

It's ill limping before cripples.

It's ill meddling between the bark and the rind.

"It is a troublesome and thankless office to concern ourselves in the jars and outfalls of near relations, as man and wife, parents and children, &c."--Kelly.

It's ill praising green barley.

Because it is hard to tell how it will turn out.

It's ill speaking between a fu' man and a fasting.

"I have been waiting this hour for you, and I have had a snack myself; and, as they used to say in Scotland in my time--I do not ken if the word be used now--there is ill talking between a full body and a fasting."--Heart of Midlothian.

It's ill taking corn frae geese.

It's ill to be ca'd a thief, an' aye found picking.

"It is ill to have a bad name, and to be often found in a suspicious place or posture."--Kelly.

It's ill to mak an unlawful oath, but waur to keep it.

It's ill to put a blythe face on a black heart.