wunder · Library

Part 120

The Proverbs of Scotland · Alexander Hislop — chapter 120 of 242 · ~328 words · public domain

Read in the Wunder reader — free

Lazy youth maks lousy age.

Leal folk ne'er wanted gear.

Leal heart leed never.

"A' was toom, a' heartless-like, an' bare; Her dowie pain she culdna mair conceal-- The heart, they'll say, will never lie that's leal." --Ross's Helenore.

Lean on the brose ye got in the morning.

Spoken facetiously to a person who leans heavily on another.

Leap year was never a gude sheep year.

Learn the cat the road to the kirn, and she'll aye be lickin'.

Learn young, learn fair; learn auld, learn mair.

Learn your gudewife to mak milk kail.

That is, "Teach your grandmother to suck eggs."

Learn you an ill habit and ye'll ca't a custom.

Least said soonest mended.

Leave aff while the play's gude.

Leave a jest when it pleases you best.

Leave the court ere the court leave you.

Leave welcome aye behint you.

Prolong your stay only so long as you find your company approved of, so that you may not be considered tedious.

Lee for him and he'll swear for you.

Leein' rides on debt's back.

Lend your money and lose your friend.

"It is not the lending of our money that loses our friend; but the demanding of it again, and that will lose a friend to my certain knowledge. They have a proverbial rhyme to this purpose:--

"'I had a } {and a } {as many of this land, I lent my } {to my } {when he did it demand, I sought my } penny {from my} friend {when he had kept it long, I lost my } {and my } {and was not that a wrong? Had I a } {and a } {as I have had before, I wo'd keep my} {and my } {and play the fool no more.'" --Kelly.

Let-a-be for let-a-be.

"Mutual forbearance."--Jamieson.

Let ae deil dang anither.

An expression of indifference at two bad persons quarrelling.

Let a horse drink what he will, but no when he will.

← Previous chapterAll chaptersNext chapter →

The Proverbs of Scotland · The Wunder Library — complete classics, free to read, with narration.

© 2026 Wunder Learning LLC · Terms & Privacy